The Dallas – Fort Worth area is big. Really big. It encompasses 13 counties and is the largest inland metropolitan area in the United States. That’s the first thing newcomers should know. Plus, there are way more than just the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth proper to call home. The population here is over 7 million… and growing. Here’s a few more things longtime locals want newcomers to know:
- Fortune 500 companies keep choosing Dallas - Fort Worth as their new home.
GoogleMaps The Metroplex is home to 22 Fortune 500 companies; the third-largest concentration in the nation behind New York City and Chicago. Toyota Motor Co. just built an impressive new headquarters that opened in Plano in 2017.
- If you want to work, whether professional or labor, there IS a job for you here.
Scott/Flickr Cost of living is lower than national average and job opportunities are high! Many major companies continuously host job fairs to get workers here.
- Texas doesn’t have a state income tax.
GotCredit/Flickr As if you needed yet another reason to move here.
- Traffic here is a beast… and getting worse.
Abhishek Chinchalkar/Flickr The Metroplex has the second-largest number of freeway miles per capita in the nation. Road construction is a constant. Commutes can be brutal.
- The Texas heat is REAL.
Lars Plougmann/Flickr You will get used to it, though. Luckily, our humidity is lower than in the Southern parts of our great state.
- We may be inland, but there is water everywhere.
David Veksler/Flickr We know plenty of ways to keep cool- like cooling off in one of our 13 area lakes around here.
- Tornados are bad boys around here.
NOAA Photo Library/Flickr Texas tornados, mighty hail storms, and fluctuations between severe flooding and severe drought are all facts of life of being a North Texan.
- Don’t expect it to snow in the winter.
Ian Aberle/Flickr On the rare occasion when it does, the whole city shuts down. We simply don’t know what to do in this foreign white stuff.
- Forget the whole Wild West expectation, except for entertainment value.
Josué Gómez/Flickr Most stereotypes of Texans haven’t been true since the days of Cowtown, but we do still celebrate our cultural history in more subtle ways.
- Do not make the mistake of thinking Dallas and Fort Worth are the same.
WikiThreads/Flickr Most people choose a side by which part of the Metroplex they live in and can become fiercely loyal to “their part of town.” They may fight like siblings, but all locals share common pride in being part of Dallas - Fort Worth.
- Only native Texans (or at least long-timers) can poke fun at Texas stereotypes.
Melanie Levi/Flickr If you’re new, keep any jokes or disparaging comments about our great state to yourself. And never forget that YOU are the one with the accent, not us.
- The Metroplex has more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the United States.
Becky McCray/Flickr That’s a LOT of food choices. Our portions are big and the price tags (for most) are quite reasonable!
- We live for community service.
Brian’s Dallas Habitat For Humanity/Flickr We rally to help our own. North Texans are not only well known for our friendliness, but also for our generosity and volunteer spirit.
What other things do you think newcomers need to know about living in Dallas – Fort Worth? We’d love to hear some suggestions and stories from natives and newbies alike!
GoogleMaps
The Metroplex is home to 22 Fortune 500 companies; the third-largest concentration in the nation behind New York City and Chicago. Toyota Motor Co. just built an impressive new headquarters that opened in Plano in 2017.
Scott/Flickr
Cost of living is lower than national average and job opportunities are high! Many major companies continuously host job fairs to get workers here.
GotCredit/Flickr
As if you needed yet another reason to move here.
Abhishek Chinchalkar/Flickr
The Metroplex has the second-largest number of freeway miles per capita in the nation. Road construction is a constant. Commutes can be brutal.
Lars Plougmann/Flickr
You will get used to it, though. Luckily, our humidity is lower than in the Southern parts of our great state.
David Veksler/Flickr
We know plenty of ways to keep cool- like cooling off in one of our 13 area lakes around here.
NOAA Photo Library/Flickr
Texas tornados, mighty hail storms, and fluctuations between severe flooding and severe drought are all facts of life of being a North Texan.
Ian Aberle/Flickr
On the rare occasion when it does, the whole city shuts down. We simply don’t know what to do in this foreign white stuff.
Josué Gómez/Flickr
Most stereotypes of Texans haven’t been true since the days of Cowtown, but we do still celebrate our cultural history in more subtle ways.
WikiThreads/Flickr
Most people choose a side by which part of the Metroplex they live in and can become fiercely loyal to “their part of town.” They may fight like siblings, but all locals share common pride in being part of Dallas - Fort Worth.
Melanie Levi/Flickr
If you’re new, keep any jokes or disparaging comments about our great state to yourself. And never forget that YOU are the one with the accent, not us.
Becky McCray/Flickr
That’s a LOT of food choices. Our portions are big and the price tags (for most) are quite reasonable!
Brian’s Dallas Habitat For Humanity/Flickr
We rally to help our own. North Texans are not only well known for our friendliness, but also for our generosity and volunteer spirit.
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