North Texas Racks Up Accolades that Appeal to Home Buyers

According to a recent study conducted by the financial website WalletHub, five North Texas cities are among the best cities for families in 2015. To determine which cities were among the best and worst cities to live in 2015, the website considered five different categories: affordability, education and childcare, family activities and fun, health and safety, and socioeconomic environment. Among those North Texas cities to be ranked among the top 20 best cities for families in the United States were Plano, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Fort Worth and Irving.

To determine the ranking of the best and worst cities for families, WalletHub researchers utilized information they gathered from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau and other data sources containing information about the 150 most populated cities in the United States. The researchers then weighted 30 metrics within the five categories that were considered, with the metrics including things such as the number of playgrounds available per 100,000 residents, housing affordability, air quality, divorce rate and crime rate. Those metrics that were only available at the state level, such as day care quality and high school graduation rate, were given half weight.

Overall, the researchers found that the high-ranking towns tended to be those that were considered to be TOP cities. TOP cities are those that offer plenty of technology, opportunity and programs that are beneficial to families. The researchers also found that smaller cities tended to be more family-friendly because residents have a greater opportunity to have an effect on policy makers, which then leads to community improvements.

North Texas Offers Many Great Cities for Families

Many North Texas cities received high scores from the study. These included:

• Plano: Overall Rank of number 2; Family Activities and Fun Rank of 62; Health and Safety Rank of 15; Education and Child Care Rank of 8; Affordability Rank of 7; Socioeconomic Environment Rank of 3
• Grand Prairie: ranked number 10; Family Activities and Fun Rank of 48; Health and Safety Rank of 52; Education and Child Care Rank of 8; Affordability Rank of 23; Socioeconomic Environment Rank of 24
• Arlington: ranked number 13; Family Activities and Fun Rank of 57; Health and Safety Rank of 72; Education and Child Care Rank of 8; Affordability Rank of 14; Socioeconomic Environment Rank of 41
• Fort Worth: ranked number 16; Family Activities and Fun Rank of 8; Health and Safety Rank of 83; Education and Child Care Rank of 8; Affordability Rank of 15; Socioeconomic Environment Rank of 58
• Irving: ranked number 20; Family Activities and Fun Rank of 76; Health and Safety Rank of 48; Education and Child Care Rank of 8; Affordability Rank of 42; Socioeconomic Environment Rank of 26
• Garland: ranked number 28; Family Activities and Fun Rank of 98; Health and Safety Rank of 63; Education and Child Care Rank of 8; Affordability Rank of 48; Socioeconomic Environment Rank of 33
• Dallas: ranked number 69; Family Activities and Fun Rank of 62; Health and Safety Rank of 97; Education and Child Care Rank of 8; Affordability Rank of 110; Socioeconomic Environment Rank of 104

To learn more about these and other great North Texas cities to explore your options in Dallas-Fort Worth real estate, contact our experienced real estate experts today.

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