Considering move from NYC to Dallas
Posted by slaggygal@reddit | askdfw | View on Reddit | 57 comments
Hello! I (30F) am currently living and working in NYC. My company has an office in Dallas and I have close family that lives there as well. I'm considering the move. I have been in NYC for almost 10 years and I feel like I'm outgrowing it. I'm not into the party scene much anymore and I'm looking for a place where I can up level my quality of life without having to sacrifice work/life balance and Dallas seems like a good place to do that. It's more affordable and seems like people there have a more active lifestyle i.e. biking, playing sports, etc.. and nightlife isn't as ingrained in the culture.
I do have a few concerns. I am pretty liberal and living in a conservative state concerns me. I would be interested in joining groups that work towards petitioning for overturning some conservative legislation. Does anyone know if these groups exist? I'm also concerned about making friends and dating in Dallas. Especially considering I'm 30 and from what I can tell most people try to settle/get married a bit younger in Dallas. Lastly, I'm worried no city will feel as magical to me as NYC and I'll end up missing it. The magic of leaving your home and not knowing where the day will take you. Is Dallas less magical?
Would appreciate any advice or insights here! Thanks!
CoastieKid@reddit
Made the move 5 years ago from NYC. I’m a liberal, single 34M. My thoughts: - no state income tax is great. I work remotely and save so much more money here - Live within the 12 loop. Walking around for errands helps me with what I need in terms of avoiding car time. You’ll need a car but it’s nice not needing to use it. - Dating, haven’t been doing it too much. Would enjoy having more liberal women around to date. I always hit better on dating apps when I travel back to the east coast - bought a home here. I never would’ve done that in NYC
ComprehensiveTwo6838@reddit
Single 36F and I am also thinking of making the move from the Manhattan. I could transfer to our office in Coppell and would like to live somewhere walkable. What areas would you suggest? I had a look at Winnetka Heights District, but it doesn't seem that walkable.
offsetred@reddit
I made the move. If you do move, you have to find a kick ass neighborhood and drive. Also, the heat, you will not understand how debilitating it is until you feel 103 wafting up from the concrete.
Well, I moved to a terrible neighborhood and cried a lot. Then I found Bishop Arts and other places in Dallas. I really love the Magnolia area in Fort Worth for hanging out and the Fairmount neighborhood for a place to live in Fort Worth. I lived in Manhattan for a few years and still prefer Fort Worth to Dallas, but Dallas is getting much better. Lots of growth in the past 10 years.
You can make it work, and there are so many transplants, there are folks you will find here. There are also organizations to join if you're liberal like me. You could do it, and the dating scene is pretty okay, I think.
Good luck.
Key_Calligrapher_171@reddit
I’ve lived in Manhattan and currently in downtown Dallas. I actually love it!
ComprehensiveTwo6838@reddit
Great to hear this. I love the southern hospitality and good manners and looking to move down from the Upper East Side. Can you please advise if the Bishop Arts District is a good area to live or is that considered downtown?
ComprehensiveTwo6838@reddit
I’m considering a move to Dallas from the Upper East Side in Manhattan. Could you recommend a neighborhood that’s walkable and somewhat similar to the UES? I know it won’t be exactly the same, but I’d love to find an area where I can walk to coffee shops and restaurants.
Mav21Fo@reddit
Haha what neighborhood did initially move to? If you don’t mind me asking
offsetred@reddit
Well. . . For work purposes, I landed in Arlington for 9 months before moving. Partner and I had many tears and didn’t know how to navigate the town, find places to walk, good coffee, food. Not walking everywhere was super hard.
Admittedly, with the new developments in downtown A-town this past decade, it’s a perfectly wonderful suburb for a family and you can get everywhere in the metroplex quite quickly. That’s how I explored Dallas and Fort Worth equally, early on. But young professionals mostly lived in uptown Dallas back then. So many more options today.
slaggygal@reddit (OP)
What streets in Bishop arts are good to explore? I visited about a year ago and it didn't seem like there was a ton there but maybe I wasn't looking in the right places ?
Joooooose@reddit
Bishop Arts is the game changer. We walk everywhere and only take the car out a few times a week.
