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We’ve got bad news for the “stop moving to Texas” crowd, and even worse news for the “stop moving to DFW” crowd.
Consumer Affairs, an online research and review resource, has compiled a list of the best cities to move to in the state. And while we know Dallas-Fort Worth is the most superior slice of the state, we aren’t sure we want everyone else to know that. Traffic is bad enough, and some secrets are best kept close, right? Consumer Affairs also noted its data finding that Texas is one of the top states people are moving to in the U.S., as if we all haven’t already noticed that.
The list looked at the 50 most populous cities in the state and ranked them by things like health care, education, affordability, safety and overall quality of life. The list makers had to suspend knowledge of where Texas ranks in healthcare for women and children in comparison to the rest of the country, we guess. Never mind the current state of education and the book-banning crusade, too.
Anyway, four out of the top five cities to move to belong to the North Texas area. Allen took the top spot, while Frisco followed close behind at No. 2, Plano at No. 3 and McKinney at No. 4 — Mansfield is ranked No. 9 and Richardson slid into tenth place. Interestingly, where our never-sheepish Observer readers are concerned, Frisco and Plano are actually among some of the worst suburbs around here.
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Allen was praised for its safety ranking (the second safest in the entire state, apparently) and access to green spaces — admittedly, we were shocked by the study’s finding that 87% of residents live within walking distance of parks and nature. Expectedly, Frisco receieved nods for being the home to both the PGA of America and the Dallas Cowboys, and the economic prosperity that comes with that. Consumer Affairs also praised its education system, but again, best of a bad situation there. Meanwhile, Plano’s third place was anchored by an overall quality of life, boosted by its selection of good eats. And though McKinney scored third-highest for safety in the state, the study found its not exactly the most rent-friendly, stating, “McKinney isn’t the most affordable place in Texas — the median rent is slightly higher than the state’s ($1,823 versus $1,741).”
Of the state’s four largest cities, Austin pulled the highest at No. 26, while Fort Worth landed at No. 39 and Dallas at No. 46. We still beat Houston (No. 50), though.
You can check out the full list below:
