Questions About Desoto, Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth: low income, appointed, crime)

[Route_66]

I don't hear too much about this place. Would anybody recommend Desoto as a great place to live? How are the neighborhoods, schools, crime? When you look at a map of D/FW it appears to be equal in distance to just about anywhere between Dallas & Fort Worth and not too far from any entertainment and cultural activities. Any thoughts?

[FarNorthDallas]

I don't think the schools are that good (esp math and science).

Percent of students low income: 48% (statewide is 55%)

2006-2007 TAKS:
Reading/language arts
83 - 3rd grade (statewide 89)
76 - 4th grade (84)
74 - 5th grade (82)
89 - 6th grade (92)
80 - 7th grade (85)
86 - 8th grade (89)
83 - 9th grade (86)
71 - 10th grade (84)
91 - 11th grade (90)

Math
70 - 3rd grade (82)
77 - 4th grade (86)
71 - 5th grade (85)
89 - 6th grade (79)
80 - 7th grade (76)
55 - 8th grade (71)
49 - 9th grade (60)
38 - 10th grade (63)
62 - 11th grade (80)

Writing
84 - 4th grade (91)
90 - 7th grade (93)

Science
52 - 5th grade (77)
52 - 8th grade (70)
33 - 10th grade (58)
59 - 11th grade (77)

Social Studies
81 - 8th grade (87)
76 - 10th grade (86)
91 - 11th grade (94)

Demographics according to the Just 4 Kids Website:
Doesn't meet Annual Yearly Progress
11 Number of schools
8398 number of students
47.90% Low Income
74.25% African American
14.85% Hispanic
9.93% Caucasian
0.75% Asian
0.24% Native American
5.62% English Language Learners
12.32% Special Ed

[TrueDat]

For that part of the Metroplex, Cedar Hill and Duncanville might be better bets. Cedar Hill, especially, is starting to explode with the under-construction Uptown development --- Uptown Village at Cedar Hill.

[SAtoDallas]

It's just like anywhere else it has it's good and bad, but mostly it is a typical suburb. It is growing and has plenty of nice neighborhoods. My job allows me to travel all over the metroplex so I have probably seen more areas than most posters here which mainly live in the norther burbs.

[kt2le]

Until recently, I worked with someone who lived (past tense) in DeSoto and now lives in Cedar Hill. He grew up there and had emotional ties to the city but couldn't recommend living there now. South Dallas is not far away and some of the issues there have spread to DeSoto. There are some pretty areas in Cedar Hill that look almost like the Hill Country.

[Route_66]

I want to thank those who responded, I appreciate it. I figured I picked a good time to ask, today Money magazine came out with their Top 100 places to live in the country and Desoto didn't make the list, however nearby Mansfield did come in at #83. Desoto not making the list doesn't necessarliy mean that it's a bad place to live but I was able to compare Desoto with another D/FW suburb that also didn't make the list and was able to draw some comparisons. That city is Bedford, there are a few things that stand out which makes the 2 cities completely different one that stands out the most are the schools. I'm disappointed that Desoto's #'s came in far worse and pretty much reflected the same #'s that FarNorthDallas posted earler. To me, schools are a big thing and you don't really want to send your kid(s) to low performing schools. To me it isn't just the schools but it is also the parents that have to be involved. Based on the #'s I see it appears to be there is more parental/teacher involvement in the HEB school district than the Desoto school district and that can make a big difference. Aside from the schools both burbs pretty much mirror each other and Desoto has more diversity than Bedford yet the median incomes are pretty close and Desoto has a higher median home price. Also according to FND's TAKS#'s it shows that Desoto students are 48% low income, now according to Money magazine both burbs have a median income that are similar between 77K-80K which both are slightly below the national average but to me that's not low income. I understand HEB encompasses 2 other cities but after looking at Hurst and Euless they are also pretty much similar to Bedford and Desoto except for the schools of course. Again thanks to those who responded and i'm sorry to say that I will have to scratch Desoto off my list. You need to have good schools, it's a must.

Bedford, Texas

Desoto, Texas

[MJ1996]

Careful with that Money list. I know its fun to read but NONE of the TX cities which made the top list last year made it this year and I have trouble finding that they all went down hill that fast. Personally, I don't know if you want your city on that list because then everyone and their mother wants to move there.

Anyone think Midlothian or Red Oak are worth the commute (to downtown) to live in? I am trying to juggle living up north--Richardson, Plano and the like or way down south, which appear more "country" and able to get an acre. Price range varies up to $325k. I figure about the only places I cant get a house are the park cities or downtown, but I don't really want to becuase I need good schools.

Thanks for the help.

[pb2plano]

I noticed that new Money list excludes any city with a population over 50k.

[DTexas]

Desoto has lower crime because most of the people here go to other areas to steal, however, the crime became pretty high at one point because parents were raising thugs and brought them here from Katrina. Most are now gone, thankfully. We have the street sweepers and so our streets are always clean. It's mostly blacks in Desoto and Cedar Hill is becoming the same way.

[DTexas]

Originally Posted by MJ1996

Careful with that Money list. I know its fun to read but NONE of the TX cities which made the top list last year made it this year and I have trouble finding that they all went down hill that fast. Personally, I don't know if you want your city on that list because then everyone and their mother wants to move there.

Anyone think Midlothian or Red Oak are worth the commute (to downtown) to live in? I am trying to juggle living up north--Richardson, Plano and the like or way down south, which appear more "country" and able to get an acre. Price range varies up to $325k. I figure about the only places I cant get a house are the park cities or downtown, but I don't really want to becuase I need good schools.

Thanks for the help.

Midlothian is an excellent place to live. Have a lot of friends there and if I could sell my home, I'd be there. Excellent schools, hardly any crime and very friendly people.

Red Oak has a lot of trash. Avoid at all cost.