Which towns in the Dallas metro area are best? (Carrollton: section 8, low crime)

[NurseTammy74]

Hi my husband and I are considering relocating to a town near Dallas. I am a nurse and will have no problems finding a job anywhere I go, but he is going to school to become a Chef. We would like a town that is on the move, but not growing at 139%. That much growth is kinda scary. I lived in Cape Coral, FL a few yrs back when they experienced a boom as well and it was hell. Horrible traffic, no jobs and pretty much too much too soon.

So anyway getting back to my question, we would like to know which areas are worth looking into? We plan on a family, so good schools are a must. Our price range for a home is $250k or less, and the town needs to be within a 30 mile range from downtown Dallas. Some areas that we are looking into are, Allen, McKinney, Coppell, Frisco, Grapevine and Flower Mound. Out of these towns, which one have low crime and nice subdivisions? Is Frisco still nice even though it's booming?

Thank you for helping, we are planning a trip and want to know which places to visit.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by NurseTammy74

Hi my husband and I are considering relocating to a town near Dallas. I am a nurse and will have no problems finding a job anywhere I go, but he is going to school to become a Chef. We would like a town that is on the move, but not growing at 139%. That much growth is kinda scary. I lived in Cape Coral, FL a few yrs back when they experienced a boom as well and it was hell. Horrible traffic, no jobs and pretty much too much too soon.

So anyway getting back to my question, we would like to know which areas are worth looking into? We plan on a family, so good schools are a must. Our price range for a home is $250k or less, and the town needs to be within a 30 mile range from downtown Dallas. Some areas that we are looking into are, Allen, McKinney, Coppell, Frisco, Grapevine and Flower Mound. Out of these towns, which one have low crime and nice subdivisions? Is Frisco still nice even though it's booming?

Thank you for helping, we are planning a trip and want to know which places to visit.

All of the municipalities you mentioned have nice subdivisions and low violent crime. I don't know about the perjury, embezzlement and jaywalking rates, though.

I live close to Frisco, and it is very much in a growth mode. It looks pretty nice to me, as I define "nice".

I think you need to ask more focused and definite questions. Perhaps actually visiting will resolve the questions you may have in mind but don't know how to really define. Also, visiting will probably raise a lot of other questions.

Good luck on your move.

[loves2read]

all those towns are nice--Grapevine probably has more issues of crime just because of its composition but even then it is very safe, nice town
your husband's commute should be the issue if you think you can find a job w/good commute at local hospital/clinic...
Dallas as some bad freeway traffic...30 miles can translate into an hour or more of time each way...
is that really something you would want to do

[FarNorthDallas]

You don't want to be commuting between McKinney and downtown Dallas. Too far!

All of the others are just 6 of 1, half dozen of the other - just newer suburbs with similar demographics. They all look the same and you can't tell one from the other and you can't even tell when you drive from one to the other.

[Saintmarks]

McKinney is just as far from Dallas as Frisco, just the next town up from Allen, so wouldn't write that off as being too far. None of these cities (with possible exception of Coppell) are cakewalk commutes to Dallas.

I personally like McKinney best of all that you mention because it was a sizable county seat before the suburban wave hit Collin County. It has a great historic section and charming courthouse square. Stonebridge Ranch is one of the nicest planned developments in all of the North side of Dallas with lots of green space, lakes and trees that separate it from the cookie cutterness of a lot of the Dallas burbs.

I have enjoyed living in McKinney, the kids are doing well in the schools here, still a nice small town feeling to it despite the growth.

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by loves2read

all those towns are nice--Grapevine probably has more issues of crime just because of its composition but even then it is very safe, nice town

There is VERY little crime here in Grapevine. DH and I have lived here for almost 7 years and we've never been a victim of anything, unlike when we lived in Dallas.

McKinney is WAY too far to commute to downtown Dallas.

[loves2read]

I just meant comparitively--Grapevine DOES have issues with petty crime--burglaries/car vandalism--more so than Coppell or Flower Mound which to my knowledge don't have any section 8 apts in them...
the area around Mustang drive is probably the least desireable area of Grapevine--
know two families that owned houses in that area and moved because of those apts and what they considered "deteriorating" atmosphere...but most of Grapevine is great--we visit there/eat there/shop there but compare this graph of crime statistics for Grapevine
Grapevine, TX Crime Rate Statistics - CLRSearch.com
and this one for Coppell--
Coppell, TX Community Demographics Summary - CLRSearch.com
there is a difference--a big difference in some categories...
I lived in Bedford for almost 25 yrs and I know there was an increase in petty crime over that time even though I never experienced anything but some vandalism at Halloween...

[pepper131]

Since we don't know where you'll be working, does your husband know where he'll be taking classes? Art Institute? El Centro? Cordon Bleu?
We don't want y'all driving far from your home and where your kids will be in school.

Lake Highlands area of Dallas is good. And Richardson.

[NurseTammy74]

I'll be working in Carrollton because I plan on transferring with the hospital that I work for now, they are all over the US. And he is going to school here and will be finished with college by the time we move, so I would imagine that he would work at a nice restuarant somewhere in Dallas. Usually most cities have a downtown with lots of eateries and I can't imagine that Dallas would be any different. But thank you for all of your great info.

[NurseTammy74]

Ok I guess I should have asked this too, what about Carrollton? What do you all think of that town? Someone above asked me what I consider nice. My definition of nice is, relatively low crime, clean neighborhoods with out rundown houses or trashy homeowners. It doesn't have to be perfect but I always believe that it doesn't cost anything to go outside and keep your lawn neat and junk free. Even here I've seen some cute little houses that would be some much nicer if the lazy homeowner would put the remote control down and pick up all the broken and faded toys in the front yard. A little elbow grease goes a long way.