Where El Paso Ranks on 2018 ‘Fun Cities’ List

Higher scores in two major categories including nightlife and places to party options helped El Paso climb Wallethub’s 2018's Most Fun Cities in America list.

This year’s #73 spot is a 40-plus bump from its very-little-fun ranking of #118 in 2016, the last time the list-happy personal finance site ranked the 182 largest cities in America according to how "fun" they are.

Sure, 73 is not quite as festive as any of the other major Texas cities, which were all ranked in the Top 30, but at least we're way more fun than Las Cruces (#109). Heck, El Paso even ranked higher than Anaheim (#107) and they’re home to the Happiest Place on Earth.

To determine rankings, Wallethub looked at factors such as the number of entertainment attractions, restaurants, sports facilities per capita, as well as the average open hours of bars and breweries, presence of music festivals and nights clubs, and how much it costs to do stuff.

Although El Paso scored near the top in the "Cost" category (17), it was 77 in "Entertainment & Recreation" and an anemic #116 in "Nightlife & Parties" leading to it's middle of the pack overall ranking of #73.

But, hey, at least we’re moving up in the world.

Maybe with the city trying to lure out-of-town businesses by creating all those TIRZs, and handing out sweet tax incentives like they were Halloween candy we’ll get a Six Flags someday and break into the Top 50.

Okay, I'll settle for a Cheesecake Factory.