ZookeepergameOk8271@reddit
Question to the New York City transplants here. How did you build a community and make friends? Want to meet more like minded, liberal leaning people. Have lived here a few years and my husband and I both have very demanding jobs. Curious to know what everyone is doing to expand their community.
darkblueshapes@reddit
It’s more like “how much will Greg Abbott force himself of all the blue dots in Texas” and baby it is happening and I do not recommend coming here if you want to get married and have kids until we see what happens in the next three years. If you don’t want kids you might be okay.
I found a guy in my late 20s and was very lucky that he both had a job that wasn’t “aspiring writer/artist/musician” AND had left leaning politics. I don’t need a rich man but I needed a man who understands the stability of a full time job and working together to have a stable life together. But you’re probably going to meet a lot of conservative guys. You have to be open to dating divorced guys if you want to open the pool up (my husband was married before! But didn’t have kids. So that was JUST FINE to me).
I am gonna be honest: I’m anchored here by family, a job, and my long time friends. If I didn’t already have those established here, I would be desperately trying to get out. It really didn’t feel like this till the last couple years and it is really depressing how much worse I feel living here since it has gotten worse and worse politically.
RelativelyRidiculous@reddit
Nope, Dallas won't ever feel as magical as NYC. Part of it is Dallas is a car city. You'll just about have to have a car to obtain necessities. Walking around to do things like shop or eat out isn't really a thing here except a few neighborhoods with very bougie options. You'd still need to go elsewhere for much of your necessities.
In theory public transport exists in Dallas but mostly only in the sense of expecting you to drive a car to a train station and back home. The last time I tried to walk somewhere from one of the train stations in a suburb I discovered there were no sidewalks except one leading to the parking lot, which was surrounded by prickle bushes so that the only means of exit was the pavement cars use to get on the street it was on. There also weren't any sidewalks along that street leading to the neighborhood I needed to walk to. There was even fence at the entry of the neighborhood making it necessary to walk on the street where cars drive to enter.
From someone who's moved in from somewhere more liberal if you are liberal learn to keep that to yourself at least until you know more about who you are dealing with when you speak. I know people who've suffered workplace problems after sharing their liberal views and had them held against me when a chance to progress at my work came up. I've known people who had things happen to their homes they thought was due to making their liberal viewpoint known. I've even witnessed someone take out a stranger's mailbox in order to mow down their sign supporting a Democratic candidate. Mind you, most people in the city either won't care or will share your views, but a few of the more rabid conservatives are just a little unhinged now they've seen a bit of political success.
As far as whether groups exist that work towards overturning conservative legislation, yup they sure do. Mostly around specific issues like pro-LGBTQ rights or women's healthcare rights rather than broader strokes, but those also exist. Joining in can be a great way to make friends.
I can't speak to the dating scene since I moved here with a partner and we are still together 20+ years later.
liquidnight247@reddit
I agree on the keep your liberal views to yourself mostly. In Dallas money talks and money here is mostly conservative. Faith is another big deal here, which floored me, but people take it seriously or so they say , even in dating. Overall dating sucks, people are more flaky than I have experienced in other cities but I am a different age group. You will certainly meet plenty of peers here.
RelativelyRidiculous@reddit
Faith is an interesting topic here. There's basically two groups. one group is legit the faithful and most of them are actually mostly ok. Most of the really annoying ones are those who like to use religion as a handy bludgeon to force others to their will. I'm not going to say they don't also genuinely believe because I certainly don't know their minds. I'm probably happier that way. I just wish they'd shut up and let everyone else get on with their lives as they see fit.
liquidnight247@reddit
Couldn’t agree more
kirakira2@reddit
Hi -- I moved to Dallas last year from NYC temporarily and spent a little over a year here -- also 30F. DM me if you have any questions!
subarubiddie@reddit
hi!! can i get your recs/areas/neighborhoods list :) considering a move from stl
TakeATrainOrBusFFS@reddit
The best way to make Dallas feel more magical is to hang out in the cool neighborhoods and focus on taking public transit where you can. I had to do this after visiting a few transit-friendly, walkable cities and having to come back home to this giant parking lot. Check out my tips for riding DART as a new rider so you'll know what you're getting into. You can have nice city experiences in Dallas, but you have to seek them out and they're not what the average Dallasite considers typical.
I also got involved in groups working to make Dallas more of an actual city to stay sane. You will meet lots of progressive, community focused people if you get involved with those. If you'll let me know which specific causes you're passionate about, I may be able to provide more suggestions as someone who's in lots of those circles.
