Dallas is home to 34 neighborhoods.  Here you can find the best places to love, the best places to raise a family, the best place to buy a house, or the most diverse place to spread your wings.  Here are a few of neighborhoods that are the best overall place to live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Coppell is a suburb of Dallas, and has a population of 41,152.  Median home value is $368,800 with a median household income of $123,802.  These five top public schools serving Coppell have A+ ratings from niche.com: Coppell High School, New Tech High School at Coppell, Coppell Middle School-North, Coppell Middle School-East, and Lakeside Elementary School.  The neighborhood is safe and secure with crime rates far below the national average.

Preston Highlands has a smaller population, but provides many coffee shops, restaurants, and parks.  The median home value stands at $358,694, and median rent is a stiff $1,474.  In this neighborhood, 65% of the residents choose to rent their home.  The median household income is slightly lower than Coppell, coming in at $74,090.  Plano West Senior High School, Plano Senior High School, Plano ISD Academy High School, Wilson Middle School, and Rose Haggar Elementary School are several of the reputable public schools that serve the residents of Preston Highlands.

Frisco is a larger community with 165,70 people.  Seventy-four percent of them own their homes in this dense suburban area.  Median home value stands at $368,000; median rent is $1,441, and the median household income is $127,133.  A couple of places to work in Frisco include Jamba, Conifer Health Systems, or Frisco Family Eye Care.  The community scores a B- for crime and safety, and averages here are still below the national averages.  Public schools serving this area include: Liberty High School, Independence High School, Reedy High School, Ashley Elementary School, and Vandeventer Middle School.  Its growing population and its close proximity to the downtown action make this community even more attractive to professionals and young families.  

Canyon Creek South, Timberbrook, Heights Park, Canyon Creek North, and Plano are ranked high on the list for best places to live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  With the exception of Plano, each of the communities have comparable populations.  Plano far exceeds them with a population of 284,579!  

For a community that is more geared toward families, take a look at these options.

Southlake, a rural suburb of Fort Worth, has a population of 30,840, a median home value of $656,100, a median rent of $1,445, and a median household income of $230,700.  Most residents are highly educated as 69% of them have bachelor degrees, master’s degrees, or higher.  This emphasis on education helps to drive these public schools to serve the community with excellence.  Top public schools in Southlake include Carroll Senior High School, Carroll Elementary School, Walnut Grove Elementary School, Carroll Middle School, and Robert H. Rockenbaugh Elementary School.  Residents feel safe and protected in the community as the crime rates are below the national average.  A portion of Southlake’s city border is along Grapevine Lake.  This provides beautiful scenery and landscape.

University Park, with a population of 24,954 and a sparse suburban feel, is also a great place to raise a family in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  Prepare to spend a decent amount of money on housing here, as the median home value soars at $1,230,200.  The median household income is far above the national average, at $214,477.  At least 41% of these residents here have a master’s degree or higher, and 47% of them have a bachelor’s degree.  Crime rates are far below the national average and surrounding community averages.  Top schools serving University Park include School of Science and Engineering, School for the Talented and Gifted, Highland Park High School, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts, and Bradfield Elementary School.  University Park has its own Fire Department, EMS, and Police.  Enjoy Friday night football under the lights, shopping in the community shopping complexes, or dining at some of the best barbecue places around!

Murphy is a smaller community with a population of 20,528.  With a median home value or $337,900, a higher median rent of $2,117, and a median household income of $132,589, Murphy is a tight-knit community, and a wonderful place to call home.  Unlike the bigger city of Plano, it has a more suburban feel, but close access to shopping and dining.  Top public schools that serve the Murphy residents include Boggess Elementary School, Martha Hunt Elementary School, Murphy Middle School, Tibbals Elementary School, and Miller Elementary School.

Flower Mound is a well-established conservative town that offers residents a rural feel and access to many restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.  Eighty-six percent of the 73,252 population choose to own their own home.  Median home values are documented as $342,300, with a median rent of $1,600.  The median household income is a healthy $134,184, and several places to work in Flower Mound include Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound, BNSF Logistics, and Funimation.  Top public schools serving this community include Coppell Middle School- North, Colleyville Heritage High School, Argyle High School, Flower Mound High School, and Heritage Elementary School.  Crime rates here are below the national average, and residents feel safe in their surroundings.  

If you are after a more eclectic feel or cultural experience, the next few communities might be your style.  Here are some of the most diverse places to live in the Dallas area.  

