The team at Travel + Leisure is giving Fort Worth a Texas-sized vote of confidence: The lifestyle magazine has named Fort Worth the No. 1 best place to live in Texas.
To compile the rankings in a new list called “10 Best Places to Live in Texas, According to Local Real Estate Experts,” writer Amanda Ogle chatted with real estate experts from across the state. The list considered all aspects of the city’s quality of living, including entertainment options, dining, highly-rated schools, green spaces, and culture.
“Recently surpassing Austin in population, Fort Worth is now the fourth-largest city in Texas behind Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston,” wrote Ogle. “About 30 minutes west of Dallas, Fort Worth still gives off that small-town feeling, where Western culture, a strong job market, and affordability collide.”
But this wasn’t just Ogle’s list. Let’s hear from a local real estate expert she talked to:
“Fort Worth has this rare mix of big-city opportunity and small-town charm,” Selene Crow, a licensed realtor with Realty of America who has been helping families in Fort Worth and the surrounding areas since 2017, tells Travel + Leisure. “You’ll find everything from world-class museums and live music to rodeos and local festivals. It’s a place where culture, career opportunities, and quality of life all meet.”
The report goes on to praise Fort Worth as “more affordable than Dallas and many surrounding suburbs” and pointed out that the city’s desirable real estate market includes new master communities with modern amenities, historic neighborhoods with character, and neighborhoods close to highways for commuters.
“Families love the highly rated schools and family-friendly neighborhoods, and young professionals and couples are drawn to walkable districts, local dining, and a growing job market,” Crow says. (A commenter on the story took exception with the “highly rated schools” sentiment, pointing out that Fort Worth ISD has recently been taken over by the Texas Education Association.)
The best places to live in Texas, according to Travel + Leisure, are:
- No. 1 — Fort Worth
- No. 2 — Pflugerville
- No. 3 — Frisco
- No. 4 — Sugar Land
- No. 5 — Round Rock
- No. 6 — Plano
- No. 7 — The Woodlands
- No. 8 — San Antonio
- No. 9 — McAllen
- No. 10 — Flower Mound
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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this report.