8 Things to Know Before Moving to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW)

Are you thinking of moving to Dallas/Ft. Worth, but don’t know what to expect? Dallas/Ft. Worth residents will tell you it’s great, but like with any new city, there are things you’ll need to keep in mind.

Overall, Dallas/Ft. Worth is a great place to live, vibrant in arts and culture and booming economically. But you’ll also find that traffic and weather can sometimes be unpredictable.

If DFW is on your consideration list for potential cities to live, check out our list of eight things to know before moving.

Choose Your City Carefully

The Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex has 13 counties and just over 200 cities, spanning 9,200 square miles and is home to over 7 million residents, making it the largest inland metropolitan area in the United States.

So, it’s not as simple as just “moving to DFW”. You’ve got to carefully consider which area of the metroplex will fit your lifestyle, your budget and your overall needs. We recommend living close to work if possible, because traffic can make your commute long.

Also, think about what activities you’ll want to partake in on a regular basis. If you’ll be visiting the city often, you may want to consider living closer to downtown, like in Uptown, rather than a northern suburb like Frisco. Here are some of the top-rated suburbs in Dallas/Ft. Worth.

• Coppell
• Plano
• McKinney
• Highland Park
• Lantana
• Southlake
• University Park
• Flower Mound
• Murphy
• Fairview
• Colleyville
• Keller

Many Businesses are Headquartered in Dallas/Ft. Worth

For those working in corporate America, DFW is a hub for company headquarters with more large corporations moving their offices to the Dallas area each year.

According to DallasNews.com, the metro area of home to 24 Fortune 500 companies with sixty-nine companies headquartered in Dallas posting revenue exceeding $1 billion per year.

Among the companies who call Dallas home are, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Frito-Lay, Rolex, AT&T, American Airlines, Tenet Healthcare, Exxon Mobile Corporation, McKesson Corporation and Texas Instruments.

Arts and Culture are Prominent

Many people may not realize how involved DFW is in the arts. From art, music, dance, theater and film, Dallas/Ft. Worth has something for everyone.

The Bishop Arts District is home to unique boutiques, coffee shops, and art galleries making it a must-see. Looking for performance arts?

Check out the Dallas City Performance Hall, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Majestic Theatre in downtown and The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) is among the 10 largest art museums in the country and encompasses over 24,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years of history.

If you’re a fan of the arts, the Dallas Arts District will be one of your favorite hangouts. Check out all you can do there.

Weather is Unpredictable

You may have heard people say that Texas can experience all four seasons in the span of one day.

Well, it’s true. Dallas/Ft. Worth has some of the most unpredictable weather, especially during the spring months as the warmer weather moves in.

Tornadoes and large hail are common from March – May you’ll often experience odd temperature drops during a 24-hour period as storms move through the area.

While sometimes DFW will see occasional snow in December or January, it’s not unlikely to wear a t-shirt around Thanksgiving and Christmas either.

The bottom line is, be prepared for any type of weather when you’re living in North Texas.

Dallas is Different than Fort Worth

While Dallas and Fort Worth are often combined to create “DFW”, the two major cities are vastly different. Most describe Fort Worth closer to “true Texas” and more traditionally tied to the cowboy stereotype associated with Texas cities.

Fort Worth is known to be more casual and easy-going than Dallas, has less traffic and is easier to navigate.

Dallas tends to be more expensive, urban and busy. Most visitors and residents don’t have the same “Texas feel” in downtown Dallas as they might in Fort Worth. Both cities have great shopping, restaurants and nightlife.

Football is Taken Very Seriously

Football at every age and level is taken very seriously in Texas, and that includes professional NFL football. Since Dallas is the home of the Dallas Cowboys (“America’s Favorite Team”) there no shortage of fans.

During the fall, football enthusiasts have their hands full on the weekends with high-school football on Friday nights, college games on Saturday and the regular NFL season games on Sundays (or sometimes Mondays).

Dallas Loves to Shop

Dallas residents and visitors enjoy high-end shopping and luxury items so it’s no surprise DFW has some of the best shopping in the state. Here are some of the best places to check out

• NorthPark Center in North Dallas
• Highland Park Village in Highland Park
• Forty Five Ten in Downtown Dallas
• Neiman Marcus in Downtown Dallas
• Galleria Dallas in North Dallas
• The Shops at Park Lane in Dallas

The Texas State Fair is a Big Deal

One of the biggest attractions in Dallas/Ft. Worth is the State Fair of Texas. Each year, the fair kicks of at the end of September and lasts for twenty-four days.

According to the fair’s mission statement, “The State Fair of Texas celebrates all things Texan by promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement through quality entertainment in a family-friendly environment.

This event features attractions, rides, fried foods from your wildest imagination, games, live music, livestock shows, auto shows and much more. It’s a spectacular event that Texans return to year after year

If you are considering moving to Dallas or moving to Ft. Worth, you’ll be among current residents who believe it is a wonderful place to live given all it has to offer.

If you need help finding moving resources, contact our Daryl Flood Dependable team at (844) 350-4284.