Which North Dallas Neighborhoods Have the Most Children? (Plano, Richardson: buying a home, buying)

[lynnsl]

Specifically, young children? We are closing in on a move to North Dallas. We want to live east of Midway, south of Forest, west of Hillcrest, North of Lovers. I know, its a big area

We want to try to lock on those neighborhoods/areas that tend to have the most elementary school aged kids. We are not looking to live in the Park Cities, have decided that we cannot afford that. Our housing budget is $500-700k.

Ideally, we would find an area with sidewalks, trees, parks, and a bunch of kids with a community feel. Given the boundaries described, which area(s) get us closest to that suburb neighborhood feel, but still in North Dallas?

thanks!

[FarNorthDallas]

I think you are going to have to move your southern boundary as Lovers Lane is well into University Park. That area between Lovers, Northwest Hwy, Preston and Airline is very kid-oriented, but it's University Park.

ETA - I guess you are talking west of the tollway when talking about Lovers, right? Like Devonshire?

[lynnsl]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

I think you are going to have to move your southern boundary as Lovers Lane is well into University Park. That area between Lovers, Northwest Hwy, Preston and Airline is very kid-oriented, but it's University Park.

ETA - I guess you are talking west of the tollway when talking about Lovers, right? Like Devonshire?

Yes... the reason we picked Lovers as a southern border is specifically to include the area west of the Tollway -- Briarwood/Bluffview/Devonshire, etc.

[TurtleCreek80]

I would not rule out UP as prices have defintely fallen. I think there is also a home on Villanova listed in the $500k's that needs $75k or so of kitchen & bathroom work, but good bones and floorplan.

I would say for little kids (5 & under), Devonshire and Briarwood win. Almost all my friends with newborns to pre-K kiddos live there. Majority of homes on each block with kids.

There aren't a ton of K+ kids as most of these families will move into the Park Cities by the time elem school starts. This area is more Park Cities- track vs families who will stay put or move into Preston Hollow and go private school.

If you are long-term thinking private schools, the area of Preston Hollow bordered by Nw Hwy, Hillcrest, Preston, and Walnut Hill is teeming with kids. The park on Park & Thackery is always packed!

[lynnsl]

we are definitely planning on private schools.

we aren't that interested in barely slipping into UP on a tiny lot, old house, fixer upper situation. we are also concerned about the constant spiral of wealth in the park cities (I know this has been discussed ad naseum, so not trying to re-start that debate).

since we are going with private schools, we are trying to get as close to the suburb or park cities feel in terms of families, kids, sidewalks, parks, etc. I know that we wont achieve it, but we just want to approximate it.

so for elementary aged kids, would Preston Hollow have the most?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by lynnsl

we are definitely planning on private schools.

we aren't that interested in barely slipping into UP on a tiny lot, old house, fixer upper situation. we are also concerned about the constant spiral of wealth in the park cities (I know this has been discussed ad naseum, so not trying to re-start that debate).

since we are going with private schools, we are trying to get as close to the suburb or park cities feel in terms of families, kids, sidewalks, parks, etc. I know that we wont achieve it, but we just want to approximate it.

so for elementary aged kids, would Preston Hollow have the most?

I would go with Preston Hollow then. If you pick Devonshire/ Briarwood, your kids will be saying good-bye to 90% of their "neighborhood" friends at Kindergarten.

75225, which encompasses UP north of Lovers Lane and Preston Hollow south of Walnut Hill, consists of 8,400 households, 35% of which have children:
11% have 1 child
14% have 2 children
10% have 3+ children

Approx 25% of these children in the total zip code (UP & PH) are in private school.

For 75230, which encompasses PH & North Dallas between Walnut Hill, there are 12,700 households, 25% of which have children:
10% have 1 child
10% have 2 children
5% have 3+ children

Approx 55% of these children in the zip are in private school.

Live in PH & your kids will have the benefit of neighborhood friends AND most of their private school friends living within walking/biking/short drive distance from your home.

Not to start the Park Cities wealth debate again, either, but be aware that the wealth game is not immune to the Park Cities and that buying a home in PH + getting into private school is ONLY the price of admission into that world, too.

[lynnsl]

Thanks TurtleCreek. We have done our homework on this issue...and while you can never get away from certain types, we feel that the demographic at the private schools will be more our cup of tea. Although there is still a lot of wealth in those schools, students come from all over -- Plano, Richardson, North Dallas, East Dallas, as far away as Frisco, etc. We have friends in the Park Cities. We have spent a fair amount of time there at parties, events, etc. There is a certain "attitude" there that we arent interested in. Its not just about the money. And we know that its not universal, but for us, just not our personality.

thanks again for the info!

[Spree]

And you've scratched the Lakewood area off your list as well? Or maybe it wasn't a consideration to begin with?

There are also Park Cities kids at those private schools, I've heard about 20% of the students in the HPISD school zone attend private schools.

You will find what you are looking for eventually! Good luck :-)

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by lynnsl

Thanks TurtleCreek. We have done our homework on this issue...and while you can never get away from certain types, we feel that the demographic at the private schools will be more our cup of tea. Although there is still a lot of wealth in those schools, students come from all over -- Plano, Richardson, North Dallas, East Dallas, as far away as Frisco, etc. We have friends in the Park Cities. We have spent a fair amount of time there at parties, events, etc. There is a certain "attitude" there that we arent interested in. Its not just about the money. And we know that its not universal, but for us, just not our personality.

thanks again for the info!

(not to be read in a snarky tone AT ALL)....but please check back in when your kids are in 7th grade or are about to turn 16 and let us know if the private schools met your expectations as far as attitude, showiness of wealth, and diversity of population.

All I know is what I saw growing up in my private school friends (whom I met at summer camp, private day school for Nursery through Pre-K, and tennis tournaments), the people I've met as adults in Dallas who are graduates of those schools, and the experiences my friends are having now that some of them have little ones at St Mark's, Hockaday, & Highland Park Presby Day School.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Spree

And you've scratched the Lakewood area off your list as well? Or maybe it wasn't a consideration to begin with?

There are also Park Cities kids at those private schools, I've heard about 20% of the students in the HPISD school zone attend private schools.

You will find what you are looking for eventually! Good luck :-)

This is true, and has been true for the past 30 years or so.