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Plano makes top 5 on list of best cities in the U.S. to raise a family

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A study proves what Plano residents already know: that the Collin County city is one of the best places to raise a family.

The list of "2023’s Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family," done by personal financial website WalletHub, ranks Plano in the top five cities, as follows:

  • 1. Fremont, California
  • 2. Overland Park, Kansas
  • 3. Irvine, California
  • 4. Plano, Texas
  • 5. South Burlington, Vermont

WalletHub compared 182 cities across the U.S., using five criteria: Family Fun, Health & Safety, Education & Child Care, Affordability, and Socio-economics.

Plano earned high marks for its socioeconomics (factors like divorce rate, unemployment, and home foreclosures), health & safety (factors such as air quality, number of pediatricians, and access to healthy food), and affordability.

The results of this latest 2023 survey are similar to one conducted in 2022, with four of the five top cities, including Plano, returning to make the list again this year.

WalletHub is not alone in its admiration of Plano; a similar study by StorageCafe in 2022 ranked Plano the No. 1 city in the U.S. to raise a family, with excellent public schools, reasonable cost of living, fantastic parks system, and safe and clean environment being cited as factors.

Plano is the highest ranking city Texas on the WalletHub list, but 15 other Texas cities also get a mention, including six other DFW-area cities: Grand Prairie (No. 51), Irving (No. 85), Fort Worth (No. 90), Arlington (97), Garland (98), and Dallas (138).

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Dallas-Fort Worth hit with 10th highest inflation rate in U.S., new report says

WEALTH WOES

As if living comfortably in Dallas-Fort Worth wasn’t already hard enough to afford in 2023, now a new report says inflation is rising more quickly in the Metroplex than in other parts of the United States. Yet, the news seems to be better than it was last year.

Financial experts at WalletHub compared 22 of America’s largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with Consumer Price Index data to measure inflation trends in two categories: last March and year-over-year changes.

"Though inflation has started to slow slightly due to factors like the Federal Reserve rate hikes, the year-over-year inflation rate was still a whopping 5 percent (nationally) in March," WalletHub says. "This high inflation is driven by a variety of factors, including the continued presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and labor shortages."

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ranked No. 10 in WalletHub's new list of cities where inflation is rising the most. The Consumer Price Index change in March when compared to two months prior showed a 1.3 percent increase, while inflation increased 5.8 percent last month, since March 2022.

Despite the current inflation woes, the region seems to be faring slightly better than it was last year. The latest ranking is a five-place drop from WalletHub’s last report, when DFW was saddled with the fifth highest inflation rate in the U.S., at 9.4 percent, year-over-year.

Roosevelt University Associate Professor of Finance and Real Estate Dr. Henry I. Silverman says in the report that rising interest rates are the traditional tool that banks use to fight inflation, but aren’t necessarily cost effective for consumers.

“Unfortunately, not only do higher rates make it more expensive for consumers to borrow money and thus afford many of the things we would otherwise purchase, but they also make it more costly for firms to expand and produce more goods and services which might otherwise help lower inflation,” he says.

Dallas-Fort Worth wasn’t the only Texas metro area to make WalletHub’s top 10. Houston ranked three places higher at No. 7, with inflation rising nearly 2 percent in March from January, but 5 percent greater year-over-year. Last year’s report put Houston at No. 10, with year-over-year inflation for August 2022 at 9.5 percent.

Silverman warns that inflation and true economic growth are “not negatively correlated,” but many economists are predicting a recession this year.

“[H]igher inflation tends to be associated with lower real economic growth in the future,” Silverman says. “Undoubtedly, this is in part due to the higher interest rates that often follow higher inflation rates which inevitably slow economic activity, consumption, investment, etc[etera].”

The top 10 metro areas where inflation is rising the most are:

  • No. 1 – Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
  • No. 2 – Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
  • No. 3 – Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
  • No. 4 – Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
  • No. 5 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
  • No. 6 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
  • No. 7 – Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
  • No. 8 – San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward
  • No. 9 – Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
  • No. 10 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

The full report can be found on wallethub.com.

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

Frazzled Texans are the 9th most stressed-out people in America, new report says

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT

From a global pandemic to rising inflation and interest rates, there are plenty of things to be stressed about in 2023. And when they say everything is bigger in Texas, that includes the stress levels.