Highland Terrace is a place where residents have moderate political views, rent their homes, and have a median household income of $75,209.  The median home value is $210,126, with a median rent of $1,284.  Top schools serving this area are Math/Science/Technology Magnet School, and Apollo Junior High School.  A little lower rated in this area are Berkner High School, Richardson Terrace Elementary School, and Liberty Junior High School.

Woodbridge-Whispering Hills has a population of 11,440 where 76% of them choose to rent their homes.  The Median home value is $193,427, with a median rent of $1,094, and a median household income of $58,369.  This urban suburban mix has several stream, rivers and nature spaces that are sure to provide relaxing walks and afternoon picnics.  Top schools serving Woodbridge-Whispering Hills are Math/Science/Technology Magnet School and Apollo Junior High School.  A couple B rated schools listed in this area are Berkner High School, Liberty Junior High School, and Lake Highlands High School.  Crime is slightly higher than in some of the other neighborhoods mentioned, but still below the national average.

Colleyville is a conservative community with highly rated schools and a rural setting.  Ninety-six percent of the population own their homes, leaving only 4% of the population renting. The median home value is $488,900, the median rent is $1,865, and the median household income is $175,369. Carroll Senior High School, George Dawson Middle School, Eubanks Intermediate School, Old Union Elementary School, and Colleyville Heritage High School are all A+ rated schools in the Colleyville area. Come enjoy the gorgeous landscaped lawns, the beautiful built homes, and the friendly community of Colleyville.  

Keller, population of 46,175, is a quiet suburb of Fort Worth.  Residents here have a median household income of $133,266, a median home value of $355,300, and a median rent of $1,332.  Keller Pointe and QCD of America are convenient places to work in Keller, and children can attend Carroll Senior High School, Carroll Elementary School, George Dawson Middle School, Westlake Academy, or Eubanks Intermediate School for quality education in this area. Old town Keller on Main Street offers many hidden charms and an old western feel.  

Trophy Club has achieved an A+ rating from niche.com.  Their population of 11,790 had a median home value of $376,800, a median rent of $1,596, and a median household income of $142,483.  Carroll Senior High, Walnut Grove Elementary School, Carroll Middle School, Don T. Durham Intermediate School, and Carroll High School all serve this community and their children well.  Trophy Club is a safe neighborhood with crime rates far below the national average.  

Several other notable places to live in the Fort Worth area, having safe communities, and reputable schools are Bedford, Mansfield, Roanoke, North Richland Hills, and Hurst.

Arlington, located in Tarrant county, has a population of 392,462.  Many families and young professionals choose to live here where the residents’ political views lean liberal and the public schools are above average.  The median home value is $157,600, median rent is $997, median household income is $58,502, and 55% of the residents choose to own their home.  Top public schools serving this area are Texas Academy of Biomedical, Harwood Junior High School, Willie Brown Elementary School, Mansfield Frontier High School, and Arlington Classics Academy-Middle School.  Crime in Arlington is slightly higher in some areas.  Theft, motor vehicle theft, rape, and assault are higher than the national average.

DFW recently passed Chicago to become the second largest financial services hub in the United States. In recent years, corporate offices have relocated from other major cities, (mostly California), to the Dallas side of the metroplex. McKesson, Charles Schwab, and Uber are several of the latest corporate headquarter relocation transitions.  They join Dallas-established institutions like Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Liberty Mutual, Goldman Sachs, State Farm, TD Ameritrade, and Fidelity Investments.

Not only do banking and finance play an important role in Dallas’s economy, but also information technology.  The IT industry in the Metroplex is often called Silicon Prairie or the Telecom Corridor.  Companies, firms, and projects that make up this thriving industry are Microsoft, Texas Instruments, HP Enterprise Services, Dell Services, Samsung, Nokia, Cisco, Google, Verizon, and several others.  The Largest telecommunications establishment in the world is AT&T.  It is the Whitacre Tower in downtown Dallas that is home to this world-wide corporate headquarters.

Engineering and construction companies find their way to the top of several industry lists.  McKesson, ExxonMobile, and Fluor, three Fortune 500 companies, are headquartered in Irving, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas Metroplex.  Jacobs Engineering, Toyota USA, and Southwest Airlines, provide employment for thousands of workers.  Southwest Airlines alone employs 53,000 people and provides and operates almost 4,000 departures a day during peak travel seasons.  

