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No.
1
University Park
Low crime, good
schools, and the unmatched diving-board aerobatics
found at the Curtis Park community pool launched
UP over Southlake. |
University Park is
back. It topped our biennial list in 2002 and held the
spot in 2004. But in 2006 UP was dethroned by Southlake
and fell all the way to No. 4. Predictably, this caused
mass hysteria and rioting in the streets. There was one
report of a family’s Labradoodle, so distraught over the
No. 4 ranking, throwing itself into rush hour traffic on
Preston Road.
What did UP do to trounce the competition this
year? Of course it scored well in all four of our
ranking criteria—education, safety, housing, and
ambiance—but it scored particularly well in education.
As did its ISD buddy, Highland Park, which ranked No. 6.
But UP fared better in housing appreciation and safety
than HP. For a detailed breakdown of our methodology,
see “How We Did It” (below).
Overall, the cast of characters atop our list
hasn’t changed much since we last ranked them. Hickory
Creek got knocked out (it’s No. 17 this year), and
Keller found its way in (from No. 21 previously). In
addition to profiling these highly ranked suburbs, we
also take a look at four that didn’t make the top 10 but
are worthy of consideration: Plano, because it is
transforming its reputation from heroin to hip; Roanoke,
because it’s our most improved suburb, climbing from No.
38 to No. 18; Wylie, because it’s the
eighth-fastest-growing suburb in the nation; and
Grapevine, because there’s more to it than just the
Gaylord Texan Resort.
But the most interesting thing we found on our
travels to 62 suburbs wasn’t the naan in Murphy or the
lofts in Flower Mound. It was the apparent unconcern
over rising gas prices. Although we complained about
paying nearly $4 per gallon as we filled up endless
tanks of gas, those enjoying walks among the pecan trees
in Parker and cheering on their robotics team in
Southlake barely mentioned it. Go figure.
RATING THE SUBURBS: HOW WE DID IT
Our ranking is based on four factors: safety,
education, housing values, and ambiance. The first three
measures involve data and the objective analysis
thereof; the fourth entails some subjectivity. The
ambiance factor takes into account air quality, but it
mostly reflects our good taste.
Because each factor includes multiple
statistics (TAKS scores, SAT scores, etc.), we created a
scale from 1 to 5 for each statistic so that their
relative values could be added together. For mean SAT
scores, for example, the lowest score (Lancaster ISD’s
808) was assigned a value of 1, and the highest score
(Highland Park ISD’s 1188) was given a 5. All other
scores fell in between. Doing the same thing for TAKS
scores and other measures, we could combine statistics
to create an overall education score.
Safety: 25%. Based on statistics for
seven crimes: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault,
burglary, larceny, and auto theft. We gave twice as much
weight to the first four, on the belief that getting
bludgeoned is worse than having your car stolen.
Sources: 2007 statistics from the Texas Department of
Public Safety, Dallas Sheriff’s Department, Oak Point
Police Department.
Education: 25%. Calculated from the
percent of students passing the TAKS tests in 2007, the
mean SAT score of the class of 2006, percent of the
class of 2006 taking college admissions exams, and the
amount of money each district spent on instructional
expenses for the 2005–06 school year. Most cities have
students who go to more than one district. If a district
has a large percentage in more than one district, we
averaged each district’s numbers. If a city’s students
overwhelmingly go to one district, we just used that
one. Sources: Texas Education Agency, Highland Park ISD,
Carroll ISD, Lancaster ISD, Sunnyvale ISD.
Housing: 25%. Based on the percent of
owner-occupied homes in a suburb (40 percent of overall
housing score) and increased average home sales price
from 2005 to 2007 (60 percent of overall housing score).
Sources: 2000 U.S. Census, North Texas Real Estate
Information Systems (NTREIS).
Ambiance & Air: 25%. Ambiance is
what it is. It’s part of what makes Highland Park and
Cockrell Hill two very different suburbs. The air
pollution index is an analysis of ozone, carbon
monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter.
Ambiance was 70 percent of this score while air quality
was 30 percent. Sources: Staff of D Magazine on
ambiance; air pollution statistics from On Board, using
EPA data.
