Workin’ it

This Fort Worth neighbor clocks in as one of hardest-working U.S. cities

This is the fifth-hardest-working city in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Visit Irving

A number of giant employers — including ExxonMobil, Fluor, Kimberly-Clark, Michaels, and NEC Corp. of America — call Irving home. Irving appears to be a giant when it comes to hard-working people, too.

A study released February 22 by personal finance website WalletHub ranks Irving the fifth-hardest-working city in the U.S. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows nearly three-fourths of Irving residents 16 and over are in the workforce; their average daily commute lasts 24 minutes. Around 240,000 people live in Irving.

Other Dallas-Fort Worth cities in the top 20 are Plano (No. 11), Dallas (No. 13), Fort Worth (No. 16), Garland (No. 18), and Arlington (No. 20). Other Texas cities in the top 20 are Austin (No. 7) and Corpus Christi (No. 9).

Anchorage, Alaska, tops the list.

To determine which cities outwork the rest of the U.S., WalletHub compared the 116 largest cities across 11 key metrics. Those metrics include average hours worked per week, employment rate, average commute time, and share of workers with multiple jobs.

The MetroTex Association of Realtors must have gotten the memo about Irving’s status as a hard-working city. The group plans to relocate from Dallas to new headquarters it plans to build in Irving.

In a similar move, Neighborly, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands (such as Molly Maid and Mr. Handyman), said in October that it planned to open a second headquarters in Irving this year. By 2026, Neighborly plans to employ more than 200 people in Irving.

“Irving’s connectivity and accessibility to world-class talent make our community a top contender for business and were key factors in Neighborly’s real estate decision,” Beth Bowman, president and CEO of the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and the Irving Economic Development Partnership, said in a release.

It's not surprising that Austin also secured a top-10 spot on the list. The Capitol City has become a magnet for relocation of technology companies and high-profile businesses like Tesla.

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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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