Texas is known also for its farming and ranching, as the industry has been a major addition to the economy for the last 300 years.  With 185,000 farms and ranches, and 129.3 million acres of ranch land, Texas has led the nation in cattle and calves, beef cows, cattle on feed, total value of cattle and calves, and cash receipts.  >The Cattle Raisers Museum on the second floor of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History provides a vast amount of history and information of cattle ranching and cattle raising.  Other attractions to learn more about the ranching industry include the Livestock Exchange Building, the Coliseum, the North Fort Worth Historical Society, the Stockyards Museum, and the Historic Exchange Building.

American Airlines, the largest employer in the Metroplex, recently completed a corporate headquarters complex in Fort Worth.  Its estimated total was $350 million.  Lockheed Martin, Rautheon, and Bell Helicopter Textron work to enhance the major defense manufactures, and maintain several strategic operations on the Fort Worth side of the Metroplex.

Based on salaries, company financial health, and employee diversity, these seven Fortune 500 companies are the best companies to work for in Dallas.

• Texas Instruments, in the semiconductors industry, was founded in 1930, has nearly 30,000 employees, and an annual revenue of $14.2 billion.  It is a global analog and digital semiconductor IC design and manufacturing company.  Texas Instrument jobs include Process/Equip Engineer: TMG Rotation Program, Process/Equipment Engineer, System Engineer-High Power Drivers, Magnetics Device/Packaging Design Engineer, and Design Verification Engineer.
• AT&T, headquartered at Whitacre Tower, employs 273,210 workers and brings in an annual revenue of $170.8 billion.  AT&T is a modern media company whose mission is to inspire human progress through the power of communication and entertainment.  Having recorded 35 consecutive years of quarterly dividend growth, AT&T, a Fortune 10 company, works to bring premium video content, high-speed video and advertising technology, and a large base of direct-to-customer relationships.  Jobs include In-Home Sales Expert, and Senior-Quality Assurance.
• Jacobs Engineering Group has a workforce 3,000 employees strong, and an annual revenue of $15.3 billion.  Jacobs Engineering Group is determined to be the world’s premier design, engineering, construction, and technical services firm.  They provide end-to-end innovative solutions and superior value to their clients.  The average employee at Jacobs stays for a little over 3 years and has an average annual salary of $81,255.  Jobs include Software Developer, Sr, Principal and Project Engineer-Lunar Tools.
• Southwest Airlines, established to connect people and places though friendly, reliable, and cost-effective air transport.  They currently employ 58,803 workers, and have an annual revenue of $22.0 billion.  Top salaries by job title for American Airlines would be Java/J2ee Developer at $87,336 annually, and Computer & IT at $84,217.  The average employee makes $24,052 annually.  Mainline jobs include Cashier and Customer Service Agent.
• Deans Foods, an American food and beverage company, and the largest dairy company in the United States, is headquartered in Dallas.  Although Dean Foods has sixty-six facilities in thirty-two different states, there are 16,000 employees at the facility in Dallas.  The annual revenue is $7.7 billion and the average employee makes $47,092 a year.  Job positions include Cost Accountant Consultant, Health Screening Attendant, Sales Rep., and Class B CDL Driver.
• Tenet Healthcare Corporation, with its 115,500 Dallas, Texas employees and $18.3 billion annual revenue, is headquartered in the Dallas Metroplex.  The multinational investor-owned healthcare services company operates several facilities through brands, subsidiaries, joint ventures, and partnerships.  The average employee makes $69,113 annually and usually maintains a four year tenure.  Job opportunities include Tech, Surgical Cert Texas TRA, Telemetry Rn Texas TRA, ICU RN Texas TRA, and Medical Surgical RN Texas, TRA.
• Builders First Source, with 14,000 employees, and an annual revenue of $6.7 billion, specializes in lumber, dryvit stucco, Lone Star Stone, commercial and residential roofing and accessories, and commercial and residential building materials.  Uniquely, the business, founded in 1998,  loves to hire graduates from Trident Technical College.  Currently, 11.5% of Builder First Source’s employees are Trident graduates.   The average employee makes $38,822 annually.

Although not considered as part of Fortune 500 list, there are many other desirable careers and industries in Dallas.

Healthcare Companies

• Baylor Scott & White Health – 20,000 employees; average annual income  = $43,587
• >UT Southwestern Medical Center – 13,760 employees; average annual income = $46,731
• Dallas County Community College District – average annual income = $38,557
• Medical City Dallas – 7,500 employees; average annual income = $69,049
• Steward Health Care System – 40,000 employees; average annual income = $56,852

Finance Companies

• Comerica – 8,190 employees; average annual income = $52,461
• Santander Consumer USA – 5,100 employees; average annual income = $59,181
• Orix USA – 720 employees; average annual income = 93,726
• MoneyGram International – 2,916 employees; average annual income = $61,127
• PlainsCapital Bank – 1,200 employees; one of the largest independent banks in Texas with approximately $9.3 billion in assets.