ActionJackson75@reddit
In TX, all the major cities are fairly liberal. Dallas is neither the most or least conservative of the major cities, somewhere in the middle. There are activist groups and it sounds like you'd fit right in there, but be prepared for the slog because TX liberals have a long history of trying and failing. At least you'll trauma-bond with them.
Dallas in general is way bigger than easily defined demographics. There's nightlife, dining, arts, family activities. People will say there's nothing to do outdoors but they're wrong, it's just not pervasive and you will need to acclimate to the heat. There are people who really enjoy the outdoors here (I know 2 nature photographers who shoot mostly in Dallas county), but the outdoors they're enjoying isn't going to be impressive to folks from truly 'outdoorsy' places...
My point is it's big enough there's a place for people of all types, but also there's no unifying identity to the city so it comes across kinda bland at surface level. It's huge & sprawling, there's a place for every type of person here but you won't just wander across it.
Dallas is definitely less magical than NYC (lmfao obviously). If you're worried about this... idk what to tell you it's not NYC it's Dallas. Move here to live on a single income or to afford a house, don't move here for the magic.
latinobombshell@reddit
I think your hardest living adjustment will be the heat, not the political views. Not unless you like to push your views on others. I tell people to shut up from both sides
CatsNSquirrels@reddit
Dallas is the polar opposite of NYC with regard to climate, lifestyle, infrastructure, culture, etc. There are going to be a LOT of hard adjustments. - source: Dallas native of 40+ years who now lives in the NYC metro.
latinobombshell@reddit
Not sure what you’re proving. I only said what I felt would be the hardest. Not the only thing.
slaggygal@reddit (OP)
Can you give me an example of what you think is different in regards to culture and lifestyle?
Anynon1@reddit
I'm not from NYC, but lived in a lot of walkable places. In Dallas, you don't walk. What would be a 2 hour walk is a 5 minute drive because of how poorly designed the city is for walking. And in the summer, you stay inside, then drive somewhere else, to also be inside. The food scene is great so I imagine that will be familiar, but you're in for a lot of heat, a lot of driving, and a lot of hanging out indoors.
It's not my cup of tea personally, I moved after three years
Principle_Chance@reddit
So true. Where did you end up moving?
Anynon1@reddit
I moved back to my home state of Oregon, it’s much more conducive to my lifestyle
Design-Hiro@reddit
Hey I was born and raised here and after living in NYC for 5 years Im back.
Personally, I feel that its pretty similar to queens; if you chose the right neighborhood you can use the dart to get around, you can find night life, find walkability, just pick where you move to to be near things you will use often ( gyms, schools, comedy clubs, bars, etc ) Personally I love mocking bird station but I know many who love Bishop arts district and Cityline.
Tepes56@reddit
My wife and I moved from Manhattan to the Dallas burbs (But I spend a lot of time in the city of Dallas both personally and professionally) in 2020. You didn't specify which party of NYC you are coming from, so I will assume Manhattan, however most of my feedback will be true for Queens and Brooklyn. Staten Island or the Bronx will change the variables a bit.
My feedback on DFW will be limited to Dallas, as I have not spent enough time in FW to accurately opine on it. However, it is a really fun place to visit, and I encourage you to do so whether you move here or not.
Do not let anyone fool you with respect to politics. Every election cycle people talk about TX going purple or Beto/Allred or some new liberal representative who will facilitate change. And they never win. You will need to accept this as a conservative state if you want to live here. However, Dallas is a bit unique in that there are more liberals living here (Younger Texans who have not drank the kool-aid and transplants), along with non-MAGA republicans.
Making friends is easier than NYC, at least my opinion. My neighbors came over and introduced themselves when we moved in, and we still talk with them up to this day. Random people will start talking to you at bars, events, etc., and unlike NYC where you assume the worst, it's just someone being nice and making conversation. I know it sounds crazy coming from NYC, and it takes some time to adjust, but It's one of the benefits of living here.
People are far more active in NYC due to the walk-ability and the weather. The weather here is crazy, and while the current summer is very modest by Texas standards, the summers here make any outdoor activities during the day and evening very uncomfortable to almost impossible. I know NYC summers can get hot, but they cool down at night. Summers here, present one excluded, can get triple digits by midday, with very bad humid, and it will still be over 90 and humid when the sun is down.
