Moving to Dallas

  • Median Home Price – $360,000
  • Median Rent – $1,474
  • Median Income – $42,575

Are you thinking about moving to Texas?

You are probably looking for a perfect place to call home.

We highly recommend moving to Dallas and we will show you in this blog what Dallas has to offer, why it is an amazing place to live in and why you will fall in love with Dallas and never want to leave.

About Dallas

Dallas is one of the largest cities in the United States, and is located at the center of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area.

With a population of 1,304,379, it is the ninth most-populous city in the U.S. and the third-largest in Texas after Houston and San Antonio.

It is located in North Texas, the city of Dallas is the main core of the largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States and the largest inland metropolitan area in the U.S. that lacks any navigable link to the sea.

Dallas is filled with great schools and universities. It is an amazing place to raise a family with an abundance of activities ranging from art, museum, sports to parks, fairs, etc..

Dallas has an amazing transportation system and many job opportunities. Continue reading to see what Dallas has to offer and why living in Dallas just might be for you.

Dallas History

  • Preceded by thousands of years of varying indigenous cultures, the Caddo people inhabited the Dallas area before Spanish colonists claimed the territory of Texas in the 18th century as a part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain.
  • In 1819, the Adams-Onís Treaty between the United States and Spain defined the Red River as the northern boundary of New Spain, officially placing the future location of Dallas well within Spanish territory.
  • The area remained under Spanish rule until 1821, when Mexico declared independence from Spain, and the area was considered part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas.
  • In 1836, the Republic of Texas, with majority Anglo-American settlers, gained independence from Mexico to become a distinct nation.
  • In 1839, Warren Angus Ferris surveyed the area around present-day Dallas. John Neely Bryan established a permanent settlement near the Trinity River named Dallas in 1841. The origin of the name is uncertain.
  • The Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845 and Dallas County was established the following year. Dallas was formally incorporated as a city on February 2, 1856.
  • With construction of railroads, Dallas became a business and trading center, and was booming by the end of the 19th century. It became an industrial city, attracting workers from Texas, the South and the Midwest.

Dallas Neighborhoods

The city of Dallas, Texas is home to many areas, neighborhoods, and communities. These are the main ones:

Central Dallas

Central Dallas is anchored by Downtown, the center of the city, along with Oak Lawn and Uptown, areas characterized by dense retail, restaurants, and nightlife.

Downtown Dallas has a variety of named districts, including:

  • the West End Historic District
  • the Arts District
  • the Main Street District
  • Farmers Market District
  • the City Center business district
  • the Convention Center District
  • the Reunion District.

“Hot spots” in this area include:

  • Uptown
  • Victory Park
  • Oak Lawn
  • Dallas Design District
  • Trinity Groves
  • Turtle Creek
  • Cityplace
  • Knox/Henderson
  • Greenville
  • West Village

    East Dallas

East Dallas is home to:

  • Deep Ellum, a trendy arts area close to Downtown
  • the homey Lakewood neighborhood (and adjacent areas, including Lakewood Heights, Wilshire Heights, Lower Greenville, Junius Heights, and Hollywood Heights/Santa Monica)
  • historic Vickery Place and Bryan Place
  • the architecturally significant neighborhoods of Swiss Avenue and Munger Place

Its historic district has one of the largest collections of Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Prairie-style homes in the United States.

In the northeast quadrant of the city is Lake Highlands, one of Dallas’ most unified middle-class neighborhoods.

South Dallas

South Dallas, a distinct neighborhood southeast of Downtown, lays claim to the Cedars, an eclectic artist hotbed, and Fair Park, home of the annual State Fair of Texas, held in late September and through mid-October.

Southwest of Downtown lies Oak Cliff, a hilly area that has undergone gentrification in recent years, in neighborhoods such as the Bishop Arts District.

South Oak Cliff has a population that is a mixture of African American, Hispanic, and Native American.

The neighborhood has undergone extensive development and community integration. What was once an area characterized by high rates of poverty and crime is now one of the most attractive social and living destinations in the city.

Further east, in the southeast quadrant of the city, is the large neighborhood of Pleasant Grove. Once an independent city, it is a collection of mostly lower-income residential areas stretching to Seagoville in the southeast.

Swampland and wetlands separating it from South Dallas will in the future be part of the Great Trinity Forest, a subsection of the city’s Trinity River Project which is planned to restore and preserve wetlands, newly appreciated for habitat and flood control.

Dallas is surrounded by many suburbs; three enclaves are within the city boundaries:

  • Cockrell Hill
  • Highland Park
  • University Park

Did you know?

The Dallas Arts District is the largest urban arts district in the United States.

Dallas Climate

Dallas has a humid subtropical climate that is characteristic of the Southern Plains of the United States.

Dallas experiences distinct four seasons. January is typically the coldest month, with an average low of 37.3 °F and an average high of 56.8 °F.

Winter is mild but snowfall during winter is not uncommon. On average, there are 2 snowy days per year.

Summer is hot and dry. July and August are typically the hottest months, with an average low of 76.7 °F and an average high of 96.0 °F.

Located at the lower-end of the Tornado Alley, it is often prone to extreme weathers, tornadoes and severe hailstorms.

Did you know?

