it's all about the network

Dallas ranks among 10 best metros for newcomers to make connections, study says

When's the last time you went to a networking event?

A big city might seem impersonal, but don't be fooled. There's more going on behind the scenes than what a resident might be seeing through their local lens, especially in Dallas. A new LinkedIn study has revealed the best U.S. metros for newcomers to make connections quickly, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex earned a spot in the top 10.

LinkedIn's economic graph data team analyzed over 3 million users from the networking social media platform who relocated to a new metropolitan area in 2021. For the purpose of this study, "connection rates" were determined based on a newly relocated user's new LinkedIn connections in each metro compared to the overall U.S. average. It also excluded student migrations to new cities to keep the analysis focused on the workforce.

Dallas-Fort Worth ranked No. 10, with a newcomer's connection rate being 7.8 times higher than the national average.

Making industry-specific connections with people in a new city can lead to beneficial outcomes, such as participating in more volunteer work, engaging with fellow entrepreneurs, or joining a fun club with likeminded hobbyists. (Of course, we like to think the best way to network in a place like DFW is to follow the No. 1 publication that stays up to date on local happenings, CultureMap.)

Other interesting findings mentioned in the study is that Gen Z workers (born in 1997 and after) had the fastest connection rates in new metro areas. When analyzing by gender, men made 30.5 percent more connections on average then women did after relocating. However, the fastest overall growth despite age and gender demographics occurs relatively quickly after a person relocated.

"The fastest growth in LinkedIn members’ overall pace for adding connections – including ones outside their new metros – occurred in their first two months after migrating," the report said. "By the third month, this connection rate stabilized at about half their initial level."

The No. 1 city for newly-relocated folks looking to expand their professional horizons is, unsurprisingly, New York City. The rate of LinkedIn users making new connections with others in the Big Apple is 11.1 times higher than the national average, the report found.

Ranking above Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas is Houston (No. 8), however the rate of newcomers making new connections in the city is only 8.2 times higher than the national average.

LinkedIn's top 10 U.S. metros for networking by newcomers are:

No. 1 – New York City, New York
No. 2 – San Francisco Bay Area, California
No. 3 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 4 – Los Angeles, California
No. 5 – Boston, Massachusetts
No. 6 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 7 – Washington, D.C.
No. 8 – Houston, Texas
No. 9 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Florida
No. 10 – Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

The full report can be found on linkedin.com.

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Money news

Dallas ranks as No. 1 city with smallest inflation problem in U.S.

Photo by Erin Hervey on Unsplash

Dallas' inflation has cooled off after it was last saddled with the highest inflation rate nationally in January 2024.

Inflation has been one of the biggest hot-button issues in the country in 2025, but a new study says inflation not impacting Dallas nearly as much as it is other U.S. cities.

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ranked as the metro with the smallest inflation problem in the U.S. in WalletHub's new report, "Changes in Inflation by City."

The report analyzed the impact of inflation across 23 major metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) using Consumer Price Index data from the latest month available and compared to data from two months prior. The analysis also factored in inflation data from last year to better track both short- and long-term inflation changes.

Dallas saw only a 0.10 percent increase in its local inflation rate when compared to two months prior, and the rate is only 0.60 percent higher than it was this time last year.

Dallas residents may be feeling the sting a lot less than they did in January 2024, when WalletHub said the city had the No. 1 highest inflation rate in the U.S. In April 2023, Dallas-Fort Worth had the 10th highest inflation rate nationwide.

The study found Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts-New Hampshire is the MSA that is currently being rattled by the highest inflation rate in the nation. The northeastern metro saw a 1.10 percent uptick in inflation when compared to two months ago, and it's 3 percent higher than it was a year ago.

Inflation has continued to fluctuate throughout the year in different areas, but WalletHub said the national inflation rate has significantly lowered since it last hit a 40-year high during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The year-over-year inflation rate sits at 2.4 percent as of May 2025, which is still above the target rate of 2 percent," the report said. "Various factors, such as the war in Ukraine, labor shortages and recent tariffs, drive this higher than average inflation. Despite the country not meeting its target yet, the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates at the level set in December 2024."

Elsewhere in Texas, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land experienced the 13th highest inflation rate in the U.S., the report found. Inflation in the region increased 0.90 percent over the last two months, and it is currently 1.2 percent higher than it was one year ago.

The top 10 metros where inflation has risen the most are:

No. 1 – Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts-New Hampshire
No. 2 – St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois
No. 3 – Baltimore-Columbia-Townson, Maryland
No. 4 – San Diego-Carlsbad, California
No. 5 – Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado
No. 6 – Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
No. 7 – Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California
No. 8 – Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin
No. 9 – Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California
No. 10 – New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania

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