Recommended neighbourhoods in Dallas (McKinney, Spring: apartment complexes, rental, violent crime)

[chh0881]

Hello,

My boyfriend and I are relocating to Dallas within the next few months. He will be moving at the end of April and I will follow in August.

Our Bio: We are in our late 20s-30s. He is in finance and I'm a nurse. His employer is located in the Preston Center/Hollow area as best I can tell from maps. I will look for a job once I move down there.

We are looking for an apartment that is pet-friendly, max rent $1600, timely management response to issues, and relatively close to shops and restaurants.

We are looking for an apartment relatively near his employer, hopefully within the following area:
North: W Northwest Hwy
East: I-75
West: Dallas North Tollway
South: Uptown area

My concern is living in a relatively safe neighbourhood. I've tried to research a little and have come across uptown, oak land, university park, and highland park as safer neighborhoods.

My question is: Can anyone recommend safer neighbourhoods within my specified area? Does anyone have recommendations on apartments they enjoyed live at? Does anyone have recommendations for a couple of newbies to Dallas?

Thank you for your time,
C

[padcrasher]

Likely you'll need to look off McKinney Ave just north of Uptown and South of Knox St. within your limits. This area is safe. (Not higher income, suburban safe, but still safe.) Plenty of apartments. Young professionals, shops, dining, etc. The area to the North within your limits is mostly expensive single family homes. Cedar Springs/Lemon Ave area ( primarily west of McKinney) is Dallas's gay neighborhood.

[TurtleCreek80]

Uptown or Knox St neighborhoods are a great pick- and also convenient to the major hospitals in Dallas for you (Presby, Baylor, Medical City, and the whole medical district anchored by UTSW). Your budget is more than enough for a 1br and possibly a smaller/older 2br. These are fun neighborhoods to live in- walking distance to lots of shopping, dining, entertainment, and culture. Violent crime is extremely rare, but property crime does happen. This is a major city so you always need to lock your car & home doors (even if you're inside), hide your valuables when you park (even if it's "just for two seconds" or in your own garage), etc. If you follow the simple "take, lock, hide" mantra, you will prevent the majority of crimes that happen in these neighborhoods

HP/UP are safe and very wealthy neighborhoods, however there aren't many apartment complexes (most of them cater to SMU students since the campus is in UP) or are way over your budget. Worth a look but know that most people who rent are families who want HPISD schools so the configurations may not work for you (ie, most common rental is a 2-3br half duplex for $2200-3500/mo).

[mSooner]

I think you would be happy in Uptown/HP, but you might look in the M-Streets and Knox/Henderson just East of 75, too. There are some great choices there with lots of walkability.

[Lakewooder]

You might be able to rent a house or duplex for that amount in the areas mSooner suggested above - you should look east of 75 as it's very eclectic and friendly...people over here don't really care about the games played in Uptown, Park Cities and Preston Hollow. We also have apartment complexes - some of them new in the Knox-Henderson area. There has been some crime related to the many restaurants and shops along Henderson but the same could be said for Uptown. I've owned two properties in that area for almost 30 years and I lived there for eight years. Never had a burglary or car break-in except the kid next door gave me some problems once - that was in the 80s. I loved living there and that was before it was considered 'hot'. I may move back some day and be the old man telling stories at the Old Monk!

Also very convenient to Baylor, Presby, Medical City, Parkland, UTSW hospitals and Methodist in North Oak Cliff is not far either...