There is no comparing Dallas or really any city (I guess an argument can be made for San Francisco) in America, to Manhattan. Manhattan has it all. Food, art, culture, nightlife, walk-ability, and so much more. But there is a significant cost to it, and you have to accept several big cons for all of the Pros.
Good luck on your journey.
toodleroo@reddit
Don’t pay much attention to those that say you can’t have an active lifestyle here. Dallas is loaded with parks and outdoor recreation. Yes there is intense heat during a few months out of the year, but activities that keep you out of the sun will do the trick. Dallas has several mountain biking and hiking parks with opportunities to be around nature in the shade. Winters are mild and spring/falls are beautiful.
AP_722@reddit
I just moved to Dallas from the Southeast and although it has only been a few months, I find it extremely depressing. It’s very hot, very flat, nothing really for people who enjoy the outdoors. Tons of crazy highways you have to use to get anywhere. If your job has other options to explore, I’d consider those first.
TeamThundercock@reddit
You are the last thing DFW needs more of.
chugtron@reddit
Idk someone who’d want to help make Dallas a more urban city (and piss off people in Collin/Rockwall county that treat it like a playground then immediately shit on it) seems like my kind of person.
Design-Hiro@reddit
Out growing it how?
Dallas itself is pretty pretty liberal for the most part.
Every texan, texas rising, our relovlustion north teaxas, Texas progressive Caucus, Texas working families party, texas campaign for the enviormenet etc
If you're okay with dating grad students / hanging / living somewhat close to the grad schools / north dallas ( plano, carrolton, addison ) you'll have options! If you move to normal suburbs (mesquite, McKinny etc) yeah most people will be married ngl. I'd say change your hinge location and see if its something you'd wanna partake in.
Ngl, all of my girl friends who moved here after the age of 27, married someone / are dating someone who is 22-25. So if you're open to dating a bit younger, dating is stupid easy here.
Dallas is a different kinda magic. I feel that even in new york I couldn't find random people to play volleyball with on short notice because courts were so expensive there (200 for 2 hours). But the rec centers make it free for people to do that here. Life is a slower pace, but the fast fish find fast fish.
txmuzk@reddit
I am sorry.
LadyStoneheart1@reddit
I made this exact move 5 years ago during covid. Met my now-ex husband soon after I started my new job. I’ve made some friends but it’s been tough to meet people outside of work. Maybe when my baby starts daycare that’ll open up more opportunity. Agree with others that the neighborhood/willingness to commute will dictate your quality of life. PM me if you have questions! (I’m also from the area but lived in NYC for 12 years)
blacktoise@reddit
Got married and divorced that quick? Hope your mental state prevails thru n thru! That’s not easy
Boundsean@reddit
Dallas is hot as fuck in the summer
Limp_End3775@reddit
If you’re a leftist, then why not try China or Cuba or North Korea where the authoritarian society aligns more with your values?
pasak1987@reddit
If you are looking for active life style, there are better options .
Dallas would be great for team sports, but things like cycling, hiking and various other outdoor activities are less than desirable.
bodyelectrick@reddit
If you could become pregnant, do not move here. Even if you’re opposed to abortion, the impacts to the care and available options during pregnancy create significant health risks. It’s not worth risking your health.
Waltz-Resident@reddit
Quality of Life: I think this will be the biggest boost from a financial standpoint. No state income tax, and overall better affordability will be a huge plus, especially coming from NY. My coworkers there have roommates while I have a large apartment (saving up for now) to myself, no roommates and great amenities. You will need a car and the temperature difference is something that will need some time getting used to. Summer here is 90+ and not a surprise if we get that is the spring or occasionally fall.
Lifestyle: Lifestyle can be hit or miss, probably need more details. I don’t know how active ppl are in NY but Dallas has a lot of run clubs, social events, networking (not nearly as well as NY for networking though). However, for sightseeing or nice nature views, there really isn’t anything close by. Flat plains and dry trees is what we have. The best sights in Texas I’ve seen (I commute frequently between San Antonio and Dallas) is the hill country areas where rivers run through in a gorge like style and that’s 3-4 hours away. From a nature perspective, yes Dallas isn’t a concrete jungle like NY is but sights won’t be an upgrade in my opinion. Dallas does have bike paths and there is run clubs around here if that’s your thing. Mavericks, Rangers, and Dallas cowboys also call Dallas home so sports is a plus although NY also has that. From a residential athlete, there is definitely more pickup games/leagues here in my opinion although the more popular pickup sports tend to be soccer due to the large immigrant population.
