Quantcast

Texans spend the 3rd lowest amount of money on energy, new report finds

AC ON BLAST

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

It doesn't have to be 100 degrees for Texans to lambast the singularly most-hated request that could ever be asked of them: to raise the temperature on their air conditioner. As it turns out, a new report commends Texas as the third least energy-expensive state in the nation.

According to the new study by personal finance website WalletHub, the average Texan's total energy consumption cost is about $379 a month. Breaking that number down, that means monthly electricity costs average out to about $153, then $68 for natural gas, and $158 for vehicle fuel. Home-heating oil consumption is another factor included in the report, which comes out to zero for the state.

Texas additionally has the fifth-lowest natural gas consumption per consumer, and the third-lowest gas prices in the nation. AAA says the state's average price is $3.23 per gallon, in contrast to the national average of $3.59.

WalletHub compared the average monthly energy bills for every state and the District of Columbia to determine the rankings of the most and least expensive energy costs. Data for the study was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and others.

The rest of the bottom five in the category for least energy-expensive states include Kansas (No. 47) and Nebraska (No. 48) with the same average energy cost of $384; New Mexico in No. 50 with residents spending $373 per month on energy; and residents in the District of Columbia (No. 51) spending the least in the nation at $274 a month.

To compare, Wyoming is the most energy-expensive state in the country, with residents' average total energy costs coming out to $844 a month. They spend $117 a month on electricity, $78 on natural gas, $287 on vehicle fuel, and $362 on home-heating oil consumption.

The top five most energy-expensive states in the U.S. are:

  • No. 1 – Wyoming ($844)
  • No. 2 – North Dakota ($645)
  • No. 3 – Alaska ($613)
  • No. 4 – Connecticut ($593)
  • No. 5 – Massachusetts ($589)

Karen Clay, a professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, explained why energy costs are higher in some states, like Wyoming and North Dakota, than others.

"Energy costs reflect a combination of factors, including access to resources such as natural gas, coal, sun, and wind," Clay said. "The costs of moving and distributing energy, as well as state policies regarding energy efficiency and environmental impact, also contribute to varying energy costs among states."
The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.
Photo by Getty Images

Texas accelerates to No. 1 on list of best states for road trips this summer

DRIVIN' FOR MILES

There's good news for in-state adventurers who prefer not to fly this summer travel season: Texas is the No. 1 state for a summer road trip, according to the latest report by personal finance website WalletHub.

With a total score of 60.33, Texas sped into the top spot in 2023 after ranking third in WalletHub's 2022 report (score: 56.63). New York, which ranked first last year, slipped into second place in the new report, while Maine fell all the way down into No. 10 after ranking second-best in 2022.

The analysis takes 32 different metrics into consideration to determine the rankings for the 2023 edition of the "Best and Worst States for Summer Road Trips". One factor is the price of gas, which currently is $3.54 per gallon nationally but about $3.18 in Texas, according to AAA. Only two other states in the WalletHub report - Louisiana and Mississippi - had lower costs to fill up the tank.

Other factors include camping costs, road safety, number of recreational activities, and more. And travelers can't forget about one major monetary inconvenience: inflation.

Texas earned a respectable No. 7 ranking for costs, and did even better in the category of activities, coming in at No. 5.

Texans already know how fun their home state is, with activities ranging from exploring some of the state's best parks, to trying out urban treasure hunting, to visiting world-class local museums. It's no surprise WalletHub agreed.

In terms of safety, Texas ranked a less desirable No. 38. The top five safest states for road trips, in order, are Maine (No. 10 overall), Vermont (No. 27 overall), New Hampshire (No. 34 overall), Iowa (No. 21 overall) and Wyoming (No. 8 overall).

The top 10 best summer road trip destinations are:

  • No. 1 – Texas
  • No. 2 – New York
  • No. 3 – North Carolina
  • No. 4 – Ohio
  • No. 5 – Idaho
  • No. 6 – Louisiana
  • No. 7 – Florida
  • No. 8 – Wyoming
  • No. 9 – Minnesota
  • No. 10 – Maine
The worst summer road trip destinations, as decided by WalletHub, are Montana (No. 46), Hawaii (No. 47), Connecticut (No. 48), Delaware (No. 49), and Rhode Island (No. 50).

