Differences between Dallas & Fort Worth (Plano, Irving: mortgage, employment, salaries)

[BuscoCasa]

Hello everyone,

I'm planning to move to the Dallas Fort Worth area in 2020. I have been to Dallas, but not to Fort Worth. There are many things that I look forward to about the Dallas area. However, as I'm searching for jobs, it appears that there are many jobs in Fort Worth in my field. It seems that Dallas and Fort Worth get clumped together since they are in the same metro area. What are the major differences between the two? Obviously size is one difference, but what are some other things I should know? Thank you in advance!

[smsuphysics]

The major job centers tend to be clustered to types of jobs. Downtown Dallas is consulting and startups. West Plano/Frisco/Addison is newer tech, large fortune 50 companies. Irving is mortgage and banking. Fort Worth is more industrial. So depends on what field your job is in. I work in tech so I can work in any of those areas but am more open source techs so West Plano, Frisco, Addison is best for me.

Fort Worth and Dallas are VERY different. Forth Worth you'll see a lot of folks dressed in Cowboy hats and jeans. The feel is very different as well. Forth Worth is very rustic, Dallas is like most large cities outside the NYC, SFO, DC types except they lack a bit of the connected public transportation.

[turf3]

Well, I don't know any actual Dallasites or Fort Worthians who "clump them together".


Ft. Worth is a smaller city and the feel is a bit more laid back (though make no mistake, in the context of the whole USA it's still a big city). Do not think, however, that you're going to see cattle drives down Main St. or some such nonsense.


As a native Dallasite I would be very happy to live in Ft. Worth.

[ChristieP]

I grew up in an east Dallas suburb, and I now live in a Fort Worth suburb. I can definitely say that Fort Worth is more laid back, and a more relaxed city overall than Dallas. To me, Fort Worth feels like a small town, even though it is a major metro area. The people are friendlier, and traffic isn't quite as bad. Fort Worth also tends to be more politically conservative than Dallas. Both cities have a diverse employment base. I worked in healthcare for the last 16 years, and there were plenty of jobs in that industry in both cities. The cost of living in Fort Worth is lower than in Dallas, so Fort Worth salaries are also a little bit lower than Dallas salaries.

[Barefoot Daisy]

I live in North Richland Hills but work in Dallas. I'll always prefer Tarrant County for living, and specifically Fort Worth for shopping, dining and entertainment!

In addition to all of the above observations, Fort Worth is MUCH easier to navigate. Even 35W, though it has its issues, is easier than 35E any day, any time. Fort Worth's downtown streets are clearly marked and in a nice grid pattern. I get hopelessly lost in downtown Dallas.

Walking in/around Sundance Square is a pure pleasure. I haven't found anyplace like that in downtown Dallas.

[BuscoCasa]

Thank you all for the insights! The more laid-back atmosphere and lower cost of living in Fort Worth does sound appealing. I'm going to keep applying in both places and see what happens.

[Angie682]

I've lived in the Fort Worth area for 15 years and it is rare to see people in cowboy hats unless it's
Stockshow time. Honestly there are more cowboys in Colorado..lol

[JJG]

Originally Posted by Angie682

I've lived in the Fort Worth area for 15 years and it is rare to see people in cowboy hats unless it's
Stockshow time. Honestly there are more cowboys in Colorado..lol

Thank you for saying that because I get tired of that stereotype.

You see more people in jeans and cowboy hats around The Stockyards, and most of them are just tourists.

[tcualum]

Honestly, it depends on where you go. I used to do a lot of business at the DR Horton Towers (yes I know the name has changed but they will still be the DR Horton Towers to me) and I was always surprised by how many men I saw entering and leaving the offices and elevators who were wearing boots. While it wasn't the majority, it was enough for me to notice. Fort Worth residents don't go around with a cowboy hat on but boots are considered acceptable footwear and I know many who collect them.

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by tcualum

Honestly, it depends on where you go. I used to do a lot of business at the DR Horton Towers (yes I know the name has changed but they will still be the DR Horton Towers to me) and I was always surprised by how many men I saw entering and leaving the offices and elevators who were wearing boots. While it wasn't the majority, it was enough for me to notice. Fort Worth residents don't go around with a cowboy hat on but boots are considered acceptable footwear and I know many who collect them.

I never owned a pair of boots but I do want some. The only reason I don’t own a pair is because they’re expensive. There are plenty of men out there that wear boots that are not associated with cowboy culture.