Best 'burbs

2 desirable Dallas-Fort Worth neighbors unlock rankings among best cities to live in U.S.

Richardson repeats as No. 12.

Photo courtesy of the City of Richardson

For the second year in a row, two Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs have captured top-15 spots on a prestigious list of the Best Cities to Live in America. Drumroll, please ... they are Plano, at No. 9, and Richardson, at No. 12.

Both cities are repeat entrants in Niche.com’s ranking of the best cities to live in the U.S. Richardson also came in at No. 12 in the 2021 list, while Plano was No. 7 last year.

Niche specializes in supplying data, reviews, and ratings of schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S. This year, researchers combed through data for 228 cities, as well as 18,515 towns and neighborhoods, to develop its annual rankings. Niche relies on data from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau and FBI, along with residents’ ratings.

“Whether our users are young professionals, parents with young kids, or retirees, Niche’s … rankings serve as an excellent starting point for considering a move,” says Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche.

“The pandemic triggered a new set of possibilities — suddenly, many individuals and families found themselves more mobile than ever before, and in the past two years they have continued to think hard about where they really want to live,” Skurman adds. “Families wondering about an area’s school district, a major part of many relocation decisions, can also use our comprehensive school profiles and rankings to get a sense of what their child’s future school might be like.”

Across the Tarrant County line, Arlington lands at No. 89, and Fort Worth, at No. 135.

Other notable local rankings:

Plano ranks fifth among the best cities to buy a house, and Richardson takes the No. 9 spot.
Plano ranks ninth on the list of the cities with the best public schools.
Arlington (No. 11) and Irving (No. 12) are the top-ranked Texas cities on the list of the most diverse cities.
Austin is the top-ranked Texas city (No. 19) on the list of the best cities for young professionals, with Plano five places behind at No. 24.
Richardson is the No. 1 Texas city for retirees.
At No. 42 nationally, Plano is the healthiest city in Texas, followed by Richardson at No. 43.

Houston suburb The Woodlands earned the No. 1 overall ranking for the second year in a row. Aside from being named the best city to live, The Woodlands ranks second on Niche’s list of the best cities to buy a house, and sixth on its lists of the cities with the best public schools and the best cities for retirees.

Nationally, the top five cities to live (after The Woodlands) are:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, No. 2.
Naperville, Illinois, No. 3.
Arlington, Virginia, No. 4.
Overland Park, Kansas, No. 5.

What follows is a breakdown of other communities in Texas that earned places in Niche’s ranking of the best cities to live.

Dallas-Fort Worth:

Plano, No. 9
Richardson, No. 12
Irving, No. 40
Denton, No. 56
Dallas, No. 80
Arlington, No. 89
Fort Worth, No. 135

Houston metro area:

The Woodlands, No. 1
Houston, No. 71

Austin metro area:

Austin, No. 25
Round Rock, No. 29

San Antonio metro area:

San Antonio, No. 101

Elsewhere in Texas:

College Station, No. 27
Lubbock, No. 72
Tyler, No. 94
Wichita Falls, No. 98
El Paso, No. 100
McAllen, No. 102
Abilene, No. 112
Amarillo, No. 122
Waco, No. 130
Corpus Christi, No. 132
Midland, No. 158
Beaumont, No. 170
Killeen, No. 189
Brownsville, No. 193

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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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