D Magazine wishes to thank the following,
without whom this story would’ve been statistically
improbable: North Texas Real Estate Information Systems
Inc.; Maribeth Peters, Ellen Terry Realtors; Becky
Washam, RE/MAX; Jennifer Roeltgen, Trophy Realtors;
Dacia Reyes, Tina Leigh Realty; Lynne Cash, Keller
Williams Realty; Carrol Smith, Judge Fite Realty; and
Tom Grisak, Estate Home Realtors.
1. University
Park
Population: 23,150
Annual growth since
1990: 0.3%
Average home sales price in
2007: $1,245,435
Median age of residents:
31.2
Families with kids under 18:
40.8%
Median household income: $92,778
What They Say: Residents enjoy a sense of
connectedness here. “Every morning when we get up, we
find that someone has placed our newspaper on our front
doorstep,” one resident says. “We don’t know who it is,
but it could easily be anyone on our block.” Kids ride
their bikes to school, and neighbors socialize at block
parties.
The small-town feel is one of the best things
(with big-city amenities nearby) and one of the worst
things (everyone knows your business). Those who live in
the Bubble say the Park Cities come by that name
honestly, with too much conformity and
narrow-mindedness. Some longtime residents feel a sense
of entitlement, skipping ahead in line at Starbucks or
in carpool.
Real estate agents crow about how homes have
appreciated. From 2005 to 2007, the average sales price
increased 34.5 percent—the biggest jump on our list. You
can’t get into UP for less than $650,000 (for a small
cottage or a house on a busy main street). If you want
and find something under $1 million, sign quickly on the
dotted line. Most sales are between $1.1 million to $1.6
million.
What We Say: University Park has just
about everything Highland Park does at a lower price. So
if you’re just moving to the Park Cities for the
schools, UP is a no-brainer. We find the recent case of
10-year-old Julius Stener—who wanted to keep chickens
from a school project as pets—indicative of the UP
mentality. This is a town that mandates everything from
trash lids to the inches of landscaping that can
encroach on your alley. Julius got to keep his chickens
(an old ordinance permits fowl with Council approval),
but city staff soon changed the law so these would be
the last chickens allowed. UP is kind, fair, and acutely
aware of appearances.
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| HIP TO
BE SQUARE: The townhomes of Southlake Town Square
give residents the feel of in-town
living. |
2. Southlake
Population: 25,700
Annual growth since
1990: 9.6%
Average home sales price in
2007: $610,684
Median age of residents:
36.7
Families with kids under 18:
60.4%
Median household income: $131,549
What They Say: Southlake was known for two
things: schools and football (mostly the latter). Now
it’s known for schools, football, and Central Market,
which opened with much fanfare in December 2006, across
from Southlake Town Square. For at least a little while,
news of the high-end grocery trumped news of the
Southlake Carroll Dragons (who are ranked No. 2 in the
state after several straight state football
championships). Locals believe the restrictions placed
on home builders (few lots are less than half an acre,
no apartments or condos) will keep their investment
safe. “Our property value has almost doubled in the past
10 years,” one resident says. Some residents feel taxes
are a bit high (though they land in the middle of the
pack of our research) and worry that the schools and
sports are a bit too competitive. Lots of families live
here, especially those with stay-at-home moms and
traveling dads (DFW Airport is close by). Houses range
from $400,000 to the multi-millions. Homes priced
$500,000 to $600,000 are selling the best these days.
What We Say: In many ways, Southlake is
like University Park dropped in the middle of the
country. Affluence is evident around every corner. You
should know the town’s prom queen received a tiara with
freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals worth $695
(compared to the $47 one nearby Grapevine gave its
queen). Yet down the street from the new Central Market,
you’ll find a field of hay bails, and the high school’s
robotics team won the state championship this year
(again).