Energy Companies

• Hunt Consolidated – 2,571 employees; average annual income = $77,584
• EnLink Midstream Partners, LP-1,472 employees; company provides gathering, transmission, processing, fractionation, storage, stabilization, brine, and marketing services to producers of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, and condensate.  Its annual revenue totals $4.9 billion
• RSP Permian – 115 employees; small oil and gas drilling company with an annual revenue of $569. Million
• Merit Energy – 679 employees; one of the largest privately held US-based oil and gas companies by production volume.  Fourteen percent of its employees are graduates of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
• Saxon Oil – 35 employees; annual revenue of $300 million

Real Estate companies

• The Howard Hughes – 1,400 employees; average annual income = $72,376; started as part of the oil industry, but diversified into real estate development
• Invitation Homes – 884 employees; average annual income=$68,080; 19.6% of its employees graduate from the University of Phoenix
• Texas Pacific Land Trust – 10 employees; annual revenue of $81.8 million; one of the smallest utilities companies based in Dallas; a publicly traded land trust owning well over 900,000 acres in 20 West Texas counties.
• Sammons Enterprises – 3,900 employees; annual revenue of $1.9 billion
• Milestone Apartments Real Estate Investment Trust – 1,200 employees; working toward acquiring and owning a 52 property portfolio containing 16,944 housing units.

While the highest paying jobs in the Fort Worth area are for dentists, optometrists, family and general practitioners, petroleum engineers, and computer and information systems managers, the major industries are oil and gas, manufacturing, and aviation and aerospace.  According to a recent research and study done by zippia.com, here are five of the best Fort Worth career industries.

• Architecture and Engineering Industry
• Education, Training, and Library Industry
• Computer and Mathematical Industry
• Office and Administrative Support Industry
• Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Industry

Cook Children’s Medical Center is a key player in the healthcare industry in Fort Worth.  Their workforce is 5,320 employees strong, and their annual revenue is $5.5 billion.  The company is ranked #1 as the best healthcare company to work for in Fort Worth.  

JPS Health Network has 3,210 employees and is determined to fulfill their mission of transforming healthcare delivery for the communities that they serve.  Employees here have a near four year tenure.  

Diagnostic Health Services has just 75 employees, but is ranked #3 in the best healthcare companies to work for in Fort Worth.  Its annual revenue is listed as $30 million.  

Fit for Life Centers has 30 employees, and the average employee makes $45,757 annually.  

Medical City Fort Worth, with its 1,600 employees and $129 million annual revenue, is a 320 bed-facility that offers comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services in a wide range of specialties including cardiac care, neurosciences, oncology, and surgical services.  Average annual income for employees is $60,701.  

According to zippia.com, the following are some of the best companies to work for in Fort Worth.  

Radio Shack maintains 6,930 employees and a $5.5 billion annual revenue.  Competitive salaries and benefits packages, along with commissions are some of the common positive feedback comments from employees.  The average employee makes $36,019 annually.  

BNSF Railway, part of the transportation industry, employs 41,000 workers.  Their annual revenue is $20.3 billion, and the average employee is compensated $56,372 annually.  BNSF Railway jobs include Asst. Gen Attorney, and Sr Analyst/Asst Mgr Accounting (Special Projects).

American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, is the world’s largest airline by fleet size, revenue, scheduled passengers carried, scheduled passenger-kilometers flown, and number of destinations served.  There are approximately 126,600 employees that work to provide safe, dependable, and friendly air transportation.  The company’s annual revenue is a staggering $41.1 billion.  Recent job openings include Senior Access Coordinator, and Engineer/Senior Engineer, IT Network Infrastructure.  

Elevate, a company committed to rewarding borrowers’ good financial behavior with flexible interest rates, free financial training, and free credit monitoring. Elevate has saved its customers more than $4 billion versus the cost of payday loans.The company currently has 540 employees and an annual revenue of $629.8 million. The average employee earns an average annual income of $50,674.  

First Command Financial Planning, Inc. has 1,000 employees and is a broker-dealer registered in all 50 states, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  Their goal is to coach the nation’s military families in their pursuit of financial security.  Recent job openings in this financial institution include Bank Teller, Diversity and Inclusion Director, Senior Software Engineer, Leadership Development Consultant, and Vice President, Organization and Talent Development.

