If you’ve read my bio, you know I am not a native Texan. I relocated to Dallas from west coast (having lived in Los Angeles, California & Portland, Oregon) about 16 years ago and couldn’t be happier. Many of you who are reading our blog might be contemplating the same type of move. I’m sure you’ve read all the articles naming cities like Raleigh, Dallas, Nashville, Dallas, Orlando and Houston being names “top cities to live” in certain categories. We read all of those lists too and decided on Dallas. Here are the top 10 reasons we relocated to Dallas over all of our other choices.
Quality of Life
Dallas residents know you must have a work-life balance. Employers don’t expect their employees to work 16 hour days and weekends like they do in some big cities. Most are able to live comfortably off their salaries and even put away some money as well. And, because housing is not 60% of your gross income like it is in some of the bigger cities like San Jose, Los Angeles, New York & Bay Area, families have some extra money to enjoy the fun things Dallas has to offer during their down time.
No State Income Tax
Texas allows us to keep more of our hard earned money and is one of few states with no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Wyoming, Nevada, South Dakota, Washington, New Hampshire), Dallas sales tax is also not outrageous, like it is in some of the other no income tax states, which was another draw.
Small Business Friendly
Dallasites love their small businesses. You’ll see many more local chains and local businesses that residents love to support. Local coffee shops are often much busier than Starbucks and local chefs dominate the restaurant industry, not chains. Spend a few days in Dallas and you’ll see even our popular grocery store (Tom Thumb) is a Texas company based in Roanoke, Texas. Being small business owners ourselves, we were looking for an area that would embrace and support local.
Lower Cost of Living
Everything from the cost of groceries, gas to government fees are all considerably less than on west coast. You pay much less for car registration, grocery, utilities and apartment rents. Virtually everywhere you pull out your wallet in Dallas, you spend less.
Small Town Feel, Big City Amenities
Though the Dallas metro area has over 7 million people, there are a number of cities like Southlake, Coppell, Flower Mound, Frisco, Trophy Club, Grapevine, Keller etc. with population of less than 50,000 which still have a small town feel. Many of these neighborhoods and suburbs have their own “Downtown” where residents meet for coffee, lunch and to shop at local businesses. Though these Dallas suburbs have the small town feel, you don’t sacrifice in the amenities a big city has like an international airport (DFW), booming job market, highly rated restaurants, ample shopping and vibrant nightlife.
Dallas is a Welcoming Place
Dallas is a very cosmopolitan city in spite of what you might think. Very few people are native Dallas residents and most are from somewhere else. Drawing from that experience of coming to a new city without a support system, people are extremely friendly and welcoming to other new people.
Kid Friendly
Dallas is a very kid friendly city. Most neighborhoods have playgrounds, community pools and HOA’s geared to activities that kids and parents can enjoy. We also have a big zoo, children’s museum, aquarium, water parks, kids camps, sports leagues and endless other activities that parents and kids can enjoy together.
Highly Rated Public Schools
You hear about some cities where private schools are the only option if you want your kids to have a good education. Not in Dallas. Many of the Dallas public schools are very highly rated. Highly rated schools are found in all price ranges, not just the in the most expensive neighborhoods, making Dallas a go to area for people with children.
Potential for Growth
It is estimated that 300 people move to Dallas metro area per day and even with record numbers relocating, Dallas has a booming job market in many industries. I hear story after story about people who move here without a job and days later they are employed in the industry they are most qualified for. We routinely help physicians relocate to Dallas and not only do they find a job before they have moved to Dallas, they are able to buy much nicer homes and enroll their kids in great public schools. Every week we hear about a new Fortune 500 company that has decided to move their headquarters to Dallas metro area like McKesson (relocating headquarters from San Francisco to Irving, Texas) and that hasn’t slowed in all the time we’ve lived here. Dallas is poised to grow and thrive for many more years to come.
Dallas is a Young and Vibrant City
Dallas is a young and vibrant city. Many students who attend UTD, SMU & UNT make Dallas their permanent home. Dallas also attracts a lot of retirees, but they are generally very active and “young at heart” making the city very energetic and vibrant. You’ll see hike and bike trails full on the weekend, as well as many people kayaking and boating or attending one of our many festivals. Dallas metro has a number of top places to live in the country according to a recent Time magazine report.
Private Schools
There are a number of alternatives for Dallas residents who prefer to send their children to private school. In fact, Dallas is home to some of the highest-ranked private schools in the state (Find a list of Dallas private schools here). The city’s St. Mark’s School of Texas recently beat out Houston’s St. John’s School as the #1 private educational institution in the state. St. Marks, a boys school, is also one of the oldest private schools in the area, having been established in 1906. It boasts such prestigious alumni as Alan Lomax, Boz Scaggs and the Wilson brothers. Girls school Hockaday, St. Mark’s unofficial sister institution, is number three in the state. Other high-ranking Dallas private schools are Cistercian Preparatory School (No. 4), Greenhill School (No. 7), Jesuit College Prep School (No. 18), Trinity Valley School (No. 19), Ursuline Academy of Dallas (No. 20), Episcopal School of Dallas (No. 21) and Yavneh Academy of Dallas (No. 25).
About us:
What is most important to you in your new city? With a little bit more info about what you’re looking for in a new city, we can help you determine whether or not Dallas would be a good fit. Send us an email at info@NitinGuptaDFW.com, fill out our Relocation Questionnaire, or give us a call at (469) 269-6541 to schedule a no obligation consultation. We’ll give you honest advice about Dallas that you can use to help make your relocation decision. In the meantime, check out our Guide to Relocating to Dallas.
Whether you are an individual simply relocating to Dallas, or moving your entire family due to transferring with your company, we can help. Our relocation professionals ease the transition whether you are moving across town or across the globe. We will work with you to find an area that best suits your professional, family and lifestyle needs. Since many of our clients are relocation buyers, we have all the tools you need to help your home search. Whether it is video previews of homes, extended work hours, digital signatures for documents or more, we can make this process as comfortable as possible no matter where you are located.
