DFW Suburbs Shine Among the Most Family-Friendly Cities in Texas
DFW Suburbs made the grade in a family-friendly report while larger cities didn’t fare so well.
When it comes to city rankings, Dallas-Fort Worth is used to being on top. Now, it’s time for the suburbs to shine. In late June, personal finance site WalletHub released a report ranking the best and worst cities for Texas families. Neither Fort Worth nor Dallas cracked the top 50. The DFW suburbs dominated the top rankings.
Frisco beat them all, coming in at No. 1. Closely followed by…
- Allen.
- Southlake.
- Colleyville.
- Flower Mound.
- Murphy.
- Keller.
- Plano.
- Coppell.
- McKinney.
- Rockwall.
Other communities in Tarrant County ranked high on the list, including Mansfield (20), Grapevine (27), Burleson (32), North Richland Hills (37), and Bedford (44). Weatherford came in at No. 47.
Of major cities in Texas, Fort Worth came in the family-friendliest, at No. 62. Austin ranked No. 66. El Paso, No. 83. San Antonio, No. 98. Dallas (109) and Houston (116) didn’t fare so well.
The rankings were formulated by comparing data in the 117 largest Texas cities using four key categories:
- Family life and fun
- Education, health, and safety
- Affordability
- Socioeconomic environment
Within each category, metrics ranging from high school graduation rates to density of pediatricians were scored on a scale of 0-100. Then they were weighted according to importance.
DFW cities consistently scored high marks in the family life and fun category. They also earned accolades for education, health, and safety. Relatively low cost of living in the suburbs, plus proximity to entertainment options, helped North Texas towns shine.
The report also has a few helpful tidbits for families looking to buy a home. Throughout Texas, DFW suburbs peppering Interstate 35 North received higher marks than the neighbors to the south.