Partying/Nightlife: Dallas (out of all TX cities except maybe Houston which I think is slightly better for nightlife) doesn’t seem engrained here as much though does exist. Here, nightlife might be getting Mexican food and drinks at a restaurant or a “hockey tonk” bar. You will see much more western wear here than NY.
Politics: Dallas (as all major TX cities) are predominantly blue. The far suburbs are red but if you stay within the city, you will often run into people with similar ideals quite often. But don’t be surprised when you see the occasional trump or confederate flag, especially on the country side.
Magical: Overall, I would say Dallas is less magical. NY, in my eyes, seems more magical as it is the financial headquarters (stock exchange) and immersion of cultures, plus the city “that never sleeps”. It has restaurants, bars, and a more vibrant nightlife than Dallas. However, people moving to Dallas don’t move here for a bustling city, but rather the Cost of Living and overall affordability, and that is the biggest selling point.
Waltz-Resident@reddit
Quality of Life: I think this will be the biggest boost from a financial standpoint. No state income tax, and overall better affordability will be a huge plus, especially coming from NY. My coworkers there have roommates while I have a large apartment (saving up for now) to myself, no roommates and great amenities. You will need a car with willingness to drive everywhere and the temperature difference is something that will need some time getting used to. Summer here is 90+ and not a surprise if we get that is the spring or occasionally fall.
Lifestyle: Lifestyle can be hit or miss, probably need more details. I don’t know how active ppl are in NY but Dallas has a lot of run clubs, social events, networking (not nearly as well as NY for networking though). However, for sightseeing or nice nature views, there really isn’t anything close by. Flat plains and dry trees is what we have. The best sights in Texas I’ve seen (I commute frequently between San Antonio and Dallas) is the hill country areas where rivers run through in a gorge like style and that’s 3-4 hours away. From a nature perspective, yes Dallas isn’t a concrete jungle like NY is but sights won’t be an upgrade in my opinion. Dallas does have bike paths and there is run clubs around here if that’s your thing. Mavericks, Rangers, and Dallas cowboys also call Dallas home so sports is a plus although NY also has that. From a residential athlete, there is definitely more pickup games/leagues here in my opinion although the more popular pickup sports tend to be soccer due to the large immigrant population. Football, volleyball, pickleball, basketball, and others are definitely present here.
Partying/Nightlife: Dallas (out of all TX cities except maybe Houston which I think is slightly better for nightlife) doesn’t seem engrained here as much though does exist. Here, nightlife might be getting Mexican food and drinks at a restaurant or a “hockey tonk” bar. You will see much more western wear here than NY.
Politics: Dallas (as all major TX cities) are predominantly blue. The far suburbs are red but if you stay within the city, you will often run into people with similar ideals quite often. But don’t be surprised when you see the occasional trump or confederate flag, especially on the country side. And there is quite a few political groups that push for change but not as many as say Austin since that is the Texas capitol.
Dating: Not too sure how other states are but seems to be dating here is more focused on marriage, house in the suburb/ nearby countryside, and children. Primarily driven by Christian and catholic ideals from what I’ve seen.
Magical: Overall, I would say Dallas is less magical. NY, in my eyes, seems more magical as it is the financial headquarters (stock exchange) and immersion of cultures, plus the city “that never sleeps”. It has restaurants, bars, and a more vibrant nightlife than Dallas. However, people moving to Dallas don’t move here for a bustling city, but rather the Cost of Living and overall affordability, and that is the biggest selling point.
Waltz-Resident@reddit
Quality of Life: I think this will be the biggest boost from a financial standpoint. No state income tax, and overall better affordability will be a huge plus, especially coming from NY. My coworkers there have roommates while I have a large apartment (saving up for now) to myself, no roommates and great amenities. You will need a car with willingness to drive everywhere and the temperature difference is something that will need some time getting used to. Summer here is 90+ and not a surprise if we get that is the spring or occasionally fall.