3. Colleyville
Population: 22,150
Annual growth since
1990: 4%
Average home sales price in 2007:
$522,768
Median age of residents:
40
Families with kids under 18:
49.8%
Median household income: $117,419
What They Say: The trees are a big draw, and
although Colleyville is practically next door to DFW
Airport, it isn’t in the flight pattern. It’s a wealthy
town with a heart. One resident says, “You’re as likely
to find Birkenstocks as Jimmy Choo stilettos on the feet
of ladies who lunch.” Locals love Market Street, an
independent grocery store that features organics and
staples like Heinz ketchup. “My sister-in-law lives in
Highland Park, and she wishes she had a store like that
near her,” one resident says. You’ll see a lot of
teardowns in Colleyville, which is down the road—and
price range—from Southlake. “When I have somebody
looking in Southlake who can’t find what they want, I
direct them to Colleyville. It just doesn’t have all the
bells and whistles,” says Realtor Becky Washam. New
homes start in the upper $300,000s for homes in the
Grapevine/Colleyville ISD; lower $300,000s for Birdville
ISD. You can find something in the mid $100,000s, but it
will need work.
What We Say: You’ll hear the nickname
“Colleywood” thrown around a bit here, referring to the
wealth in Colleyville. Local newspaper writer Michele
Valdez once said in her weekly column, The Confessions
of a Mad Housewife, that she loved living in Colleyville
because she was surrounded by high-maintenance women
just like her. Yet she also challenged the town to be
more open-minded when the presence of minorities became
an issue at the local schools. Locals Jeff Dyson and son
Michael won a Grammy this year and are founders of the
Blue Shoe Project, which takes the blues to kids in
Texas schools. Cash and kindness mingle well.
4. Trophy
Club
Population: 7,450
Annual growth since
1990: 4.7%
Average home sales price in
2007: $295,533
Median age of residents:
37
Families with kids under 18:
43.2%
Median household income: $92,492
What They Say: Terry Fator, winner of
America’s Got Talent, recently got a five-year, $100
million gig in Vegas. But he has no intention of selling
his Trophy Club home. “The area is beautiful, and
everyone is so incredibly friendly. It’s an amazing
place,” says the impersonator/ventriloquist who was born
in Mesquite. Residents love that there is no major—or
really even minor—thoroughfare through Trophy Club and
that the speed limit is 30 mph throughout the city
limits. Kids ride their bikes and feed the ducks.
Parents are excited about the upcoming Byron Nelson High
School, which opens in the fall of 2009. At $96 million,
it will be one of the most expensive high schools in
Texas. The Trophy Club Country Club is the anchor of the
town, a big golf community, yet many people find a
starter home here. “We are in a fabulous spot,” says
Jennifer Roeltgen of Trophy Realtors. “People who live
here commute to Dallas, Fort Worth, up to Denton.”
Construction of 1,500 new homes (ranging from $250,000
to $850,000) will build out Trophy Club to Grapevine
Lake. Homes range from $150,000 to $2 million.
What We Say: Trophy Club feels like
you’re entering a gated community. The entire town.
Which was the original plan in 1973, to be the state’s
first entirely planned community. And while there is a
certain sense of Kool-Aid drinking here, people still
love it 25 years later. All retail is on the fringe,
with neighborhood after neighborhood inside. A flashing
sign announces community events and what’s on sale at
Tom Thumb. These are people who enjoy cutting their
shrubs into geometric shapes (or having them cut). Not
that there’s anything wrong with that.
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| TOWN
IN COUNTRY: Parker maintains a rural feel even
though it’s just down the road from Plano. It’s
home to Southfork Ranch and a peacock-inhabited
vineyard. |
5. Parker
Population: 3,300
Annual
growth since 1990: 7.4%
Average home sales
price in 2007: $451,834
Median age of
residents: 40.8
Families with kids under
18: 33.8%
Median household income:
$101,786
What They Say: Parker isn’t different just
because Southfork Ranch sits within its borders. Its
people are different, too. “It seems like the people who
want to have some land to themselves kind of like their
independence,” one resident says. Locals are drawn to
its seclusion (there’s no easy way in or out), the shady
walks, grazing horses—all just a few blocks from Plano.
Parker might seem like it’s in the middle of nowhere,
but Realtor Dacia Reyes puts it another way: “We are
literally in the smack middle of everything.” Parker is
all about low density within its five square miles.
Builders must maintain an average of two acres for
each lot. It’s difficult to find property here for less
than $200,000, and prices go up to $3 million. Most
builders are doing custom homes. A new subdivision,
Brooks Farm, is in the works and should include a new
elementary school.
