affluent 'burbs

2 affluent Dallas suburbs have some of America's richest residents

An idyllic home in University Park, complete with matching fluffy white dog on porch.

Photo by Par Bengtsson

America's wealthy, increasingly, are turning away from behemoth cities like Los Angeles or New York City in favor of smaller suburbs and enclaves like Dallas neighbors University Park and Southlake.

So says a new household income study by GoBankingRates, which lists the two Dallas-Fort Worth towns among the wealthiest American suburbs in 2024.

University Park (bordered on the south by Highland Park and on the north, east, and west by Dallas) came out on top as the No. 6 wealthiest suburb in the nation, the report found, boasting the sixth-highest average household income out of all 50 cities in the report.

A University Park household makes an average income of $381,235 a year, and the typical home in the suburb is valued at over $2.3 million.

The town is no stranger to these kinds of richest-lists. In GoBankingRates' 2023 report that examined the wealthiest small American towns, University Park ranked No. 4 nationally.

There's much to like about the area, which is home to idyllic neighborhoods like Idlewild, Preston Place, and Caruth Hills. Residents love to tout its architectural variety, excellent schools, ample parks and green spaces, and proximity to popular destinations like Highland Park Village and Southern Methodist University.

1982 E Highland St., Southlake, mansion Southlake is home to some of the area's biggest homes. Photo courtesy of Engel & Völkers Dallas Southlake via Estately.com

Southlake ranked a little farther down the list, at No. 13, with the the average household making $360,078 annually. The report says the typical home in the suburb is worth more than $1.24 million.

The affluent Tarrant County city has many great local eateries, like the new Prohibition-style restaurant Volstead and pastry shop D'Caramel Patisserie , as well as gaming attractions, med spas, shopping at Southlake Town Square and Central Market, and more. Southlake-based global technology company Sabre was declared one of the best companies to work for in 2024.

Southlake is also home to 26-year-old Annette Addo-Yobo, the recently crowned Miss Texas 2024, who'll go on to compete in Miss America.

Elsewhere in Texas
University Park wasn't the only Texas suburb to earn a spot in the top 10. West University Place in Houston ranked three spots higher than University Park to claim No. 3, and Bellaire (located just west of West U.) ranked outside the top 10 as No. 25.

The report found the average household in West U. makes $403,845 a year, and the typical home is worth more than $1.6 million. In Bellaire, the average household income amounts to more than $294,605 a year, and the average house is valued at nearly $1.08 million.

The top 10 wealthiest suburbs in America are:

No. 1 – Scarsdale, New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York-New Jersey
No. 2 – Rye, New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York-New Jersey
No. 3 – West University Place, Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas
No. 4 – Los Altos, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
No. 5 – Paradise Valley, Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Arizona
No. 6 – University Park, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
No. 7 – Hinsdale, Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, Illinois
No. 8 – Great Falls, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland
No. 9 – Orinda, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, California
No. 10 – Wellesley, Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Massachusetts

GoBankingRates examined all cities in the U.S. with a minimum of 5,000 households and ranked them based on the highest average household income. The report provided additional details like which metropolitan area the cities are in, plus each city's typical home value in 2024.

The full report and its methodology can be found on gobankingrates.com.

bellaire dallas fort worth houston miss texas reports southlake suburbs university place west-university-place

RIP Kelly

Beloved Dallas public relations maven Kelly Hunter dies at 58

Photo courtesy of Sunwest PR.

Kelly Hunter passed away on June 12.

A beloved Dallas media figure has died: Kelly Hunter, a public relations maven who helped restaurants and other small businesses thrive, passed away on June 12, following a brief illness; she was 58.

Hunter spent 35 years in the field of public relations, first at Shiroma Southwest, then at Sunwest Communications, where she served as Vice President, Lifestyle, Hospitality & Tech.

She played a key role in a creative alliance with the City of Addison, particularly its annual Kaboom Town 4th of July event. Other notable clients she promoted over the years include the Statler Dallas hotel in downtown Dallas; Hotel Dax, the Statler sibling that recently opened in Addison; and the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field.

A statement from Sunwest said that "Kelly’s unparalleled work ethic and encyclopedic knowledge of countless subjects were exceeded only by the passion she had for her job. She made an incredible impact on all she met. Kelly was a good friend, a great mom, and an even better wife to her husband, John."

Hunter was the consummate PR pro, embodying both the detail-oriented precision and the 24/7 responsiveness that the job calls for, along with a doting personal touch that was felt by her coworkers, clients, and members of the media. Hunter was beloved by her peers, as well — no small feat in the cut-throat world of Dallas media.

Chuck Steelman called her "amazing — one of the best public relations professionals I’ve ever worked with." Patricia Valderrama described her as "the warmest and kindest soul. Never saw her angry or upset ever." Allison Golden Tucker posted, "It always seemed like Kelly had more hours in the day than most. Her storytelling ability was second to none and she always had time for a quick word of advice."

Barbara Kovacevich highlighted Kelly's effectiveness, noting that "she elevated Addison events to national recognition. It’s hard to not link Kelly with Addison Kaboom Town. Kelly was driven to success and had a great heart for others."

Kelly was born in Dallas on June 28, 1967. Her parents were Joanne Washburn and John Alexander Jr., and she had a younger sister, Amy. She graduated from Plano Senior High School, going on to earn degrees in marketing and finance from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA in marketing from the University of North Texas.

She and her husband, John, had two children, Chandler and Reagan, and the four were frequent travelers.

She was also a lifelong volunteer, from the PTA at her children’s elementary school, to Junior League of Collin County, Women’s Auxiliary for Children’s Health, Chamberlain Ballet, and the National Charity League. A culinary enthusiast in work and life, she was recently inducted into Les Dames d’Escoffier.

"Kelly did everything in life with a cheerful attitude and a warmth that made everyone feel special," the statement from Sunwest said. "Her network reaches every corner of the DFW metroplex and beyond as a talented storyteller, fabulous home chef, and a dedicated friend. She was loved and admired by all who knew her."

Services will be held on Saturday, June 27 at 11 am at Christ United Methodist Church in Plano. The service will be live-streamed at cumc.com/memorial.

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RIP Kelly

Beloved Dallas public relations maven Kelly Hunter dies at 58