All You Need To Know About Moving To The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex 

When searching for your new home, one of the first questions you’re likely to ask yourself is: “Where should I move to?” While there are thousands of options, William Ryan Homes knows some pretty incredible locations across the U.S. One of those locations is the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex!

Living in Dallas-Fort Worth offers everything you could need for a well-rounded life full of fun things to do, multiple job options, a low cost of living, and a diverse population. Combined with the exceptional single-family homes we build here, it’s worth adding the Dallas-Fort Worth area to the top of your list!

What It’s Like to Live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is a great place to live, with a booming economy, vibrant culture, tons of recreation, and great schools. But it’s also HUGE, so you need to figure out which part of this enormous metropolis fits your budget and lifestyle.

Dallas and Fort Worth together are known as the Metroplex. With ten major metro areas and thirteen counties, Dallas-Fort Worth covers a vast geographical area. In total, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is home to over 7 million residents, and encompasses 9,286 square miles – making it larger than Rhode Island and Connecticut combined! In fact, it is the largest inland metropolitan area in the United States.

While Dallas and Fort Worth are often combined (DFW), these two major cities are very different. Dallas is more urban, expensive, and bustling. Downtown Dallas does not have the same “Texas feel” as Fort Worth. But it has great shopping, restaurants, and nightlife. Fort Worth is considered closer to “true” Texas, to the cowboy stereotype associated with Texas cities. It also has a more casual, easy-going vibe than Dallas, and has less traffic.

There is no state income tax in Texas, which means an increase in personal income in comparison to other states, and an increased popularity for finding jobs. In the Dallas area, the top industries are technology, financial services, and defense. In the Fort Worth area, the major industries include oil and gas, manufacturing, aviation, and aerospace. Corporate giants such as Toyota and State Farm have offices in the region, offering plentiful job opportunities. Among the area's other employers are American Airlines, AT&T, Bank of America, Lockheed Martin, and Texas Health Resources.

DFW has been attracting workers and employers from California, New York, and Illinois. Many people made their way here during the pandemic, and that influx was expected to slow as other parts of the country rebounded. But DFW’s primary industries are still growing, and many are accelerating their pace of hiring. In the state jobs report released in late 2022, Texas added hires in all categories except financial services. The average salary in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is about on par with the nationwide average. Unemployment in the area is slightly below the national average.

“Something’s just booming up there up there in DFW,” said Adam Perdue, an economist with the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University. “Everything is still doing fantastic.”

DFW has plenty to offer when it comes to the arts. From museums to live music, theater to film, Dallas-Ft. Worth has something for everyone. The Dallas Museum of Art is among the 10 largest art museums in the country and has over 24,000 works of art. For the performing arts, check out the Dallas City Performance Hall, the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, and The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The Bishop Arts District is home to unique boutiques, coffee shops, and art galleries making it a must-see.

If you love animals and nature, you have acres of parks and trails to explore, plus the wonders of The Dallas World Aquarium, the Dallas Zoo, the Fort Worth Zoo or The Fort Worth Nature Center. If history is your thing, you can choose from Fort Worth’s Log Cabin Village, The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, the National Cowgirl Museum, the Dallas Holocaust Museum or The Frontier of Flight Museum. And out in the ‘burbs, you might stumble across the iconic Southfork Ranch or a real dinosaur at Dinosaur Valley State Park. For family fun, there are also a ridiculous number of amusement parks – Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Hawaiian Falls, Sandy Lake Amusement Park – and lakes – Eagle Mountain Lake, Lake Granbury, Grapevine Lake, Lake Lewisville, Lake Worth, Benbrook Lake, Lake Ray Roberts – in the area.

Last but not least, the football frenzy is real, y’all. Football at every age and level is taken very seriously here in Texas. Whether it’s a high school, college, or professional team, football is one of Texas’ four seasons. Football enthusiasts enjoy high-school football on Friday nights, college games on Saturday, and the regular NFL season games on Sundays or Mondays. And since Dallas is the home of the Cowboys, there’s a whole fandom to experience. Are you ready for some football?

No matter what you like to do, there are plenty of things to do in Dallas-Fort Worth!

Coming Soon Communities

William Ryan Homes provides home buyers with a variety of choices in homes and communities in the Metroplex. We have a wide range of floor plans to choose from. Our “Coming Soon” communities offer design options inspired by this country's diverse landscapes, including a lookout basement for more natural light, a morning room to expand the kitchen and casual dining area, a fireplace in the great room, a designer master bath, a much-needed study as a dedicated workspace, chef's kitchen, flooring options, lighting, and much more!

West Crossing in Anna, TX, has so much to offer. Enjoy the peace and quiet of country living with all of the conveniences that come with living close to McKinney and the Metroplex. Ranked one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, Anna has experienced so much growth over the past few years. Located just across the street from Anna High School as well as Slayter Park, West Crossing is the ideal family-friendly community. Slayter Park is a true community landmark, featuring amenities such as a disc-golf course, baseball/softball fields, horseshoe pits, pavilion, gazebo, playground, skate park, tennis courts, basketball courts, splash pad, and more!

The Preserve at Pecan Creek is conveniently located northwest of Dallas and northeast of Fort Worth, in Denton, TX. Featuring both the perks of a big city and endless Texas charm, this beautiful community has a clubhouse and a pool. But its location is definitely one of the biggest amenities. Easily recognizable by its beautiful courthouse square, Denton is known for being progressive, welcoming, diverse, and culturally vibrant, with a music scene that rivals some of the nation’s most prominent entertainment hubs. Denton hosts more than 20 major festivals and fairs a year. And with more than 4,000 acres of parks and easy access to Lake Lewisville, Denton offers plenty of ways to enjoy the quiet beauty of nature, too.

Just 30 minutes northeast of Dallas, Creekside in Royse City offers easy access to shopping, dining, and more. A short drive from Lake Hubbard, with plenty of entertainment around with multiple parks, biking trails, hiking, fishing, & boating, you will enjoy every minute of living at Creekside. There are myriad activities to choose from, so you will never be bored. Head over to City Lake Parks or Harbor Lights Cruises to wind down. Wander Main Street for shopping and dining galore. Enjoy famous barbeque or local wine, too.

Conclusion

From its desirable location to its thriving economy and great schools, it’s no wonder that so many people are saying “YES!” to the question “Should I move to the Dallas-Fort Worth area?”.

If you're thinking of moving to Dallas/Fort Worth, check out William Ryan Homes' new home communities in the region. If you have questions or would like more information about new construction homes in Dallas-Fort Worth, get in touch with our experienced team.