What We Say: You don’t drive through
Parker. You meander through it. The roads and
mindset give you no choice. The pecan trees are
plentiful (as are the pecans in the winter) and the
green on a spring day seems never ending. We were most
intrigued, though, by the Khatter Vineyard. Just four
miles east on Parker Road, you’ll see a peacock sign,
leading you to the vineyard and tasting room. You might
even see a peacock while tasting their award-winning
Cab. Remember, it’s all about the meander.
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| THE
REEL WORLD: Two kids try their luck at Lakeside
Park, in Highland Park. |
6. Highland Park
Population: 8,600
Annual growth since
1990: -1.6%
Average home sales price in
2007: $1,515,541
Median age of residents:
42
Families with kids under 18:
33.6%
Median household income: $149,380
What They Say: While residents certainly can
afford private school, the public schools are a major
draw. So is the focus on children. Last year, Highland
Park banned cell phone use by drivers within school
zones during mornings and afternoons, a move followed by
University Park (the ban might go citywide, in both
towns). Other pluses: the Katy Trail, proximity to
Dallas, and the feeling of safety that allows some
residents to leave their doors unlocked. The
construction on Mockingbird Lane is a major drawback,
albeit a temporary one, scheduled to be done in January.
Other drawbacks are its lack of diversity, the
competitiveness of the school system, and the George W.
Bush Presidential Library, whose attendant traffic
increase has people on both sides of the political
spectrum worried. When moving in, the most common
request is to live near Highland Park Village or a
specific elementary school. In HP, $900,000 will get you
a small cottage, while you might be able to score a home
along Mockingbird Lane for $700,000. From there, prices
quickly go into the multi-millions.
What We Say: The term “parkie” is in the
Urban Dictionary. Used in a sentence: “Look at those
rich parkies in their BMWs.” Many who don’t live in HP
harbor unkind feelings about those who do—for their
affluence and for the ostentatious display thereof. But
underpinning those feelings probably lies something that
looks a lot like envy. In most places, bulk trash pickup
comes monthly. In Highland Park, it comes whenever you
wish. Just imagine.
7. Murphy
Population: 12,450
Annual growth since
1990: 16.1%
Average home sales price in
2007: $305,360
Median age of residents:
33.9
Families with kids under 18:
47%
Median household income: $83,547
What They Say: Where there was recently only
a field, now an entire retail center—Lowe’s, Sprouts,
24-Hour Fitness—is under construction. While some
residents enjoy the conveniences, others would rather
keep traffic to a minimum and drive to Plano to shop.
The day the local Baskin-Robbins gave away 31-cent ice
cream cones, a line of parents and kids formed outside
for hours. Locals enjoy the community and the lingering.
The diversity is surprising. “Just about any nationality
I can think of, I can find here in Murphy,” one resident
says. You get a lot of house for your money, with a new
2,800-square-foot home going for $290,000. Overall,
homes range from $150,000 to $800,000. Minimum lot sizes
are 9,000 square feet, though most run closer to 12,000.
Homes must have side-entry garages, creating a bit of
intentional space for everyone.
What We Say: Just when you think you
have the feel for this small town bordering Plano—quiet
neighborhoods with the occasional herd of sheep—you run
across the enormous Tom Kimbrough Stadium, where Plano
teams play football. It looks out of place in a small
town. That’s the conundrum in Murphy: how to take a
small town and update it without creating disharmony. We
were surprised to find a market with Ethiopian food
here, but the Medina International Grocery at Murphy
Road and 544 will have us coming back for its curry and
flatbread.
