We're No. 1

Dallas-Fort Worth is tops once again for family-friendly cities

Child eating a corn dog at the State Fair of Texas

It's good to live in Texas if you have a family.

Photo by Kevin Brown/State Fair of Texas

Apartment List has compiled its annual ranking of the country’s most family-friendly cities, and Texans should be proud. Very proud, as the Lone Star State not only grabs four spots in the top 10 but locks in first and second place with two Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs: Flower Mound and Frisco.

So what makes a city desirable for families? Apartment List used four weighted factors to compile an overall letter grade: safety, housing affordability, education quality, and childhood friendliness. Safety data was pulled from FBI statistics and ranked each city by the number of crimes per 100,000 residents. Housing affordability was measured by the city's lowest percentage of median gross income spent on rent.

High school graduation rates determined education quality, and to draw a conclusion about child friendliness the site deemed cities with higher populations of children under 18 as more family friendly.

The results: Flower Mound lands the No. 1 spot overall, claiming fourth for safety and second for affordability. Frisco is second overall, coming in fourth for education and second for child-friendliness. These are both jumps from last year's rankings, in which Allen claimed the top spot.

Cedar Park, near Austin, finds itself at No. 6 and the Houston suburb of Pearland comes in at No. 10. All told, Texas boasts 13 spots in the top 50, with Allen (No. 11), Plano (No. 19), Missouri City (No. 23), Round Rock (No. 26), Lewisville (No. 36), McKinney (No. 38), and Irving (No. 42) making a strong showing.

Though Dallas and its B grade are all the way down at No. 173, it does win second-best when you whittle the list down to just the nation's 25 biggest cities. The true winner, though, is No. 90 El Paso, which is awarded an A- and takes the top spot for largest cities.

families rankings bests

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."

politics