Life in Cedar Hill: How is it? (Houston, Dallas: fit in, apartment) - City-Data Forum

Ron. · 10-15-2008, 08:07 AM

Greetings!

I am a native Chicagoan and I am considering relocating to Cedar Hill. I'll be doing another visit this winter.

Any info that you can provide is appreciated.

Acntx · 10-15-2008, 09:26 AM

I live in Lancaster, but frequently visit Cedar Hill. Here's how I would sum it up:

Cedar Hill is nice, safe community in the southwest corner of Dallas County. It is best known for its scenic "Texas Hill Country" type terrain. Cedar Hill also has a high concentration of local television/radio station antennas because of its relatively high elevation in the Dallas area. The antenna towers can be seen from miles around and blink like Christmas lights at night. The city is located along the eastern shore of Joe Pool Lake, which is a popular recreation destination. Cedar Hill has experienced significant population growth in recent years and it has developed into a major shopping/retail hub as well. A new open-air, regional mall – Uptown Village at Cedar Hill – opened in March 2008. Cedar Hill is also diverse ethnically and socio-economically.

There are quite a few posters on this forum who live in Cedar Hill and can give you a more detailed view of life in the city.

Hope this helps!

ricwil · 10-15-2008, 06:23 PM

Acntx covers the city description pretty well. I like to add that you may see a lot of complaints with the schools but there some not all that are having some issues. So we can keep it in perspective. I know of other suburban school districts w/ worse problems. Anyway, I think that what sets it apart from the others is the diversity of people and the scenery. In fact a good share of the land in the city is being preserved for parkland. Any more specific questions? Like Acntx said there are others that can help as well.

rosscountry · 10-15-2008, 11:11 PM

I have 1 or 2 visits or so under my belt to the C.H. area. This is all I have to offer:

I recommend "this" scenic drive: From I-20 head southeast on Beltline 1382 towards 67.. after you get to uptown blvd make a right and head towards W Beltline road. Make a right on W Beltine road and take it to the lake. It turns into mansfield road.

Let someone else drive so you can take it all in

and give directions

Driving this direction on these roads can give you a view to appreciate--for a moment you will think you are somewhere else.

DaveG99 · 10-16-2008, 02:13 PM

I currently live in a loft apartment in Downtown Dallas. I have lived in the area for 2 years. I am looking to get a house in the suburbs. I was looking on line for houses and saw that down in Lancaster, Cedar Hill, and Desoto you can get a LOT for your money. Then I took a drive down there and I realized why. I am going to look at some places in Plano where I fit in a little better with your average predominantly white suburban community. Plus I have a baby on the way and I dont want my kid going to school in south Dallas. From what I have seen if you stay above 635 your pretty much in a good area. Some parts near whiterock are nice to but its scattered. Highland park is also nice and near downtown but I cant afford a million dollar house.

Acntx · 10-16-2008, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveG99

I currently live in a loft apartment in Downtown Dallas. I have lived in the area for 2 years. I am looking to get a house in the suburbs. I was looking on line for houses and saw that down in Lancaster, Cedar Hill, and Desoto you can get a LOT for your money. Then I took a drive down there and I realized why. I am going to look at some places in Plano where I fit in a little better with your average predominantly white suburban community. Plus I have a baby on the way and I dont want my kid going to school in south Dallas. From what I have seen if you stay above 635 your pretty much in a good area. Some parts near whiterock are nice to but its scattered. Highland park is also nice and near downtown but I cant afford a million dollar house.

First, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Lancaster are NOT "South Dallas" and kids from these places don't attend school in South Dallas. Each of these cities have populations between 35,000 and 50,000 people living in numerous neighborhoods with homes of varying sizes and values. Like any city or suburb, Plano included, some are better than others.

No one should live where they don't feel comfortable, so if Plano is a better match, good for you and your family - "Different strokes for Different folks," I guess. But was it necessary to negatively generalize the southern suburbs without specifying why or use an arbitrary point (I-635) to divide the Metroplex into so called "Good" and "Bad" areas?

As you can see from the previous posts, many people like Cedar Hill and find it a desirable place to live. The same goes for the other southern suburbs.

I don't like to be confrontational, so I will end by saying that I hope you and your family find a nice home that fits your needs. I found mine in a southern suburb (Lancaster), but if yours happens to be in one of northern suburban areas, that's great too.

rosscountry · 10-16-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveG99

I currently live in a loft apartment in Downtown Dallas. I have lived in the area for 2 years. I am looking to get a house in the suburbs. I was looking on line for houses and saw that down in Lancaster, Cedar Hill, and Desoto you can get a LOT for your money. Then I took a drive down there and I realized why. I am going to look at some places in Plano where I fit in a little better with your average predominantly white suburban community. Plus I have a baby on the way and I dont want my kid going to school in south Dallas. From what I have seen if you stay above 635 your pretty much in a good area. Some parts near whiterock are nice to but its scattered. Highland park is also nice and near downtown but I cant afford a million dollar house.

great job.....you really painted a picture of what life is like in cedar hill..... ;0

Ron. · 10-17-2008, 11:02 AM

Moderator cut: profanity Dave, you are so far off the mark it's pitiful dude. I hope you don't raise your children to think like you do. Also, try looking at a map, CH is not "South Dallas".

Moderator cut: profanity

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveG99

I currently live in a loft apartment in Downtown Dallas. I have lived in the area for 2 years. I am looking to get a house in the suburbs. I was looking on line for houses and saw that down in Lancaster, Cedar Hill, and Desoto you can get a LOT for your money. Then I took a drive down there and I realized why. I am going to look at some places in Plano where I fit in a little better with your average predominantly white suburban community. Plus I have a baby on the way and I dont want my kid going to school in south Dallas. From what I have seen if you stay above 635 your pretty much in a good area. Some parts near whiterock are nice to but its scattered. Highland park is also nice and near downtown but I cant afford a million dollar house.

Ron. · 10-17-2008, 11:03 AM

Thanks to all that have answered thus far. I'll return to respond to the other posts.

cr

DaveG99 · 10-17-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

Moderator cut: profanity Dave, you are so far off the mark it's pitiful dude. I hope you don't raise your children to think like you do. Also, try looking at a map, CH is not "South Dallas".

Moderator cut: profanity

I am not a racist person. And I am not even white as most of you probably think. But when I drove down to Lancaster, Desoto, and Cedar hill to look at a few neighborhoods all I saw was black people. I stopped to get gas at the corner of pleasant run and Houston school rd. It was your typical ghetto gas station with bars on the doors and windows and a foreigner working behind the counter. You dont see bars on the windows in Plano. I wasnt afraid or anything as I am a large man and not worried. But I wouldnt want my wife at that gas station by herself! I dont want to live in a town that is predominantly african american. Just like all those african americans that live down there dont want to live in white neighborhoods and thats why the live in south Dallas. Its called voluntary segregation. I have read that in those southern towns "white flight" is happening. If you dont know what that means, google it. I knwo that those of you that live there are going to defend it. Its only natural to defend your own place where you live. But I am giving a perpesctive as a person who knew nothing and just drove down there to check it out. I am sure there are some decent areas as there are in any town. But what I am commenting on is just what I saw down there on a weekday afternoon. The bottom line is if your comfortable living in a place that has very few white people then its the place for you. I personally would not want to raise my children there. Maybe I just have higher standards than most people.