Ranking It

New list of best cities to live in America puts this Dallas suburb on top

Once again, people proclaim their love for Plano.

A new list of the best cities to live in America has surfaced, and — not surprisingly — Texas is all over the top 25. We have five of the best cities, according to Niche.com, with our closest competitor being California, with four.

Niche.com analyzed publicly available data and aggregated user reviews to determined these rankings. The stats for the 228 cities on the list looked at higher education rates from the U.S. Census Bureau and Niche's own grades for cost of living, diversity, crime and safety, commute times, jobs, weather, nightlife, outdoor activities, health and fitness, public schools, and family friendliness.

Plano takes North Texas' top honor at No. 7, with a Niche grade of A-plus and nearly 500 user reviews. The only areas where the suburb receives lower than an A are in outdoor activities, weather, cost of living, and crime and safety, though its number of violent and property crimes is still way below those of the nation as a whole.

Richardson is No. 12, with a grade that's slightly lower than Plano in health and fitness but curiously higher for outdoor activities. According to Niche, both are excellent for families and diversity.

No. 6 The Woodlands, just outside of Houston, is ranked the best in Texas. Its crime and safety score is mysteriously absent, but the public schools, jobs outlook, and family friendliness all pull in A-plus grades to make up for it. Even the city's notoriously humid weather is looked upon favorably — or at least the 229 users who've reviewed the city feel alright overlooking it.

Affordable, entrepreneur-friendly Round Rock gets the No. 16 nod, drawing in high scores for everything but crime and safety and ... cost of living. And neighboring Austin isn't far behind at No. 22, taking a bigger hit in those same two categories (theft seems to be a major problem in the Capital City). But more than 1,000 people are willing to declare their love for Austin, which is by far the most reviews in the top 25.

So which city does Niche declare the best? Ann Arbor, Michigan, despite a few B grades and even a C for weather. Clearly they've never lived in Texas.

bests rankings texas

Animal News

Dallas animal shelter invites residents to host a pet during holiday

DAS

Husky at Dallas Animal Services

Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is inviting the community to help bring pets “Home for the Holidays” by adopting or fostering during one of the shelter’s busiest times of the year.

DAS has achieved strong positive outcomes this quarter, including adoptions, foster-to-adopt placements, and underage foster placements, with 1,377 in October and 1,378 in November. The department is now working toward a December goal of 1,400 positive outcomes, with 588 completed so far this month.

“We are grateful for the support our community continues to show,” said Victoria Chittam Bennett, Assistant Director. “Every adoption opens a kennel for another pet in need, and the holidays are an especially meaningful time to welcome a new companion.”

This season, adopters will also have the chance to participate in the Friends of Dallas Animal Services (FODAS) 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways, fully funded and supported through donations from generous community supporters. For more information about this initiative, visit friendsofdas.org and watch out for announcements on social media.

Holiday staycations
Residents who may not be ready to adopt can still support DAS pets by participating in Silent Night Holiday Staycations, a short-term foster opportunity that gives dogs a relaxing break from the shelter during the holiday period.

Pickup dates are scheduled for December 20-21, with drop-off options on December 27-28 or January 3-4. Participants typically spend 1-3 hours at the shelter selecting a foster match, and contact with pets outside the home should be limited. Questions may be directed to DASFtA@dallas.gov.

“Holiday Staycations allow our dogs to decompress and show their personalities in a home environment,” said Amanda Earl, Assistant Director. “The insight we receive from these foster stays is invaluable in helping pets find permanent homes.”

DAS encourages the community to adopt, foster, volunteer, or share adoptable pets to help meet December’s lifesaving goals.
“Together, we can bring home the holidays for the pets relying on us,” said Director Paul Ramon.

For more information on adoptable pets, holiday programs, or ways to get involved, visit https://bedallas90.org/ or stop by the DAS Shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland Rd.

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