Friendly As Can Be

Dallas suburb maintains position as one of America’s best cities for families

Plano is the fourth best city for families in America, according to WalletHub.

Photo courtesy of City of Plano

If you are raising kids in North Texas, there is only one place to be, at least according to a new study. WalletHub renewed its list of the best and worst cities for families, and Plano ranks right up there.

When compared to the 150 most populated U.S. cities, the northern Dallas suburb is the fourth best for family friendliness. However, that’s two notches lower than last year. But chin up, Plano! You’re still within the top five.

Wallethub analysts looked at 36 key metrics, including the relative cost of housing, the quality of local school and health care systems, crime rates, and opportunities for fun and recreation. Plano ranked first for most affordable housing, second for highest median family salary, fourth for lowest percentage of families below the poverty rate, and fifth for the lowest divorce rate.

One other North Texas town lands in the top 20: Grand Prairie, at No. 13.

Looking beyond the top 20, we see other Lone Star locales such as Amarillo (24), Austin (33), and Arlington (37). Not too shabby. Within the top 60 are Garland (44), Irving (46), Lubbock (52), El Paso (55), Fort Worth (56), and San Antonio (60).

However, Dallas and Houston didn’t fare as well, coming in at Nos. 94 and 95, respectively. But they aren’t nearly as bad as Birmingham, Alabama, aka the worst city in America for families.

And the best? Overland Park, Kansas, yet again.

families reports

E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

Unsplash

Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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