The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

Photo courtesy of Fort Worth CVB

Dallas-Fort Worth arrives at surprising spot among top summer travel destinations

SUMMERTIME blues

Dallas-Fort Worth recently racked up more than a dozen accolades at the 2023 Texas Travel Awards. But a new survey reveals it's not necessarily such a hot travel destination this summer.

DFW comes in at a middle-of-the-road No. 45 in WalletHub's recent 2023 Best Summer Travel Destinations report.

The report compared 100 of the largest metro areas in America across 41 metrics, including number of attractions.

DFW scored an overall rating of 52.56 out of 100. Broken down by category, the Metroplex ranked 86th in "Travel Costs & Hassles;" 32nd in "Local Costs;" 20th in "Attractions;" 41st in "Weather;" 27th in "Activities;" and 50th in "Safety."

Taking the top spot in Texas was San Antonio, at No. 11, with Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown at No. 14. Behind Austin and San Antonio in the 2023 rankings is El Paso (No. 18), then Houston (No. 38). After 45th ranked DFW came Corpus Christi (No. 62), and McAllen (No. 86).

Dr. Susan Weidmann, assistant professor in the department of recreational management and physical education at Appalachian State University, said in the report that summer 2023 is going to be a “good season for travel” despite recent economic downturns that have many worried about a recession.

“Coming out of Covid, I think many people have taken these last few years to really evaluate what they want out of life, and for those that love travel, I think they have probably put it at the top of their list of things to do,” she said. “As far as economics are concerned, many may have saved their traveling money from the last multiple years, so will have money to spend. That being said, after the airline chaos of last year, many people may be thinking about domestic travel over the long-haul, just to alleviate many of the concerns that airlines, especially in Europe, are still grappling with, such as reduced staffing leading to flight cancellations.”

Weidmann predicts the time period between July and early August will be the most popular season for National Parks, like Texas’ Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains.

Despite none of them being in Texas, the top 10 destinations in WalletHub’s report are all popular cities worth a glance in sun-friendly states like Hawaii, New York, and Florida.

The top 10 best summer destinations are:

  • No. 1 – Atlanta
  • No. 2 – Honolulu, Hawaii
  • No. 3 – Washington, D.C.
  • No. 4 – Wichita, Kansas
  • No. 5 – New York City
  • No. 6 – Chicago
  • No. 7 – Tampa, Florida
  • No. 8 – Orlando, Florida
  • No. 9 – Richmond, Virginia
  • No. 10 – Springfield, Missouri
Photo by Jarritos Mexican Soda on Unsplash

Fun and romantic Texas is America's 4th best state for dating, says new report

Not-so-Lone Star

Couples, step aside – this Valentine’s day is for the unattached. Personal finance website WalletHub released their report of this year’s Best and Worst States for Singles, and the Lone Star State claimed the No. 1 spot in two out of six categories. Coming in at No. 4 overall, Texas ranked behind California (No. 1), New York (No. 2), and Florida (No. 3).

The report’s findings were determined by comparing dating economics, opportunities, and romance and fun across all 50 states. For date opportunities, the top four overall winners tied for No. 1 in the most restaurants per capita category, while Texas and California also tied for highest number of movie theaters per capita.

Other categories in the report include online and mobile dating opportunities, median annual household income, share of single adults, gender balance of singles, and crime rate.

Besides holding a No. 1 spot for most restaurants and movie theaters per capita, Texas received the following rankings in other categories:

  • 9th – Median annual household income (adjusted for cost of living)
  • 17th – Mobile-dating opportunities
  • 23rd – Online-dating opportunities
  • 30th – Percentage of residents 12+ who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

With the soaring popularity of virtual dating during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, one expert believes it gives people a better understanding of a potential partner before meeting face-to-face.

“People might go into in-person dates with more knowledge about the person and more confidence about who they are,” according to Dr. Andrew High, associate professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Pennsylvania State University. “Still, online dating is only one way to meet people, and there are plenty of opportunities to meet people in person.”

