A greener Dallas

Now is the time to sign up for Dallas' popular free tree giveaway

Dallas delivers free trees as part of their Branch Out Dallas program.

Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash

New life-sustaining, property-value-increasing trees — Cedar Elm, Common Persimmon, Roughleaf Dogwood, and more — are available this fall through the annual Branch Out Dallas initiative. But Dallas residents who want a free tree will have to sign up fast.

Now in its eighth year, Dallas' tree giveaway program offers property owners and others who pay a Dallas water bill a free five-gallon tree. More trees mean a greener, more sustainable Dallas, says a release from City of Dallas.

That's because trees help reduce stormwater runoff into drainage systems, cool temperatures, improve air quality, and mitigate the heat island effect, the city says.

Branch Out Dallas has been held annually since 2018. Due to growing demand and participation, it is now part of the Dallas Arbor Day annual celebration.

Available trees this year include Boxelder, Cedar Elm, Common Persimmon, Roughleaf Dogwood, and Shumard Oak.

Online registration is now open at dallas.gov/branchoutdallas and will remain open only through September 30, while supplies last.

To participate, residents must live within Dallas city limits and have a Dallas Water Utilities water account number available when registering. Only one tree per residence is permitted.

During registration, participants will be able to select from available tree varieties and choose a pick-up location. Residents who successfully register must pick up their tree on Dallas Arbor Day, Saturday, November 7 from 9 am-12 noon.

Tree delivery is not available, so participants should plan to pick up their tree at the location they selected during registration.

tree city life

Settling Down

Dallas named one of the 50 best places to retire in the U.S. in 2026

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Dallasites getting ready to give up the daily grind are already living in the right place for their next chapter in life. Dallas has just been named the third-best city to retire in Texas, and it lands as the 50th best city in the U.S. for retirement living, according to a new WalletHub report.

The study examined 182 U.S. cities and ranked them based on 45 "retirement-friendly" livability metrics across four categories: affordability, activities, quality of life, and health care.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Florida dominated the top 10, with Orlando, Miami, and Tampa locking in the top three spots and Fort Lauderdale ranking eighth on the list.

Dallas fared best in the categories for "activities" and "affordability," respectively ranking 39th and 69th. The activities category analyzed attractions and entertainment venues for seniors, like the number of per capita museums, theaters, book clubs, senior centers, and bingo halls; whereas the affordability rank encompassed the local cost of living, taxpayer-friendliness, the costs for in-home services, and other factors.

Costs were a significant factor in the rankings, as many retirees live on a fixed income. Finances and affordability also play a huge part in determining where to live once it's time to put up those work boots, WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.

"As a result, the best cities for retired people are those that minimize taxes and expenses, as well as have good opportunities for retirees to continue paid work for extra income, if they choose to do so," he said. "In addition, the top cities provide high-quality health care and offer plenty of enjoyable activities for retirees."

Dallas fell behind in the "quality of life" (No. 119) and "health care" (No. 130) rankings, but it wasn't enough to tank the city's overall performance.

In fact, Dallas is the Metroplex's No. 1 city for retirees, with six more DFW neighbors earning spots on the list:

No. 75 – Plano
No. 78 – Fort Worth
No. 91 – Grand Prairie
No. 101 – Garland
No. 107 – Irving
No. 124 – Arlington

Elsewhere in Texas, Austin topped the list as the No. 1 best place to retire statewide, and it ranked No. 23 nationwide. San Antonio claimed the No. 2 spot statewide and was the only other Texas city to rank among the national top 50.

wallethub reports retirement dallas city life rankings