10 Things to Know Before You Move to Dallas

DALLAS THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH-ARLINGTON METRO AREA IS HUGE! The region includes over 7 million people and has grown by 528,000 residents in just the past five years. If you're thinking of moving to Dallas or one of its many surrounding cities, suburbs and towns... HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW: « PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) offers 72 miles of light rail and 120 bus routes. The D-Link is a free downtown bus service that runs specifically through popular arts, culture and entertainment districts. Plan your trip carefully, though! DART's oft-perplexing routes can be tricky for beginners. TRAFFIC Pt Worth Texorkana Waco V EXIT ONLY V ENT ONLY Dallas traffic can be brutal! The Texas A&M Transportation Institute recently released a report claiming that Dallas- Fort Worth drivers spend 45 hours per year stuck in traffic. According to NerdWallet.com, suburban Royce City and Lancaster drivers average a 34.4 minute commute and spend $3.26 per gallon of gas. COST OF HOUSING As more people move to Dallas, the cost of housing is (unsurprisingly) going up! The median Dallas home value is $162,200, up nearly 12% since last year. Another 7% spike is anticipated for 2015. RentJungle.com reports that an average two-bedroom apartment goes for $1,712 a month - a $171 jump in just six months. NOTEWORTHY NEIGHBORHOODS Trephy Cub Looking to live in the city? The trendy Uptown neighborhood, just north of downtown, "is teeming with young professionals and empty-nesters looking for an urban lifestyle," according to GreatAmericanCountry. PRESTON HOLLOW com. Preston Hollow, M Streets and Lake Highlands are also recommended. Feeling more suburban? Grapevine, Colleyville, West Plano, North Plano and Trophy Club are popular landing spots for families, seniors and young professionals. GRAPEVINE ER OF « ARTS + CULTURE The Dallas Theater Center is one of the finest regional playhouses in the nation. The Dallas Arts District - with the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas Black Dance Theatre and more - of a feast for the senses. Sports are also huge in Dallas, with teams in each of the four major professional sports leagues and elite soccer, boxing and NCAA events regularly held in the region. EDUCATION Areas like Southlake, Central Plano, Frisco, McKinney West and Highland Park boast excellent schools. West Dallas and southern Dallas have been the focus of recent state improvement efforts. « JOB MARKET Forbes.com notes that the median household income in Dallas is $58,431. The unemployment rate is 5.2 percent. Big job-creators in Dallas include American Airlines (24,700 employees), Bank of America (20,000 employees), Texas Health Resources (19,230 employees), the Dallas Independent School District (18,300 employees) and Baylor Health Care System (17,100 employees). NEED STORAGE IN DALLAS? Find the space you need with Uncle Bob's Self Storage. Visit us online at www.unclebobs.com. Uncle Bob's self storage COMME 回 见