Lifestyle: Lifestyle can be hit or miss, probably need more details. I don’t know how active ppl are in NY but Dallas has a lot of run clubs, social events, networking (not nearly as well as NY for networking though). However, for sightseeing or nice nature views, there really isn’t anything close by. Flat plains and dry trees is what we have. The best sights in Texas I’ve seen (I commute frequently between San Antonio and Dallas) is the hill country areas where rivers run through in a gorge like style and that’s 3-4 hours away. From a nature perspective, yes Dallas isn’t a concrete jungle like NY is but sights won’t be an upgrade in my opinion. Dallas does have bike paths and there is run clubs around here if that’s your thing. Mavericks, Rangers, and Dallas cowboys also call Dallas home so sports is a plus although NY also has that. From a residential athlete, there is definitely more pickup games/leagues here in my opinion although the more popular pickup sports tend to be soccer due to the large immigrant population. Football, volleyball, pickleball, and rock climbing activities are definitely present though.
Partying/Nightlife: Dallas (out of all TX cities except maybe Houston which I think is slightly better for nightlife) doesn’t seem engrained here as much though does exist. Here, nightlife might be getting Mexican food and drinks at a restaurant or a “hockey tonk” bar. You will see much more western wear here than NY.
Politics: Dallas (as all major TX cities) are predominantly blue. The far suburbs are red but if you stay within the city, you will often run into people with similar ideals quite often. But don’t be surprised when you see the occasional trump or confederate flag, especially on the country side. And there is quite a few political groups that push for change but not as many as say Austin since that is the Texas capitol.
Dating: Not too sure how other states are but seems to be dating here is more focused on marriage, house in the suburb/ nearby countryside, and children. Primarily driven by Christian and catholic ideals from what I’ve seen.
Magical: Overall, I would say Dallas is less magical. NY, in my eyes, seems more magical as it is the financial headquarters (stock exchange) and immersion of cultures, plus the city “that never sleeps”. It has restaurants, bars, and a more vibrant nightlife than Dallas. However, people moving to Dallas don’t move here for a bustling city, but rather the Cost of Living and overall affordability, and that is the biggest selling point.
Content-Two-9834@reddit
Will you be able to keep your NY salary? The no income tax will surely be a bonus
MarkTwang-@reddit
Don’t come, man. NYC is so much better even if you’re not partying.
liloto3@reddit
Come on!
lpalf@reddit
Dallas has a lot of good things but I really do not think that people have a more active lifestyle here tbh. And nightlife is pretty ingrained here in my experience but you can easily get by without it (of course, I think that’s true in NYC as well so 🤷♀️)
yakit21@reddit
Probably best to stay in NYC. We have a better quality of life due to being more centric and not extreme liberal or conservative.
chugtron@reddit
Idk what centrist you’re talking about. The rural part of the state would be more than happy to nuke our QoL and go full Mississippi/West Virginia.
lpalf@reddit
And a lot of people in the suburbs tbh
edrobster@reddit
Removed.
Rule 2.
No gatekeeping.
ReddUp412@reddit
Incorrect.
NoCoversJustBooks@reddit
Lower Greenville would be another walkable neighborhood for you to consider in addition to some of the others being mentioned.
NYC seasons alone make it feel more magical than Dallas ever will. BUT - the people are generally warmer and friendlier.
In terms of dating, I’d say it’ll be a mixed bag. BUT - the dudes you find in Dallas will likely be more family oriented. You could always do a test drive by changing your dating app location and seeing the profiles here in Dallas.
I lived in Manhattan from 2011-2014 or so. I’d move back maybe later in my career, honestly. I loved it there. But Dallas also has a lot going for it. Just be prepared for a different KIND of city. Have an open mind. Get a car.
neighbors_kid69420@reddit
Look up liberal women of Collin county :)
thejesterrace34@reddit
I'm moving down south as well, I'm planning to move to Arlington for work related stuff. Maybe try looking for an apartment complex since you can meet people that way. I wouldn't be too concerned about making friends since there's so much to do down there.
SheffboiRD06@reddit
Dallas is definitely less magical, but amenities-wise it continues to grow into its slot as the 4th largest metropolitan area in the US. It’s so geographically big that where you choose to live matters a great deal. Friends of mine who have moved from NYC are in the same boat; loved their time there but are ready for a little less kinetic energy.
Uptown, bishop arts, and Knox-Henderson are neighborhoods to look at. Walkable bars and activities, younger vibe for sure without being too ratchet. Being 30 is fine, we don’t get married that much younger than people in NYC these days.
Politics wise, plenty to get involved in but it regularly feels like a failing cause if you’re looking for leftist/liberal energy. But Dallas itself is pretty blue and most inner city neighborhoods have a very California Democrat ethos.