Golden years

Bucolic Fort Worth neighbor named No. 2 retirement spot in Texas

Granbury is the second best place to retire in Texas, says a new report.

Photo courtesy of Visit Granbury

If you’re hunting for a place to retire in Texas, you might want to consider pointing your car about an hour southwest of Fort Worth.

A recent study by personal finance website SmartAsset ranks Granbury among the top 10 places in Texas for retirees. The lakeside Hood County community nabs the No. 2 spot on the annual list.

SmartAsset judged each city on these factors:

Burden from income and sales taxes.
Doctor’s offices per 1,000 residents.
Recreation centers per 1,000 residents.
Retirement centers per 1,000 residents.
Share of seniors in the population.

SmartAsset weighted each factor equally, and them came up with a total score for every city.

It's not the first time Granbury has made the list, or landed in the No. 2 spot.

What makes it a top place for retirees to settle down? Seniors make up 30 percent of the city's population, and the tax rate of 14.3 percent is among the lowest on the list. While there are only 5.2 doctors' offices per 1,000 residents, Granbury boasts 2.9 recreation centers and 0.6 retirement centers per 1,000 people. Total score: 46.89.

Five cities in the Houston metro area among the top 10 places in Texas for retirees. Katy landed at No. 1, with Richmond at No. 5, Tomball at No. 6, Humble at No. 8, and Webster at No. 10.

Katy’s score of 53.88 edges out Granbury for first place. The Houston suburb performed best in two categories: doctor’s offices per 1,000 residents (17.3) and recreation centers per 1,000 residents (4.1).

However, seniors make up just 14.1 percent of the city's population, compared with Granbury's 30 percent — Granbury wins that all-important category by a landslide. (In fact, Granbury has the highest percentage of seniors of all the top cities in Texas.)

The SmartAsset ranking comes on the heels of a December 2021 list by AARP that named Fort Worth a top place to retire. A year ago, Travel + Leisurenamed Dallas-Fort Worth to its best-places-to-retire list.

Here are SmartAsset’s top 10 cities in Texas for retirees, including the score for each place:

Katy — 53.88
Granbury (Dallas-Fort Worth) — 46.89
Woodway (Waco metro area) — 43.52
Fredericksburg (Hill Country) — 43.49
Richmond — 40.94
Tomball — 40.09
Burnet (northwest of Austin) — 39.85
Humble — 38.27
Boerne (San Antonio metro area) — 34.17
Webster — 33.96

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FWPD News

Fort Worth's longtime police chief Neil Noakes will retire in 2025

FWPD

FWPD chief Neil Noakes

After more than 25 years of dedicated service to the City of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Police Department, Police Chief Neil Noakes will retire from law enforcement, effective May 2025.

Chief Noakes has been with the FW Police Department since 2000 and was appointed Chief of Police in 2021 by City Manager David Cooke.

In a statement, Noakes says that he's retiring to focus on his family.

"My emotions are mixed because I have been with the FWPD for half my life and have truly enjoyed my career," Noakes says. "Being part of our FWPD family has been an incredible honor and a privilege. I work with amazing people who strive to make a positive difference every day. I have also enjoyed working with an incredibly supportive Mayor, Council, and City Manager’s Office."

"My decision comes down to family," he says. "I have a supportive and loving wife and children who have sacrificed so much and supported me and the Fort Worth Police Department. I became a grandfather in July, and I have a second grandchild on the way. It’s time for me to focus on my family."

Chief Noakes has held various ranks and served in multiple areas of the department, including Patrol, DWI, Motors, and Internal Affairs.

Before being named Chief of Police, Noakes served as Deputy Chief, overseeing the South Command. He earned his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Tarleton State University and his master's degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Texas Christian University (TCU). Additionally, he is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s 137th Administrative Officers Course and TCU’s inaugural Leadership, Executive, and Administrative Development Program (L.E.A.D. #1).

His accomplishments include establishing a new Wellness Unit and his involvement in youth engagement programs such as Operation Progress, Read2Win, All Pro Dad, and the City of Fort Worth’s Education Initiative.

In a statement Fort Worth City Manager David Cooke praises Chief Noakes for his focus on community problem-solving and reducing crime, even despite Fort Worth’s population growth over the last decade.

“You’ve got to love the job to be good at being a police chief and he’s an extraordinary police chief," Cooke says. "If you hear him talk about the officers and the staff that work at the police department you get this beautiful understanding of what it’s like to be a police family. He leads the police department with that type of ethic and family feeling."

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker says she has "nothing but respect" for Noakes' decision to retire and put family first.

"I’m so grateful to Neil, his wife, and his family for the more than 25 years of service, sacrifice, and leadership that he has provided to Fort Worth, Parker says. "He has led the Fort Worth Police Department through some of the most difficult times our city has faced with humility, transparency, and compassion for the community as his top priority. He is truly leaving this department better than he found it."

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