We're No. 1
Dallas ranks as one of the best places to live in 2017, says new report
It doesn't get much better than Dallas-Fort Worth. In fact, DFW is No. 15 on U.S. News & World Report's 2017 list of the 100 Best Places to Live. The publisher took the 100 most populous metros in the country and ranked them in five main factors: job market, value, quality of life, desirability, and net migration.
Quality of life, given the most weight, encompasses everything from healthcare to commute. Dallas-Fort Worth ranks high thanks to its low violent crime rates and high quality of education.
Value was calculated by the median household income compared to cost of living, which has increased over the years but is still manageable. DFW's median home price is $210,181 — lower than the national average of $211,731, and renters spend about $938 per month on average.
The U.S. News & World report also points out that despite the fact that downtown rental rates and home prices have risen, home prices "remain lower than the national average." The flourishing job market in DFW, with its 3.8 percent unemployment rate and median annual salary of $49,030, also helps alleviate some of these financial burdens.
Dallas-Fort Worth's desirability, determined by a Google Consumer Survey, is also high. Not only do people want to live here, they're actually making the move. According to a previous report from U.S. News & World Report, DFW is the 17th most popular place to move in the nation. With a net migration of 4.39 percent, our population increased to 6.7 million between 2010-2014.
DFW isn't the only shining spot in the Lone Star State. Texas' other big cities also fare well, with Austin taking the No. 1 ranking, followed by Houston at No. 20, and San Antonio at No. 23. Coming in just behind Austin are Denver; San Jose, California; Washington; and Fayetteville, Arkansas.