During the winter holiday season, the Galleria Dallas is home to the country’s tallest indoor Christmas tree.

Great Job Opportunities

Dominant sectors of its diverse economy include defense, financial services, information technology, telecommunications, and transportation.

Dallas is home to 9 Fortune 500 companies within the city limits while the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex hosts 22 Fortune 500 companies, the second most in Texas and fourth most in the United States.

For the second year in a row, Forbes has named Dallas the best city for jobs in America. In the ranking, Forbes includes Plano and Irving as part of the Dallas metro area. Dallas ranked first among the 71 largest metro areas in the country.

Education

There are 337 public schools, 89 private schools, 38 colleges, and 32 libraries in Dallas. Dallas–Fort Worth is also home to six Nobel Laureates.

Primary and secondary schools

Most people in the city of Dallas are within the Dallas Independent School District, the 12th-largest school district in the United States and second largest in Texas. The school district operates independently of the city and enrolls over 161,000 students.

Colleges and universities

The Dallas area has a high number of colleges and universities. In addition to those in the city, the surrounding cities also have a number of universities, colleges, trade schools, and other educational institutions.

Colleges and universities within Dallas city limits:

 

  • UT Southwestern Medical Center
  • Texas Woman’s University
  • Paul Quinn College
  • The University of North Texas
  • Dallas Baptist University
  • Dallas Theological Seminary
  • Criswell College
  • Dallas College

and many more within Dallas County.

What does Dallas have to offer?

If you are considering moving to Dallas, you probably wish to get to know the city a little bit better and what it has to offer. We have a feeling you will love it here.

Let’s show you why people love living in Dallas and why it is a perfect place to call home.

Amazing Cuisine

Dallas is known for its barbecue, authentic Mexican, and Tex-Mex cuisine.

Famous products of the Dallas culinary scene include the frozen margarita.

Fearing’s restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Dallas hotel in Uptown Dallas was named the best hotel restaurant in the US for 2009.

A number of nationally ranked steakhouses can be found in the Dallas area, including Bob’s Steak & Chop House, currently ranked No. 1 according to the USDA Prime Steakhouses chart.

Arts and museums

The Arts District in the northern section of Downtown is home to several arts venues and is the largest continuous arts district in the United States. Notable venues in the district include:

  • The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is a museum located on the sixth floor of the Dallas County Administration Building (formerly the Texas School Book Depository) in downtown Dallas, Texas, overlooking Dealey Plaza at the intersection of Elm and Houston Streets.The museum examines the life, times, death, and legacy of United States President John F. Kennedy and it is located at the very spot from which Lee Harvey Oswaldshot and killed the President on November 22, 1963.
  • The Dallas Museum of Art
  • Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Centerhome to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Wind Symphony
  • The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art
  • T and the Nasher Sculpture Center
  • The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, also located downtown, is a natural history and science museum.

And many more!

Did you know?

The integrated circuit computer chip (which became the microchip) was invented in Dallas in 1958

Famous Dallas Events

  • The most notable event held in Dallas is the State Fair of Texas, which has been held annually at Fair Park since 1886
  • The Red River Shootout, which pits the University of Texas at Austin against The University of Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl
  • The city also hosts the State Fair Classic and Heart of Dallas Bowl at the Cotton Bowl.

Other well-known festivals in the area include:

  • Several Cinco de Mayo celebrations hosted by the city’s large Mexican American population
  • Saint Patrick’s Day parade along Lower Greenville Avenue
  • Juneteenth festivities
  • Taste of Dallas
  • The Deep Ellum Arts Festival
  • The Greek Food Festival of Dallas
  • The annual Halloween event “The Wake” featuring lots of local art and music
  • Two annual events on Halloween include; a Halloween parade on Cedar Springs Road and a “Zombie Walk” held in Downtown Dallas in the Arts District.

Great Outdoors

Dallas maintains and operates 406 parks on 21,000 acres of parkland.

The city’s parks contain 17 separate lakes, including White Rock and Bachman lakes, spanning a total of 4,400 acres.

In addition, Dallas is:

  • traversed by 61.6 miles of biking and jogging trails, including the Katy Trail,
  • home to 47 community and neighborhood recreation centers
  • 276 sports fields
  •  60 swimming pools
  • 232 playgrounds
  • 173 basketball courts
  • 112 volleyball courts
  • 126 play slabs
  • 258 neighborhood tennis courts
  • 258 picnic areas
  • six 18-hole golf courses
  • two driving ranges and
  • 477 athletic fields

So trust us when we say that if you like spending time outdoors, with your partner, kids, or a dog you will have so many choices it will be hard to choose from.


Did you know?

The 52 foot ‘Big Tex’ statue that greets visitors at the annual State Fair of Texas is the tallest cowboy in Texas.

Sports

The Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area is home to five major league sports teams:

  • the Dallas Cowboys (National Football League)
  • Dallas Mavericks(National Basketball Association)
  • Texas Rangers (Major League Baseball)
  • Dallas Stars (National Hockey League)
  • FC Dallas (Major League Soccer)

It also hosts one team in a major women’s league:

  • the Dallas Wings (Women’s National Basketball Association)

Did you know?

The frozen margarita machine was invented in Dallas.