Texas was ranked the ninthmost stressed state of 2023, according to the latest report from personal finance website WalletHub. WalletHub compared all 50 states across 41 metrics to determine every state’s worries on certain issues, such as work, money, or family-related stress. The report is timed to April as National Stress Awareness Month, as designated by the National Institutes of Health.

In the overall work-related stress category, the Lone Star State ranked No. 5. Texas employees specifically have the highest stress levels in the nation when it comes to their average hours worked per week. That might include several Dallas-Fort Worth area cities that have been named the most stressful to work in. Two fellow Southern states – Mississippi (No. 4) and Louisiana (No. 3) – had higher work-related stress levels, while Wyoming (No. 2), and Alaska (No. 1) earned the top two spots.

Texas also ranked No. 5 in overall family-related stress. The states that have higher family-related stress include North Carolina (No. 4), New York (No. 3), Nevada (No. 2), and New Mexico (No. 1).

In the category of health and safety-related stress, Texas ranked just outside the top 10 at No. 11. Most Texans aren’t quite feeling it when it comes to financial stress, ranking in the middle of the metaphorical stress road at No. 23. However, Dallas-Fort Worth residents are feeling that financial squeeze if they want to live comfortably in the city.

The good news? Texans aren't quite as stressed as they were in spring of 2021, when the state placed No. 6 in the same study. (At that time, COVID-19 was still raging, and vaccines had just become available.)

Leah C. Hibel, a professor of human development and family studies at the University of California, Davis, says much of the financial stress individuals experience is a result of systemic issues, not because of how an individual lives his or her life.

“[It’s] due to rising housing costs, rising food costs, and stagnant wages,” she explained. “Individuals can try to live in places where the cost of living is lower and wages are higher, or where food, child care, and other expenses are subsidized through state programs. Individuals can take on additional work and cut extra expenses, but sometimes these fixes are beyond what an individual can do.”

The top 10 most stressed states are:

  • No. 1 – Mississippi
  • No. 2 – Louisiana
  • No. 3 – New Mexico
  • No. 4 – West Virginia
  • No. 5 – Nevada
  • No. 6 – Arkansas
  • No. 7 – Alabama
  • No. 8 – Kentucky
  • No. 9 – Texas
  • No. 10 – Oklahoma

The full report can be found on wallethub.com.

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Texas rises through the ranks of most innovative states, says new report

MOVING ON UP

The Lone Star State has again taken a step up on an annual report that ranks the most and least innovative states in the country — this time cracking the top 15.

Texas ranked No. 15 in personal finance site WalletHub's 2023’s Most and Least Innovative States ranking. It's a steady improvement for the state, which ranked No. 16 in 2022 and No. 17 in 2021.

The report analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia and how each performed across 22 key metrics, including population of STEM professionals, venture capital investment activity, number of technology companies, patents per capita, and more. The data was pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Science Foundation, National Center for Education Statistics, United States Patent and Trademark Office, and other records.

Here's how Texas performed at a glance:

  • No. 18 – for share of STEM professionals
  • No. 16 – for projected STEM job demand by 2030
  • No. 25 – for eighth grade math and science performance
  • No. 21 – for share of science and engineering graduates aged 25 or older
  • No. 13 – for share of technology companies
  • No. 31 – for R&D spending per capita
  • No. 18 – venture capital funding per capita

For the 11th year, Texas won Site Selection Magazine's Governor's Cup, the governor's office announced earlier this year. The award, which Texas has won 19 times since its inception in 1978, recognizes the nation’s top-performing state for job-creating business relocations and expansions.

"Texas truly is America’s economic engine, and we stand apart as a model for the nation. When choosing where to relocate or expand their businesses, more and more innovative industry leaders find themselves at home in our state," Governor Greg Abbott says in a news release about the award.

"I congratulate the exceptional economic development teams at the local, regional, and state level who have worked so diligently to attract and retain these growing businesses and the jobs they create in diverse communities across this great state," he continues.

The most innovative states included the District of Columbia, which ranked at No. 1, followed by Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, and California, respectively. The least innovative state was identified as Mississippi, followed by Louisiana, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Arkansas, respectively.

Access to quality education is a significant contributor to each state's innovation economy, the experts say in the report.

"Investing in education, particularly K-12 but also at the University level, it is no accident that innovative ecosystems develop in states with strong education systems and research universities," says David L. Deeds, professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. "These institutions build strong capable modern workforces that attract capital, and jobs and create innovations. The benefits do not happen overnight, in fact, they take years if not decades, but consider what The UC’s or the University of Texas at Austin have meant for the development of premier innovative ecosystems."

