San Antonio climbs to No. 14 of top film-friendly cities in North America, driven by robust incentives, diverse locations and booming local production.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio has earned a spot among the top film-friendly cities in North America for the eighth year in a row, according to MovieMaker Magazine’s 2026 rankings. The city rose to No. 14 in the publication’s annual list of “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker” for U.S. and Canadian cities, up from No. 20 last year.
The ranking reflects San Antonio’s growing appeal as a film production hub, fueled by a revamped film incentive program, its affordability, diverse and scenic locations, and an expanding pool of local film crews and vendors. San Antonio now joins five other Texas cities—El Paso, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Austin—in the top 25, alongside well-established film centers like Toronto, Savannah and Santa Fe.
MovieMaker Magazine compiles its list based on industry surveys, production spending, tax incentives and research, supplemented by visits to local film offices.
“San Antonio thrives in filmmaking and livability, with the best incentives in Texas and some of the best incentives anywhere,” said Tim Molloy, editor of MovieMaker Magazine. “We’re thrilled that the city is moving up the list.”
Local production activity has surged in recent years, with San Antonio seeing a 165% increase in film permits since the incentive program’s post-pandemic restart in 2022. The city issued 586 permits in 2025, up from just 221 in 2022. Filming days nearly doubled over the same period, rising to 710.
“San Antonio’s film industry is gaining momentum, with more productions recognizing the value of our crews, locations and resources,” said Christine Hill, San Antonio Film Commissioner. “With strong incentive support in place and growing industry confidence, the city is well-positioned for continued growth in media production.”
To further bolster its position, the City of San Antonio recently approved significant updates to its film incentive program.
Under the new plan, qualifying film and commercial productions shot within the city’s metro area can receive a rebate of up to 45%, capped at $250,000 per project. These changes, combined with new statewide incentives, make San Antonio the most financially competitive film destination in Texas.