Moving to Dallas, Texas Guide

Before moving to Dallas – learn

 Dallas is huge

The city occupies an area bigger than that of Chicago. Dallas encompasses approximately 343 square miles. In comparison, Chicago covers about 234 square miles.

This large area could be an issue for some of you coming from smaller places. If you are moving to Dallas from New York, this could be quite a transition. Manhattan is only one-tenth of the size of Dallas. As a matter of fact, the Dallas-Fort Worth airport alone is bigger than Manhattan.

Fun Fact: The airport

The Dallas-Fort Worth airport is the second largest in the country only after Denver’s. It could contain New York’s JFK, Chicago O’Hare, and Los Angeles International airports with room to spare. It has 7 operational runways and 40,000 parking spaces. And over 1100 take-offs and landings every day. In 1989, space shuttle Atlantis landed at DFW making it the first time a space shuttle lands at a commercial airport.

 Dallas is expensive

With more people moving to the city, the cost of living has risen up in the past years. Overall home values have increased by 12.3% in the past year. According to Zillow, the median home value in the Dallas/Fort Worth region is $227,395. If you choose to rent instead, be prepared to spend about $1,200 for a one-bedroom Dallas apartment every month, and about $1430 for a two-bedroom one. Even though this is more expensive than Houston and Austin, it is still much lower than New York or Los Angeles. If you are moving down to Dallas from one of these cities, you will find yourself in heaven.

The job market is growing

This is a very important condition since you will have to find a way to cover your home expenses. In the past, many people found a job in the area thanks to the oil industry. Even though it has been struggling in recent years, the state has more opportunities to offer than ever before. The metro has seen the highest job growth rate in the past three years. Between 2016 and 2017 the DFW added 100,400 new jobs – the most in the USA. The trend is expected to continue.

There are many big local companies that offer new positions all the time. If you move to Dallas, you will have the chance to work for some of the most widely known brands in the world. Local companies like Southwest Airlines, AT&T, Texas Instruments come with a good reputation that reflects in good work benefits and a pleasant working environment. And for those who are more financially oriented: Dallas ranks among the top 10 cities with the most $100K+ jobs. Houston and Austin follow right behind and fall within the top 15, too. So get prepping – put that suit on and go job hunting!

Enjoy! Great things about Dallas

For some people, the first thing that comes to mind when they think of Dallas is history. “That’s the place JFK was shot”. True. Yet, it is definitely not the first thing Dallas residents identify their city with. There’s plenty to do and see in the Big D today. Whether you are visiting for a weekend or planning to move there permanently.

City of Cowboys and athletes

Truth be told, Dallas is a land of Cowboys. Well, the Dallas Cowboys technically play in Arlington. Yet, the team is a big deal in Dallas. In fact, football at all ages and skill levels is taken seriously. If you are not a sports fan, that’s alright. You don’t have to be a fan of the Dallas Cowboys to enjoy a tour of their new state-of-the-art training facility. The whole campus is full of entertainment opportunities for you to spend your time even if you don’t have any interest in Tony Romo and his injury history. Visit the At&T Stadium, too. The home of the Dallas Cowboys, also unofficially known as Jerry World, offers tours that take you through the dressing rooms and onto the field.

If you prefer soccer instead, Dallas is the perfect place for you. You can visit Toyota Stadium and enjoy a game of FC Dallas. The team has been playing in MSL since its very beginning under the bold name of Dallas Burn. Today, the name may not be fierce, but that’s not the way the team behaves on the field. They play through the months of March through October, so if you find yourself in Dallas during that time frame, check to see if you can catch a game.

Food is religion

The culture in Dallas is rather diverse, and this is a good factor for a diverse culinary scene as well. Mexican, Asian, Italian, barbecue, vegan, seafood, Mediterranean, tapas, you name it. The Big D has it all. The fact that the income of citizens is quite high makes running a restaurant in the city quite a good business. In 2015, Dallas had more restaurants per capita than any other metropolitan area in the country.

If dining out is in your budget we’re guessing you’ll be pleased with what’s available to you after moving to Dallas. You might decide to save up some of your money and not spend all of it on dining out. In that case, you are lucky to know that just like Austin, Dallas too, is a place full of food trucks. To put it in one sentence – this is the land of meat, meat, and meat. You are more likely to find BBQ places and bars with European beer than a typical Mexican place. Yet, wherever you end up, you will not regret it. Make sure you explore the food places in Deep Ellum, Uptown, and Lower Greenville. These are typically culinary neighborhoods.