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| A
WAKE IN AMERICA: Custom homes in Highland Shores
on Lake Lewisville run about $1
million. |
8. Highland
Village
Population: 14,650
Annual growth since
1990: 5.4%
Average home sales price in
2007: $289,028
Median age of residents:
37.7
Families with kids under 18:
53.2%
Median household income: $102,141
What They Say: The biggest news in Highland
Village is the Shops at Highland Village, a mini-version
of Southlake Town Center. The upscale retail center
houses Harry & David, Patrizio, Rockfish, a
12-screen movie theater, lululemon athletica, and a
Nestle Tollhouse ice cream/cookie shop (who knew such a
thing existed?). Residents often call the police when
they go on vacation. One got a call back while out of
town, asking about a truck parked in her driveway (it
was the pool man). “My husband travels a whole lot, yet
I feel really safe even when he’s gone,” she says. “I go
out in our subdivision late at night by myself, put my
headphones on and just walk.” New conveniences and
development mean more traffic, which residents aren’t
keen on. The terrain looks like Oak Cliff on a lake,
with more hills than we North Texans might expect. New
construction in Stillbrooke and Stonebrook subdivisions
runs $200,000 to $400,000. Custom homes in Highland
Shores, the most popular upscale neighborhood, are more
than $1 million. Newer homes on Lake Lewisville start at
$600,000, although an older home on the water (a rarity
on the market) can go for $300,000 to $400,000.
What We Say: Here’s what upscale
suburban will get you: the Highland Village Wal-Mart has
fresh sushi and a bicycle center (instead of an
automotive center). The town’s Inland Trails are one of
its best features, connecting neighborhoods to schools
to anywhere a pedestrian might want to go. So far, the
trails cover 2.7 miles, but 5 miles of additional trails
are in the works.
9. Keller
Population: 37,700
Annual growth since
1990: 7.5%
Average home sales price in
2007: $301,539
Median age of residents:
35
Families with kids under 18:
52%
Median household income: $86,232
What They Say: Last year, Keller was voted
the 50th best place to live in the United States by
CNN’s Money.com (the only other Dallas-Fort Worth cities
mentioned were Mansfield, No. 83, and Grapevine, No.
97). Keller is an affordable option to its neighboring
cities, drawing families who want to live off one
income. The city is full of bike trails, including a
favorite along Bear Creek where you’ll trek by a few
longhorns along the way. Residents have high hopes for
the city’s new ArtHouse, a tres chic retail and
residential space with lofts. There is plenty of new
construction still going on in Keller, most on the west
side of Highway 377. Homes range from the low $100,000s
to $500,000.
What We Say: We were amused by the sign
announcing “goats for sale” just down the street from
enormous homes in the Tuscany addition (one almost
5,000-square-foot home was listed for $800,000). Why pay
Southlake home prices when Keller’s amenities are so
close and you’ve got cool projects like the ArtHouse in
the works?
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| PICTURE
PERFECT: Mature trees and quaint new homes make
Flower Mound an ideal
suburb. |
10. Flower
Mound
Population: 62,350
Annual growth since
1990: 10.4%
Average home sales price in
2007: $294,269
Median age of residents:
33.3
Families with kids under 18:
56.8%
Median household income: $95,416
What They Say: People in Flower Mound always
mention the trees and the proximity to the airport.
Housing is relatively inexpensive compared to
neighboring cities, and commercial development has
brought residents a Kroger, pizza, and burgers. What it
hasn’t brought is diversity. “I don’t like the white
bread nature of it,” one resident says. “Everybody is
just like us. It gives the kids a tainted view of what
life is really like.” Still, it’s a friendly town, a
place where you have to factor in talking time for a
trip to the grocery store because you’ll always run into
people you know. “We have watched Flower Mound go from
cow pastures to city without losing the essence of
‘rural,’ ” another resident says. You can get an
older home, probably from the mid-’70s, in the
$150,000s, while a place on Lake Grapevine will go for
more than $1 million.
What We Say: Love the lack of chains in
the city’s Parker Square. Okay, there’s a Smoothie King
inside the Excite Gym and a Mi Cocina, but you’ve never
heard of anything else: Kay’s Kloset, Thai Tango, Crush!
Wine Boutique, Burger Bistro, and the Music Conservatory
of Texas. We respect Flower Mound’s nature, as do they:
almost 13 acres of the original mound of wildflowers
belong to a non-profit, and the city mandates developers
work around existing trees.
Four Burbs to
Watch
They didn’t score high in our
ranking, but each has a story to tell.
No. 22 Plano
Not As Bad As You
Remember
In the late ’90s, 18 Plano teenagers
overdosed on heroin. This decade, it was in the news for
teen steroid use. By 2005, though, CNN’s Money magazine
named Plano the best place to live in the Western United
States.
