April

My husband, 3-year-old, 1-year old and I are possibly relocating to Dallas from Phoenix for a job opportunity and were hoping to get some input from those folks from Dallas. With two young children, I am mostly interested on advice concerning residential areas in Dallas which are family-friendly with some room outdoors to move around (for example, would you recommend the north, south, east or west sides of Dallas to buy a home) and any advice on a decent school district would be very much appreciated. Thank you all in advance for your time!

Bill

April,

The Richardson Sch. Dist. has a very good rep. Garland is scond. Dallas Sch. Dist. has been deplorable for 20 years or moore. We have a new Supt. in Dallas, the best in over 30 years, but it will take him 2 or 3 years to overcome the mess created by past Supts.

I am retired and trying to find acreage in the country. In short, "I am trying to get the hell out of Dodge".

Christie

The biggest part of deciding where to live in Dallas will need to be finding out where you or your husband will be working. Dallas is a BIG area, and the last thing you want to be doing every day is driving all the way across town to and from work! I know people who spend an hour each way in traffic, and I just have better things to do in my life than that!

If the job will be on the north side of town, Plano and Richardson are very popular options. Plano schools are well-regarded, although they tend to focus on the overachiever students at the expense of the average or below-average students. Richardson tends to focus more on the individual student, and they have a very good magnet school program. Both cities have excellent park facilities, too. Keep in mind that homes in Plano will cost about $10,000 more than comparable homes in other cities just because of the Plano address.

If the job is on the south side, Waxahachie is a cute litte town that havs many vintage homes and a wonderful community feeling. Their schools are also well-regarded, although not as highly as Plano or Richardson.

To the east, Rockwall is a cute city that has experienced rapid growth in recent years. The schools there are also very good, and many families have moved there because of them. Rockwall is also on Lake Ray Hubbard, so there are many outdoor recreation opportunities.

To the west of Dallas are the cities of Fort Worth and Arlington. I don't know as much about them because the people there tend not to come over to Dallas to work, but I have friends who live in those cities that like them very much.

Best of luck with your move!

Kim

As an educator in the Dallas area, I can highly recommend 2 school districts that continually get high marks: Coppel (northwest of Dallas) and Frisco (north of Plano, which is north of Dallas). Both communities are very family oriented. There are also some great neighborhoods closer in to Dallas, with some good neighborhood elementary schools, but once your kids get to middle school, private school might become a priority. A word of caution about Richardson ISD, you have to look at those schools on a case by case basis. Some are indeed excellent, but based on information from friends who used to work there, I'd take a look at the individual schools in my neighborhood (elementary and secondary) and not just assume that because you move into Richardson, all will be well.
Good Luck!

April

Thank you all for your quick responses to my question. In answer to where my husband would be working, it would be close to the UT Southwestern campus - so we would have to take into consideration the traffic getting to and from work. Any suggestions given that information? Thanks again to all who responded

i-live-in-the-bubble

I don't mean to pry into your financial situation, but if you're affluent (or in this city, a 'wanna-be' is good enough), you may consider either University Park or Highland Park (collectively referred to as the "Park Cities" area). Homes are extremely expensive; school district highly rated (in my opinion, a bit over-rated, but still good) and the area is lovely and very family friendly. When you look at map of Dallas, the Park Cities area is centrally located. As you've mentioned that your husband will be working @ UT Southwestern, it's an easy drive thru secondary roads from PC.

Do note that because this area is quite pricey, you won't get as "much house" as you will with all the other areas mentioned by other posters. And another issue with regards to PC is its' lack of diversity. Don't have exact stats, but it's in area of being 95% white.

Olive Oyl

You might look at Preston Hollow area too if you consider the Park Cities. This is DISD, but some good individual schools. The yards are huge compared to what you get in Plano, our old stomping grounds, or Richardson. Big beautiful trees too, and so convenient to all there is to do.

Christie

UT Southwestern is on the northwest side of downtown Dallas, so the other posters are correct in saying that Preston Hollow and the Park cities would be good choices, although real estate there is shockingly high and you don't get "much house" for your money. Outdoor opportunities there are also very limited since the towns are in the middle of the city.

I'll also add the areas of East Dallas, which I called home for five years: Lakewood and Lake Highlands. These areas are within the city of Dallas, and they surround White Rock Lake. The lake itself is 15 miles around and it has a great jogging/bike trail,plus a very active volunteer and cultural community. There is also the Dallas Arboretum in the area. The neighborhoods are mostly large, older homes with mature trees and large lots. The schools in the Lakewood area are DISD, but Lakewood and Hexter Elementaries and Woodrow Wilson High are very highly regarded. Lake Highlands actually is Richardson ISD, and the schools (Lake Highlands Elementary, Middle and High) in its area are also well-regarded. We really enjoyed our time in Lakewood,and we'd move back again if fate allowed.

xx

Any thoughts about Duncanville?

Joan

The metroplex is very spread out and the traffic is pretty bad so it would be smart to find an area close to your husband's job. Cities surrounding Dallas such as Plano, Richardson, Coppell, Carroll, Arlington, Garland, Rockwall, etc. all lack visual appeal. The architechture is all the same, the terrain is flat and lacking trees. I guess they all seem very generic to me. However, I can tell you about the inner-city neighborhoods because I spend a lot of my time there and I know many people who live there. It is like a whole other world entering into Highland Park. The area is hilly and covered in huge beautiful trees. It is locally known as the "bubble," appropriately enough, because in fact it is a pair of separate cities, HP a town, UP a city, completely surrounded by Dallas. The Preston Hollow area is very nice too, and the homes are cheaper but bigger becuase it is farther north. However, there are many essential qualities that the Park Cities possess that the rest of the metroplex lacks. First of all, the taxes are insanely high. Now I know this isn't a quality but it creates a large pool of money to spend on the neighborhood. The fire and police departments are absolutel the best around and the crime rate is one of the lowest in the country. Also HP is absolutely the best place for kids to grow up. The school system is better than most of the private schools in the area, but don't be mistaken. You get a good eduaction, but you probably pay just as much as you would through taxes for a private school. The school district is constantly critized and underestimated by outsiders perhaps because it is consistantly the best, since 1922. It has been votes a top school by such publications as Money Magazine, Parade Magazine, Newsweek Magazine and the Wall Street Journal, just to name a few. But it is currently undergoing a battle against Robin Hood, along with a few other area schools, including Coppell, a system through which the Texas government is allowed to practice Socialism and take a large portion (in HP,60-70%)of school tax money from the hard working people of property wealthy districts and redistribute it to poorer districts. HP, for example, has had to eliminate vital programs in recent years, such as the german department. So it might be best when your kids reach the age when you need to choose a school, to choose a private school over such schools as HP and coppell if Robin Hood has not been eliminated. Also, the Lakewood area has an old quaint feel about it and many young couples with little kids settle in there. It is also relatively close to downtown, but is is also in Dallas and lacks the security of the park cities. Anyways, I hope you find Dallas to be a good place to raise your kids.