Walking areas and scenic views

There are plenty of places in the Big D where you can take a walk or run. These places make it fun to spend some time walking even if you are alone. Klyde Warren Park is the city’s newest green urban space. This is a public park that spreads over 5.2-acres and sits over a major freeway. If you’re from New York, this is basically Dallas’ version of the High Line.

You can get in a little cardio by walking over the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Or you can choose to go to what is often referred to as Marge’s little sister – the Continental Avenue Bridge. You can go for an evening run and enjoy the view of the skyline. You might want to enjoy an alternative view of the city. If this is the case, visit Reunion Tower. You will enjoy Dallas from 470feet up in the sky. If you go on a clear day, you will be able to see the city in miles.

Kids-friendly attractions

We say kids-friendly but we truly mean places which you will love even more than your child will. Legoland is one of these spots! The Legoland Discovery Center features three rides, 10 build and play areas, and a 4-D cinema. You can go on a factory tour to see the behind-the-scenes of how Legos get their colors and shapes, too. The place is considered the Ultimate indoor Lego playground. And how about outdoor attractions? Should we even mention Six Flags? Six Flags Dallas is a destination of its own. Ride the classic roller coasters like the Texas Giant and the Titan. If you have the stomach for it, try the Joker, too! The only problem is that once you take your kids there, they might want to go back every weekend. And to be honest, so will you.

Plan – Shipping your car to Dallas

The whole moving process can be quite stressful. Hire a professional moving company and you will have peace of mind. Especially when you are with your family. Driving down to Dallas with kids can be a nightmare. “Are we there yet?” is all you will hear from them the whole way. Whether you are coming with the whole family or by yourself, you might want to take your car with you. Those 320 square miles might be tough to walk through.

Whenever you choose a company to entrust your car to, you should do your research. Read customer testimonials to learn about other peoples’ experiences. If you have a car you would like to take with you, ask Corsia Logistics how to move it to Dallas. You can contact us by phone or get a car shipping quote online on our website and we will help you with the process.

The best thing about taking your car with you in Dallas is that you can easily visit the beautiful sights nearby. Hamilton Pool should be your top priority! This is a grotto with a 45ft waterfall pouring down from the top. The Hill Country is another pleasant destination. The place is full of breweries, distilleries, and fabulous restaurants. Make sure you go with a buddy who is not fond of drinking, so you can be the one enjoying all the benefits.

Watch out

Just like any other city, Dallas has its drawbacks. If you move there for a long period of time, you should dig deeper to know in advance what you are settling down for. There are two main things that you need to know early on.

Traffic can be quite rough

This shouldn’t be a surprise after all. With the large area comes a lot of traffic. This year the city ranked 10^th for the worst traffic in the country. Dallas drivers spent about 54 peak hours in existential crises caused by traffic congestion. Yet, the situation seems to be improving.

A recent study examined traffic in Dallas by comparing it to other cities several times of the day. The study showed how far out in the city one can go if they travel at 4 pm, 7 pm, and 10 pm. It turns out that traffic in Dallas slows you down much less than traffic in other cities. If you travel outwards during rush hour in Boston, for example, you will cover 30 miles less in one hour than if you leave late in the evening. In Las Vegas, traffic could take up to 50 miles away from you if you travel at 4 pm. Fortunately, traffic in the DFW area can slow you down only 15 miles within an hour. It isn’t that bad when you see it in comparison, right?

If you choose to move to Dallas with your car, choose the right time of the day to avoid traffic slow-downs. Once you get there, the public transportation system will also be there for you. Some of the transportation lines are even free! Perfect for a night out with a couple of drinks.

No taxes? Hm. Not so quick.

You might have heard that taxes in Texas work differently. For one thing, you don’t pay state or local personal income taxes. That’s for sure. Yet, you pay a good amount of property and sales taxes. The state of Texas currently charges a 6.25% sales tax “on all retail sales, leases, rentals of most goods and taxable services. Municipalities, counties, transit authorities, and special purpose districts are also able to charge up to 2% in additional sales tax. And, unfortunately, in the Dallas metro area, they do.

The real estate tax Texans pay is one of the highest in the country. In 2017, Texans paid an average of $3,327 per person in real estate taxes. According to the Houston Chronicle, this is the fifth-highest amount in the United States. It is 59 percent higher than the average American household’s real estate tax bill of $2,089.

This is why it’s very important you pick the right neighborhood for you. Dallas has very distinct regions, so you should watch out not to land in the one that doesn’t suit you. Especially since you are going to pay high taxes for your home.

Remember that there will always be something that will bother you. No matter where you go. So focus on the good and enjoy your time in the Big D!