Moving to DFW Suburbs Advice Please (Houston, Dallas: home, established neighborhood, magnet schools)

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by emilykincaid21

Thank you for an actual location and town suggestion. This is more in line of our expectation of Texas. I took a look at the map, this is a bit far from what we are looking for. Hubby travels a bit and will need to be somewhat close to an airport.

Again, you need to check your racial “expectations” of Texas. You are moving to a state where you are a minority and unless you have a sh$t ton of money to live in Southlake or Highland Park, you’re going to be living somewhere diverse if you need airport access…or you’re going to have a very long commute in from places like Midlothian. Both airports are smack in the middle of a very diverse metro area with 7M++ residents.


See below demographics from the 2020 census data headlines:

People of color make up 95% of Texas’ population growth, and cities and suburbs are booming, 2020 census shows

The state’s Hispanic population is now nearly as large as the non-Hispanic white population, with Texas gaining nearly 11 Hispanic residents for every additional white resident since 2010.


2020 Texas Census Demographics**note that cities and major metro areas can skew even more diverse. Non-Hispanic whites are now only 29% of the city of Dallas’ population.

Non-Hispanic Whites 39.7% vs 78% in Nebraska (so you’ll see 50% fewer white people here)
Hispanic 39.3% vs 11% in Nebraska (so you’ll see almost 4X as many Latinos here)
Black 11.8% vs 5% in Nebraska (so you’ll see about 2X as many black people here)
Asian 5.4% vs 2.7% in Nebraska (so you’ll see about 2X as many Asians here)



The “whitest” (non-Hispanic white) suburbs in the Dallas area within 30-45 minutes of DFW airport are:

Argyle - 97% white - median home price $550k
Colleyville - 87% white - median home price $750k
Trophy Club - 85% white - median home price $585k
Southlake - 79% white - median home price $1.3M
Keller - 79% white - median home price $570k
Northlake - 79% white - median home price $460k
Flower Mound - 71% white - median home price $540k

[Rakin]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Again, you need to check your racial “expectations” of Texas. You are moving to a state where you are a minority and unless you have a sh$t ton of money to live in Southlake or Highland Park, you’re going to be living somewhere diverse if you need airport access…or you’re going to have a very long commute in from places like Midlothian. Both airports are smack in the middle of a very diverse metro area with 7M++ residents.

And a little closer in than Midlothian would be Mansfield. I's a straight shot up 360 to DFW Airport.

It has more of a small town feel with a small town type downtown area like you'd find in middle America. Love Field is quite the commute though.

And I agree about Keller.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Rakin

And a little closer in than Midlothian would be Mansfield. I's a straight shot up 360 to DFW Airport.

It has more of a small town feel with a small town type downtown area like you'd find in middle America.

Well, not according to OP’s preferences for living in 1950’s America as Mansfield is only 55% non-Hispanic white. With 19% of residents being black, 18% being Hispanic and 9% being Asian or multiracial, I doubt OP would find that Mansfield could provide her family a “TYPICAL AMERICAN CHILDHOOD” per her request. /S

[texstout]

I admit I was initially triggered by the OP's original question. Truthfully Texas is a hugely diverse state. Entirely tacky. (and I'm an upper income white female). I"m guessing the OP cannot afford the Park Cities, Southlake, Lakewood, etc that are highly white. (As someone who has lived in these areas, the common complaint that I hear from my white friends is that the schools are TOO white).



That said, I also wouldn't want to live in a minority SE Asian neighborhood. I really would recommend looking at a slightly older home (which can come with good schools, trees and better lots). The South East Asian community is drawn to the new homes for the same reason she is. And they are increasing farther, and farther out from the city center. Right now, their prices are high - especially for the often very low quality of production. I wouldn't say my husband is handy at all, but we manage just fine in our wellbuilt historic home. I have a friend is a 6 year old 1M+ home that has already had to replace both her upstairs and downstairs AC units.

[MurphyPl1]

Originally Posted by emilykincaid21

Thank you for an actual location and town suggestion. This is more in line of our expectation of Texas. I took a look at the map, this is a bit far from what we are looking for. Hubby travels a bit and will need to be somewhat close to an airport.

Share with the group why you thought Texas was some kind of white utopia. You do realize that we were part of Spain and Mexico so there are Latinx and Hispanics whose families have been here for generations.

[WorldKlas]

Originally Posted by MurphyPl1

Share with the group why you thought Texas was some kind of white utopia. You do realize that we were part of Spain and Mexico so there are Latinx and Hispanics whose families have been here for generations.

Hispanic and African Americans share a similar cultural background as whites in DFW — same holidays and many of the same traditions. Its the newer immigrants from India, Pakistan, etc that don’t. In OP’s defense, I believe her concept of a traditional American childhood is in reference to that. My contributions to this thread are merely to respond, non-judgementally, to her search request.

[Walter Benjamin]

Just here to repeat the usual familiar points:

* even if a city as a whole is diverse, individual neighborhoods -- as defined by an elementary school -- might be much less diverse. Lovejoy Elementary (Allen) is 79% white. Barron Elementary (Plano) is 80% Hispanic. Talley Elementary (Frisco) is 94% Asian. etc.

* even though only a small percentage of people will openly say ”I want to live amongst my own tribe,” a much larger percentage of people -- to judge by their actual choices of where to live -- do feel this way, whatever they may say in public.

* blue-state coastal liberal white people and red-state good ol'boy white people count as different 'tribes' in my view. I'm not equating ”tribe” to race here.

[tommy1boy]

Originally Posted by emilykincaid21

Thank you for sharing your experience, and I'm sorry to hear what you and your family went through. Do you mind if I ask what town that was in? And where did you end up after moving out? Thanks Emily

no problem hopefully save you the trouble of what we went through. I'll add we had a healthy budget and looked at new construction gated communities in so-called "white" affluent areas in Southlake, Trophy Club, etc... it's the same... if it's new they are like moths to a flame and will gobble those homes up. also some posts here like to quote asian population, to be clear in DFW, asian = Indian community. we ended up moving to a Dallas proper older neighborhood renovated a home and send our children to private school. good luck

[tcualum]

Originally Posted by Rakin

And a little closer in than Midlothian would be Mansfield. I's a straight shot up 360 to DFW Airport.

It has more of a small town feel with a small town type downtown area like you'd find in middle America. Love Field is quite the commute though.

And I agree about Keller.

The traffic on 360 can be awful at unpredictable times of the day especially now that they're doing road construction at the 360/I30 interchange.

[mastershake575]

Originally Posted by emilykincaid21

We decided a newer house will be require less upkeep and maintenance.

Not necessarily true. Newer houses are often way bigger so higher utilities, more things that can break, and way more difficult to clean (2 to 2.5x the square footage plus ceilings you can't even reach). Upkeep is going to be higher on a new house.

There's way to many variables to claim less maintenance as well (a 60s or 70s house that's advertised with recently replaced roof, windows, and A/C isn't going to be anymore of a gamble then a 2012-2016 house that's all original).