Photo by Kostiantyn Li on Unsplash

Texas has the 6th highest real estate property taxes, new report finds

PROPERTY TAX REPORT

It’s the time of year when Texas homeowners grimace at their tax bills. But here’s some consolation – the Lone Star State does not have the highest property tax rate in the U.S. Personal finance website WalletHub’s 2023 report says there are five states paying higher property taxes than Texas.

In the report, Hawaii comes in first place with the lowest property tax rate out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia – 0.29 percent. With a median home value of $662,100, that means the average Hawaiian is paying $1,893 in annual property taxes.

Toward the bottom of the list (meaning states with the highest property tax rates), Texas sits at No. 46. The median home value in Texas is $202,600 with a property tax rate of 1.74 percent, which means the average Texan pays $3,520 in property taxes.

States paying higher property taxes than Texas are Vermont at 1.90 percent, New Hampshire with 2.09 percent, Connecticut at 2.15 percent, and Illinois with a 2.23 percent tax rate. Coming in at No. 51 with the most expensive property tax rate on the list is New Jersey, sitting at 2.47 percent. At that rate, New Jersey homeowners pay $6,057 on a median home valued at $355,700.

Dr. Alex Combs, assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia, says people should consider how much they could pay in property taxes when making the decision to move.

"After all, people are sensitive to price, and the property tax is a visible cost of homeownership that funds generally desirable government services like education and public safety," he explains. "If they have the opportunity, people are going to seek the biggest benefit for their property tax buck."

The 10 states that pay the lowest real estate property taxes are:

  • No. 1: Hawaii – 0.29 percent
  • No. 2: Alabama – 0.41 percent
  • No. 3: Colorado – 0.51 percent
  • No. 4: Nevada – 0.55 percent
  • No. 5: South Carolina and Louisiana (Tied) – 0.56 percent
  • No. 7: District of Columbia – 0.57 percent
  • No. 8: Utah and Delaware (Tied) – 0.58 percent
  • No. 10: West Virginia – 0.59 percent

While Texas homeowners will feel the sting of their property taxes, at least they can find some comfort in not having to worry about vehicle property taxes. Texas vehicle owners do have to pay a 6.25 percent tax rate on the purchase price of a car with their local tax assessor-collector, but they do not have to pay annual vehicle property taxes.

Plus, it’s not just Texas – WalletHub determined 23 other states and Washington, D.C., also do not have vehicle property tax rates. Louisiana has the lowest rate out of the remaining states who do pay vehicle property taxes, at 0.10 percent. The state with the highest vehicle property tax rate is Virginia, at 3.96 percent.

The full report and its methodology can be found on WalletHub’s website.

Photo by Jarritos Mexican Soda on Unsplash

Fun and romantic Texas is America's 4th best state for dating, says new report

Not-so-Lone Star

Couples, step aside – this Valentine’s day is for the unattached. Personal finance website WalletHub released their report of this year’s Best and Worst States for Singles, and the Lone Star State claimed the No. 1 spot in two out of six categories. Coming in at No. 4 overall, Texas ranked behind California (No. 1), New York (No. 2), and Florida (No. 3).

The report’s findings were determined by comparing dating economics, opportunities, and romance and fun across all 50 states. For date opportunities, the top four overall winners tied for No. 1 in the most restaurants per capita category, while Texas and California also tied for highest number of movie theaters per capita.

Other categories in the report include online and mobile dating opportunities, median annual household income, share of single adults, gender balance of singles, and crime rate.

Besides holding a No. 1 spot for most restaurants and movie theaters per capita, Texas received the following rankings in other categories:

  • 9th – Median annual household income (adjusted for cost of living)
  • 17th – Mobile-dating opportunities
  • 23rd – Online-dating opportunities
  • 30th – Percentage of residents 12+ who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

With the soaring popularity of virtual dating during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, one expert believes it gives people a better understanding of a potential partner before meeting face-to-face.

“People might go into in-person dates with more knowledge about the person and more confidence about who they are,” according to Dr. Andrew High, associate professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Pennsylvania State University. “Still, online dating is only one way to meet people, and there are plenty of opportunities to meet people in person.”

Individual Texas destinations also ranked highly for singles in another recent report from WalletHub comparing 180 U.S. cities. In that study, Austin earned the No. 7 ranking for single people, with Seattle taking the lead. Houston came in at No. 69, with San Antonio taking No. 83 and Dallas coming close behind at No. 87.