Although Arlington is smaller in size from Dallas and Fort Worth, it is still critical to the economic growth and stability of the Dallas Metroplex.  Here are some of the best companies to work for in Arlington, Texas.The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university with 41,933 students, making it the largest university in North Texas and the fourth largest in Texas.  There are 5,000 employees at the university where the average employee stays for a little over two years and earns an average annual salary of $43,764.  Recent job openings include Assistant Professor of Instruction, Assistant Professor, Jazz Piano & chamber Music, Lecturer-Earth & Environmental Sciences, Chair & Professor of Educational Leadership, and Chair & Professor of Curriculum and Instruction.

Texas Health Resources employs 22,005 workers and is the largest faith-based, non-profit health systems in the United States and the largest in North Texas based on inpatients and outpatients served.  An average employee makes $43,984 annually and stays at the facility for nearly three years.  Recent job openings include Registered Nurse-Radiology, Safety Officer, and Registered Nurse Central Staffing Office.  

Burnett’s Staffing has been serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex since its founding in 1966.  The family-owned business has 120 employees, an annual revenue of #30 million, and a desire to provide the highest quality recruitment, screening, and customer service.  It scores #1 in best professional companies to work for in Arlington and #3 in the best companies to work for in Arlington.   

Fourth on the list of the 20 best companies to work for in Arlington is Interstate Hotels and Resorts.  The Virginia based hotel management is headquartered in Arlington where 19,000 employees earn an average of $43,858 annually.  The company manages 430 hotels, resorts, and conference centers with over 77,800 rooms both domestically and internationally.  

The North Central Texas Council of Governments is fifth on the list of the 20 best companies to work for in Arlington.   The NCTCOG is a voluntary association of, by and for local governments established to assist in regional planning.  There are currently 360 employees who help to bring in an annual income of $75 million.

Everything’s bigger in Texas, so naturally, the fun is bigger, too!  The Dallas Metroplex is an amazing place to take in not only the western culture, but many other cultures as well.  Dallas and the surrounding cities offer fun for all ages and budgets.  

Spend the day at the nation’s largest arts district…shop ‘til you drop in Uptown and the NorthPark Center mall…attend concerts in Deep Ellum…cheer on the Cowboys and the Mavericks!  

Museums in the Dallas Fort Worth area include the Crow Collection of Asian Art, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the Dallas Holocaust Museum, and the JFK Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.  A couple of museums outside of the downtown limits offer unique cultural experiences.  The African American Museum of Dallas is rich in American history, and offers guests an opportunity to view historical materials, artifacts, and perspectives through the lens of African Americans. 

The Frontiers of Flight Museum, located on the corner of Dallas Love Field Airport, is a 100,000 square foot facility that  houses over 30 space vehicles and aircraft.  The “Flying Pancake”, an iconic WWII biplane, and the Apollo 7 common module are both at this location and are available for touring.

Garland Landmark Museum and Las Colinas Mustang Museum are interesting places of early settlers and sculpted animals.  Visiting Meadows Museum gives you access to both “Prado on the Prairie” and the George W. Bush Presidential Center.  The Prado is located on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas and houses the largest and most comprehensive collections of Spanish art outside of Spain.  

Enjoying the outdoors in Dallas-Fort Worth has many options.  Visit the Fort Worth Japanese Garden, the Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth Water Gardens, Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, Trinity Park, Cowtown Cattlepen Maze, and Eagle Mountain Park for some amazing outdoor and breathtaking adventures.  Head over to the Stockyards National Historic District to watch the daily cattle drives, visit the Noble Planetarium and Museum of Science and History, or take to the skies on thrilling roller coasters and rides at Six Flags Over Texas.  

Explore history by visiting the JFK Assassination and Museum Tour, the Dallas’ Reunion Tower GeO-Deck Observation, or Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament.  

Attractions in Arlington include the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium, Hurricane Harbor water park, the AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park, Top O’Hill Terrace, River Legacy Park, the International Bowling Museum, Tails and Trails Dog Park, and the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts.

Dallas has a wide range of sports teams, game schedules, and venues.  Residents and out of state fans alike cheer big for their Texas teams.  The Dallas Cowboys play in Arlington at the AT&T Stadium.  The Dallas Mavericks basketball team and the Dallas Stars hockey team play at the American Airlines Center inside the city of Dallas.  College Park Center in Arlington provides a home court for the Dallas Wings, and FC Dallas, a major league soccer franchise, calls the Toyota Stadium home for their games.  The Globe Life Stadium in Arlington gives you a chance to see not only the Texas Rangers, but also a chance to see former President George W. Bush in the stands.