Dallas Neighborhood Guide
Say “living in Dallas” to folks of a certain age and you remind them of Southfork Ranch. Alas, you can’t retire where TV’s Ewing family spent the ‘80s scheming over their oil fortune (although you can take a tour). The real Dallas is much more diverse and appealing to retirees and working empty nesters, with everything from country-club suburbs and small-town exurbs to loft living in hip urban pockets of the city.
Uniquely Dallas neighborhoods
The Bishop Arts District features dozens of small independent shops, galleries, and restaurants, along with a busy calendar of fun entertainment options. Multi-restaurant Wine Walks, a gourmet pet food shop, a sewing and design studio and school, a bike-repair shop, and a walkable, small-town scale make the area appealing to creative retirees who’d rather stroll than drive.
Uptown is another only-in-Dallas area that blends apartment and high-rise living, boutique shopping, and fine dining, all in a walkable area that includes parks, historic architecture, accessible public transit and an active community and volunteer network of residents and business owners.
Standout Dallas suburbs for retirees
The Forbes list of the “Best 25 Suburbs for Retirement in 2015” includes Plano because of its light-rail access to the city, low crime rate, and easy access to medical care. Plano is also among real estate site Movoto’s top 10 Dallas-area ‘burbs for retirees, due to its variety of housing options, golf courses, and parks.
Movoto’s other picks, based on factors like the number of doctors, home prices, cost of living, things for seniors to do, and crime rate, are Richardson, Rockwall, Duncanville, Irving, Carrollton, Colleyville, Mesquite, Grapevine, and Lewisville.
Of course, in a region as big as the Metroplex, you’re going to find lots of different opinions. The Dallas Morning News’ 2013 compilation of the 10 “best neighborhoods for empty nesters” has almost no overlap with Movoto’s selections; only Colleyville made both lists. The paper ranked neighborhoods based on safety, peacefulness, and home-value appreciation; their team defined “empty nesters” as two-person households over age 45 with no kids living at home, so it includes working couples as well as retirees.
Their picks? Southlake, Eastern Colleyville, Lake Ray Roberts, University Park, Prestonwood, Bent Tree, Double Oak, Highland Village, and the areas of Frisco north of Eldorado and east of Preston.
Find your own ideal neighborhood
Of course, the best neighborhood for you may be different from any of these recommendations. One handy way to find areas to consider is with the Morning News’ build-your-own neighborhood list tool. By choosing the attributes that matter most to you (such as affordability, walkability, safety, and more) you can find the areas that are most likely to suit your needs.
For example, by rating safety, walkability, and affordability as 10s on the News’ 1-10 scale, we got a list of far-flung suburbs and Dallas neighborhoods such as downtown Denton, the UT-Dallas neighborhood, University Park, downtown Arlington, and Oak Cliff south of Kidd Spring Park.
Switching the priorities to quiet, home-value appreciation, and things to do nearby, we came up with more central neighborhoods, including the Design District and nearby Oak Lawn, West Dallas, and the 75203 neighborhood just east of I-35 East.
Whatever lifestyle you’re looking for, Dallas is big and eclectic enough to provide it. Have fun exploring the city and finding your next home.
Learn more about Dallas Retirement Planning:
- How Much Does It Cost to Retire in Dallas, TX?
- What’s the Cost of Living in Dallas, TX?
- Dallas Financial Advisors
- Dallas Elder Law Attorneys
- Dallas Senior Realtors
- Dallas Senior Movers and Downsizers
- Live Like a Local in Dallas
- Dallas Demographics and Lifestyle
Find assisted living in Dallas near you.