Planting roots
Fort Worth finds top spot among best Texas cities for the middle class

Middle-class families looking for the perfect place to call home may find just what they're looking for in Fort Worth, according to a new study.
Personal finance website Simple Thrifty Living ranked the best cities for middle-class families in every state, declaring Fort Worth the 10th best out of 100 Texas cities. The study analyzed each city based on socioeconomic factors that are important to families, such as local median income and home value (compared to the state as a whole), real estate taxes, unemployment rate, college educated residents, schools, and job availability.
Fort Worth, with a median household income of $57,309 (right in line with the statewide median of $57,051), also stands out with its affordable homes (the local median of $155,200 is less than the state's median of $169,500). And while Cowtown offers fewer job opportunities (6,383 openings within a 10-mile radius) than Dallas (18,377), the Metroplex as a whole was recognized for record job growth over the last decade.
Along with Fort Worth, DFW dominates the list with four additional spots landing in the top 10, including Dallas at No. 2, with its median income of $47,285, median home value of $183,000, and impressive number of job openings. University Park, No. 3; Highland Park, No. 4; and Irving, No. 5, also land among the 10 best cities in Texas for the middle class.
No. 1 on the list is Houston, with a median income of $49,399, median home value of $169,600, and stellar 19,981 job openings. Two other Houston-area cities land in the top 10: West University Place, No. 7, and Richmond, No. 9.
Austin, No. 6, with a median income of $63,717, and the West Texas enclave of Canyon, No. 8, round out the top Texas cities for middle-class families.