Considering a move to DFW, what should I know?

Posted by angrypenguinhere@reddit | askdfw | View on Reddit | 10 comments

Hi everyone, for context I am a 27F originally from AZ and lived there most of my life, so I’m no stranger to the Southwest. Had to do a blip in Boston for life reasons and now I’m trying to get back to a more Central/West coast location to be closer to family. My work has a Dallas office so this seems like a strong transfer option to me. Been lurking on this reddit for a while, but I still would like to know what people who have moved here learned and didn’t expect? I personally love AZ and did not like Boston other than its walkability and its local politics (I worked in state service).

Some more specific questions that may help as well,

⁠How’s the weather in DTX really? I hated the long cold boston winters and don’t mind the AZ heat other than when it’s really bad in Jul/Aug. Are the weather emergencies I’ve seen on the news over the years really that bad (ie freezes, hurricanes, etc.)?
⁠How’s the airport? It seems like it is well connected and managed?
⁠How’s is COL? I know I’ll need a car again and everyone says TX is great for affordability is that true?
⁠How is it for young people? Are there things to do ie markets, festivals, good shopping, nice going out spots for drinks and food?
⁠Is it safe for a solo woman? Safe for a person of color?
Any recommended nbhds that help you feel connected? I’d really like to avoid a super sleepy suburb if I can but I also want to be safe.

Thank you all in advance and I hope I get to move to your lovely city!

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Flabbablabbah1@reddit

Just moved here two years ago from California...

Its flat. The weather is nice maybe 40% of the year. between the storms, humidity and heat in spring, the blistering humid summers, and the ice in the winter.. you'll find yourself indoors a majority of the time, and battling mosquitoes the rest of it.

frankly, Dallas is only nice if you have money and live in manicured or maintained cities. the blighted look, cookie cutter strip malls, shopping centers, and aging architecture really make it tough to want to go out anywhere.

The people... sigh... only nice to you because they want something from you... or... you're christian.. or you fit their narrative. not just to be a friend, there are some great people, but its hard to find out here. people call it Dalitude. There's a lot of attitude.

as for mobility... be prepared to acclimate to having to drive long distances for anything..
Things are so spaced out out here... learn your side roads… avoid rush-hour like the plague... and make sure you practice going through the mixmaster of 35e and I 30... It is one of the most egregious designs for an interchange... there are bridges that connect from nothing and end with K rails and a 50 foot drop... there are side entrances that are disconnected. There is an overpass with exits going the opposite direction of the carnal direction. You would instinctively think to go... you exit left to go right… You exit right to go left…

Don't worry, you'll experience it going through Dallas... and you'll get lost… And then you have to drive 5 miles before the next exit if you get stuck on 35W South.

I think one of the only really cool parts of Dallas would be the performing arts center, AT&T discovery center downtown, the Katie Trail, white rock lake and that surrounding area is pretty decent… Lower Greenville has that old neighborhood kind of Main Street feel just outside of downtown… But everything pretty much outside of downtown Dallas is suburbia, lots and lots of restaurants and fast food and I would say pretty decent available resources… But you really have to dig. took a year to work through a bunch of places to find the right grocery store, barber/salon, day spa, taco shop, and gym. still haven't found a decent place to enjoy water without having to drive out toward tyler.

Don't move downtown… just don't. Homeless and crime are crazy over here. On paper it seems cool because you have public transit trains going right through the middle of it all the way up to McKinney, and some of the building seem great.. but the novelty wears off after a year…

don't move to Dallas. look for a better city. a place with elevation changes, better weather, and better roads. better well maintained architecture and not littered with empty lots and vacant buildings.

llbeanjamin@reddit

24F moving from NYC. Waaayyyyy better quality of life all around

angrypenguinhere@reddit (OP)

How so?

frosty_the_snowman-@reddit

As a person who hails from Chicago and lives now in DFW, it’s pretty boring here. U can find little corners for everyone but it’s more of a niche culture versus what u find in huge established cities with great downtowns like nyc or chicago. I equate DFW to be a generic city made up of a bunch of joined suburbs laid out in the middle of an open desert where it’s very hot, arid, and dusty. I rather live in a smaller city with more trees and more culture. Costs are said to start rivaling Chicago in certain areas in the near future and more as this city becomes bigger than Chicago population wise. However I believe its infrastructure will never truly catch up to how big that population is exploding here. One thing I will advise is that the cost of living is raising greatly here (rising utilities, rising insurance rates, rising rents, etc) to the point you will see cost start to greatly outweigh salaries offered in the DFW area even for high paying jobs and with the no state income tax (making this perk more and more null unless you are earning millions of dollars to justify the tax break). Had I known it would have been like this, I would have just remained in Chicago. The consistently rising costs and the title of world class city (everyone around DFW likes to throw around) should not apply to a suburban sprawl city like this. Finally everyone here drives like a psychopath because they are coming from all over the country and world over here and people drive while being on their phones or having AirPods on. Driving on the highways is so bad that I stick to the roads unless it’s really really early and I see the highways are wide open without any crazy traffic and aggressive or clueless drivers. It’s a city that can serve the needs of people but for others it can be a city where you can literally die of boredom wasting what little left of life you have on this earth for the sake of the dollar.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

distinguishedsadness@reddit

Weather kinda sucks but if you’re used to AZ I’m sure you’ll survive. As a former Floridian I actually dread the winters here more than the summer.
Both airports are great imo. A top five perk of living her for sure. You can basically fly anywhere in the continental US within 4 hours.
COL will partially depend on where in the metro you live. Dallas and the northern suburbs are pricy. The southern suburbs and FW are cheaper. Texas isn’t as low COL as you might be picturing though, especially if you want to live in Dallas proper.
There is something for everyone here. Social life in general is better in Dallas or FW. The suburbs are very family oriented. Dallas has a lot of transplants so you won’t be alone in trying to make friends. You’ll want to find ways to connect to community early on; there are lots of social groups and run clubs that are a great way to meet people.
I’m a white male so I can’t speak too much on this; but I know a few single women who live here alone and I don’t hear too many concerns. Dallas is also very diverse. But definitely try to get some other perspectives on this.
There are lots of great neighborhoods in Dallas. Uptown is pricy but full of young professionals. I know a lot of people that live in Addison and they seem to enjoy it. Knox Henderson is pretty cool. And Lakewood is nice and the community near white rock lake is really active. Maybe look into those.

Best of luck on your move!