So how did Plano turn its image around? It
started when DART came to downtown in 2002, the same
year Pat Evans became mayor. “I moved here in 1972 and
we were 17,000 people, a bedroom community,” she says.
“We have totally reversed our way of thinking of what
Plano is and should be.”
Plano’s historic downtown has bricked streets,
an Austrian pub, and West Village-like housing. More
than 900 more housing units are planned in the space
where Eisenbergs Skatepark sits. It has Legacy, a
modern, walkable community with everything from
Frito-Lay to luxury apartments and Taco Diner. A
performing arts center is in the works to be the anchor
of a 124-acre park and arts destination at Custer Road
and Highway 121.
Mayor Evans says, “It was easy to say this is a
wealthy, successful place and look at the problems
they’ve had. The schools tried to do their job of taking
care of the kids. Our police pioneered a new way of
prosecuting the drug dealers, holding the dealers
responsible for the deaths that took place. And at the
same time, we were building a city.”
No. 18 Roanoke
Most Improved
Suburb
What has this Denton County town of 6,000
or so done to move up 20 spots from the last time we
ranked suburbs? Well, the city’s overall housing score
almost doubled, mainly because of how home values have
increased here. Two years ago, Roanoke’s home prices
were dropping. This time around, they increased 17.7
percent from 2005 to 2007.
The city has also become safer. In 2005,
Roanoke had 2.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents,
while in 2007 it had 0.88 per 1,000 residents. In
non-violent crimes, Roanoke had 23.54 per 1,000 last
time, 15.96 per 1,000 this year.
Sales tax receipts help, too. Roanoke sits at
the crossing of three major highways, 377, 114, and 170.
This has drawn in Wal-Mart, Chili’s, and Home Depot.
“That one corner at 377 and 114 produces over a million
dollars in sales tax each year,” says Mayor Scooter
Gierisch, a lifelong resident. With this influx of cash,
the city built a 5,000-square-foot community pool, a
state-of-the-art recreation center, and a new fire
department. A new library is in the works. The city pays
its fire and police personnel well, resulting in better
people who give better services. The city is also
developing its downtown area, called Oak Street,
following Grapevine’s model.
No. 42 Wylie
Fast & Furious
Wylie
is the eighth-fastest-growing suburb in the nation.
Wylie’s population grew 109.3 percent from 2000 to 2006,
from 15,619 to 32,600. Now the city is up to about
42,000, according to John Mondy, who was the mayor of
Wylie for 10 years, until his term ended in May.
“We had a sudden acceleration seven or eight
years ago,” Mondy says. And with its current boundaries,
the city could grow to 65,000 people. Every major road
in Wylie will be widened and improved in the next three
years. The city has more than a million square feet of
retail development in the works, of which 650,000 will
be built in the next few years (news of the Super Target
has Wylie and neighboring suburbs buzzing). The city’s
6,000-square-foot library will be replaced by one seven
times that size, and the city is putting $5.4 million
into Founder’s Park.
No. 24 Grapevine
More Than the
Gaylord
In the late ’80s, Grapevine and
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport got into it over
runways, causing the airport to take a good chunk of its
tax dollars and go home.
“We were kind of an airport city,” says William
D. Tate, who has been Grapevine’s mayor off and on over
the last three decades. “That was really our future.
That had changed and no longer was a viable option. We
decided we had to become independent of the
airport.”
City officials decided to start with
Grapevine’s heritage. The city is the oldest in Tarrant
County. And it had Grapevine Lake. Plenty of people came
to town, yet Grapevine didn’t have a way to monetize
those visits. “We decided to be a hospitality city, to
be in the entertainment business as a way to attract
those dollars,” Tate says.
And attract they did. The city has GrapeFest,
Main Street Days, and the New Vintage Wine Trail.
Downtown you’ll find eight wine tasting rooms,
impressive public art, and the nearby Nash Farm (an
1880s homestead). The Glass Cactus might not be Denton,
but it does have a respectable live music scene. The
city went after and got Grapevine Mills Mall, the Bass
Pro Shop, the Gaylord Texan, Ripley’s Aquarium, and the
Great Wolf Lodge—all in the last 10
years.
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