The full report and its methodology can be found at wallethub.com.

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Bob's Steak & Chop House totes its steaks and big old carrot to McKinney

Steak News

McKinney gets its own location of an epic Dallas steakhouse: We're talking about Bob's Steak & Chop House, which is opening a location in District 121, the mixed-use development at the northeast corner of State Highway 121 and Alma Road, adjacent to Craig Ranch. It's opening on June 2.

According to a release, the expansion to McKinney represents a milestone for founder Bob Sambol, with roots that trace back to the original location on Lemmon Avenue since its inception in 1993.

The concept now has locations in Austin, downtown Dallas, Plano, Grapevine, and San Antonio, among others.

The McKinney location will have the same menu of steaks accompanied by baked potato and the restaurant's signature oversized carrot, plus a la carte sides, desserts, and seafood, as well.

The interior features a dining and bar area and cigar lounge done in jewel tones, and attentive staff, leather-bound host stand, custom green wallcovering, floor-to-ceiling fireplace made of calacatta marble, and sconces that resemble jewelry, which are said to cast a gentle glow upon the bar.

The grand opening of Bob's Steak & Chop House in District 121 has been in the works for more than a year. The restaurant is but one of many that are opening at the McKinney complex. Others include Mi Cocina, Common Table, 400 Gradi, the upscale Italian restaurant with Neapolitan pizza, and Zero Gradi, the dessert offshoot of 400 Gradi.

Gow Media powers up new site to report on major Texas city's energy transition

Website news

A new media platform from CultureMap's parent company officially has gone live: EnergyCapitalHTX.com, announced in March, is now up and running. Houston-based Gow Media, a multi-platform media company that owns CultureMap, InnovationMap, SportsMap, and Houston's ESPN Radio 97.5FM and 92.5FM, launched the site June 1 at an event at Gow Media's office.

“We are excited to roll out our new outlet, EnergyCapitalHTX.com. We have been very impressed by Houston’s efforts to lead the global transition of energy and to address the 'dual challenge' of meeting the world’s growing demand for energy while at the same time reducing carbon emissions,” says David Gow, CEO of Gow Media.

“On our new site, we plan to provide informative, unbiased coverage of the Houston-based initiatives, spanning big corporations and startups," he continues. "We hope that a site dedicated to the transition will bring visibility to the city’s substantive progress and to the path forward.”

The site will cover Houston's energy transition ecosystem — the people, companies, capital sources, and numerous initiatives in Houston. Lindsey Ferrell serves as the inaugural editor of the site.

The site’s first sponsor is HETI, which launched in 2021. Led by Executive Director Jane Stricker, HETI was founded to drive economic growth in the Houston area within the energy transition toward a lower carbon future.

“We are excited to support Gow Media with the launch of EnergyCapitalHTX.com,” Stricker says in an earlier news release. "There is so much innovative and exciting activity in our ecosystem. Houston is the Energy Capital of the World, and this platform will amplify the energy leadership that is already happening here.”

Here are all the ways to celebrate your Pride in Dallas-Fort Worth

Have Some Pride

The month of June is designated as Pride Month to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and various groups and businesses around Dallas-Fort Worth are showing their support in a multitude of ways.

Here's our list of the best ways we've found for members of community and allies to participate in Pride Month in style. We start with the festivities that are running June 3-4, followed by other celebrations that will occur all month long.

Dallas Pride Weekend
June 3-4: Start the month off right at the biggest official celebration taking place at Fair Park. This annual event, which used to be in the Oak Lawn area before moving to Fair Park in 2019, includes a music festival featuring headliner Allison Ponthier on Saturday; the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade on Sunday; plus other activities celebrating the LGBTQ community.

Pride Day at Reunion Tower
June 3-4: The little ball in the downtown Dallas sky is celebrating Pride month, too. It'll kick off on June 3 with a splendid rainbow flag show that'll run all weekend long, and will continue to pop up during the month with dynamic rainbow displays on most Fridays and Sundays in June.

"Party with the Queens” Pride Brunch at El Chingon
June 3, 2-4 pm: El Chingon, Fort Worth’s “Bad Ass Mexican” restaurant, will host an exclusive “Pride Brunch” as part of its recurring “Party with the Queens” series. The brunch will feature live drag performances, mimosa specials, and more.

Pride Pool Party at Adolphus Hotel
June 3, 7 am-11 pm: Pool Adolphus at Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas will host an all-day Pride Pool Party, featuring colorful cocktail specials, rainbow Jell-O shooters, and a local DJ.

Lakewood Brewing Co. presents Pride Vendor Fair + Yas Queen! ReleasePride Vendor Fair + Yas Queen! Release
June 3, 12-4 pm: Lakewood Brewing Co. will host a party at its taproom with Wandering Roots Markets celebrating the release of Yas Queen, a taproom-exclusive Raspberry Wheat ale. There will also be Pride Vendor Fair featuring local artists and vendors, as well as on-site flash tattoos.

Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum presents “Voices of LGBTQ+ Dallas”
June 7, 7 pm. The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is hosting “Voices of LGBTQ+ Dallas,” a special exhibition program for Pride Month highlighting trailblazers in the Dallas area LGBTQ+ community. The program featuring speakers such as Chris Luna and Naomi Green is already sold out, but the Museum’s current special exhibition, Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement, is on display through June 18.

Arttitude presents OutLoud: A Night of Pride
June 8, 6 pm: OutLoud: A Night of Pride is an inclusive event where artists and performers can fearlessly share their stories and experiences. The event will include poetry, burlesque, and a music performance by special guest Gina Chavez. At the Latino Cultural Center.

Dallas Wings Pride Night
June 9, 7 pm: Pride Night for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA. They'll be taking on the Phoenix Mercury, who feature Brittney Griner as their star player. All attendees at College Park Center in Arlington will receive a special rally towel for the occasion.

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Pride in Bloom
June 10-11: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will highlight Pride Month with its second Pride in Bloom celebration, featuring a full weekend of LGBTQ+ artisans, entertainers, chefs, and small businesses. Visitors can shop items at the vendor market, pack or purchase a picnic, listen to live entertainment, and enjoy Gary Lee Price’s Great Contributors’ bronze exhibition. Admission to the Children’s Adventure Garden will also be free.

Dallas Arts District presents Pride Block Party
June 16, 6 pm: The Pride Block Party in the Dallas Arts District features a variety of activities at the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Crow Museum of Asian Art, and throughout the district. Activities include gallery tours, drag performers, comedy, dancing, and a fashion show.

Dallas Comedy Club presents "Stand-Up for Hope"
June 17, 5 pm: Stand-Up for Hope is a stand-up comedy show featuring all-LGBTQ performers and benefiting Dallas Hope Charities, which helps provide food, shelter, and services that instill dignity, stability, and Hope For All. Hosted by Stefan Newman, host of Queer Factor, the event will feature performances by Kim Wadsworth,Kerry Day, Charlotte Parker, Lucia Hardaway, and Jamie Zeske.

Ride for Pride
June 24, 9 am: Ride for Pride is a four-mile bike ride down the Katy Trail and back, starting at Reverchon Recreation Center. There will also be Health and Safety fair from 10 am-2 pm.

Monthlong celebrations

Pride Month screenings at Rooftop Cinema Club
Rooftop Cinema Club on top of the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in downtown Fort Worth will screen a variety of films with LGBTQ+ themes or characters throughout the month of June, including Mamma Mia!, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Birdcage, Moulin Rouge!, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Devil Wears Prada.

Special Pride drink from Gong cha
Gong cha, which has seven stores in the DFW area, will donate a portion of every purchase of their special Lemon Ai Love Yu bubble tea to the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) in name of #Equalitea. The special Pride drink is a sweet and tart Lemon Ai Love Yu bubble tea with white pearls and (edible) glitter for some extra festive sparkle. The limited time promotion will run through June 30.

Luckys Pride Celebration
A Dallas institution off Oak Lawn Avenue for more than 35 years, Luckys has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ community. They'll celebrate Pride Month throughout June with a special commemorative T-shirt and a celebratory cocktail, the Pride ’Rita, featuring El Jimador Blanco tequila blended with Chambord, lime juice, and agave nectar.

Electric Shuffle Pride Brunches
Every Sunday in June starting at 12 pm, Electric Shuffle in Deep Ellum will host a Drag Brunch and donate 10 percent of those brunch sales to DIFFA. There will be big-name performers, a Drag Race Royalty special guest, high-tech shuffleboard, live DJs, and more. Additionally, $1 of each purchase of their new summer cocktail, the Prickly Pear Margarita, will be donated to DIFFA.

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