Individual Texas destinations also ranked highly for singles in another recent report from WalletHub comparing 180 U.S. cities. In that study, Austin earned the No. 7 ranking for single people, with Seattle taking the lead. Houston came in at No. 69, with San Antonio taking No. 83 and Dallas coming close behind at No. 87.

The full report and its methodology can be found at wallethub.com.

Courtesy photo

Texas ranks No. 3 best state to start a business in U.S., report says

Calling all entrepreneurs

For years, Texas has been lauded for its business climate being welcoming to new businesses and startups. A new study shows that the Lone Star State has yet again made the list.

Texas ranked third in personal finance website WalletHub's recent report, 2023's Best & Worst States to Start a Business, with a score of 56.85 points. Texas ranked behind Utah, No. 1, and Florida, No. 2, and just ahead of Colorado. Idaho, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, and California make up the rest of the top 10, respectively.

The study looked at 27 key indicators of startup success across all 50 states. Texas was recognized for these factors in particular:

  • No. 10 – average growth in number of small businesses
  • No. 30 – labor costs
  • No. 10 – availability of human capital
  • No. 4 – average length of work week (in hours)
  • No. 14 – cost of living
  • No. 13 – industry variety
  • No. 31 – percentage of residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19


Source: WalletHub

Richard Ryffel, professor of finance practice at Washington University in St. Louis, noted the importance of policy in making a state a good place to start a business.

"Established businesses looking to expand might expand or relocate entirely based on the relative favorability of the local business climate," Ryffel says. "Recently, Texas, for example, has been the beneficiary of some significant business relocations based on its business-friendly policies."

The methodology of the study focused on three key dimensions — business environment, access to resources, and business costs — and 27 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, and then each state’s average across all metrics was used to calculate its overall score.

In 2022, WalletHub named Farmers Branch one of the best small cities in Texas for starting a business. It appeared at No. 102 on the list overall, and No. 2 in Texas. Other DFW cities in the survey included Haltom City (No. 406), The Colony (No. 436), Grapevine (No. 457), and Flower Mound (No. 733).

---

This article originally appeared on our sister site InnovationMap.

Photo by Stacy Luecker

Best neighborhood Christmas lights shine in this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. Best neighborhoods and homes for Christmas lights around Fort Worth in 2022. Loading the family into the car and driving around, looking at Christmas lights, is a cherished holiday tradition. But, where to go? Here is a list of top local homes and neighborhoods for Christmas lights this season. For a larger list of spectacular Christmas lights around Fort Worth, including drive-thrus and commercial displays, click here.

2. Cinemark opens select theaters for college football playoffs including TCU bowl game. The Cinemark movie theater chain is bringing back a special viewing experience that involves not movies but sports: The Plano-based company is teaming with ESPN to bring college football games to the big screen. This postseason, fans can catch three of the biggest games, and that includes TCU's bowl game on New Year's Eve, as well as the College Football Playoff National Championship in January.

3. ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd team up for first time with tour coming to Fort Worth. It will be a classic rock bonanza when ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd come to Fort Worth as part of their first co-headlining tour, "The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour," which will stop at Dickies Arena on July 29, 2023. Fort Worth will be the fourth of 22 stops around North America for the tour in summer 2023.

4. Texas hot spot hooks No. 1 ranking as best college city in America. It might be a bit reductive to call Austin a college town, but that's what makes it so good. It certainly benefits from the creativity and industry of college living, but there's a lot more to do than go to gentrified lunches and cool, underground shows. Recognizing this special balance, financial website WalletHub has declared Austin the No. 1 college city in the United States for 2023, beating out some obvious contenders like Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio.

5. Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 7 festive bars for holiday cocktails. Tis the season for holiday cheer – which often comes in the form of a great cocktail. And the more merriment, the better, it seems, as more bars are getting serious with their seasonal offerings. There’s no such thing as “over-the-top” for these Fort Worth bars - some brand new, some old favorites - all worth a stop this month for making spirits bright.

Ad Placement 300x100
Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Here's the 411 on how to take the TRE to the State Fair of Texas

DART News

The countdown is on to the State Fair of Texas, taking place September 29-October 22, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is here with transportation tips.

You can take DART and enjoy an air-conditioned ride without having to find parking or battling traffic and get dropped off at one of two gates on the fairgrounds.

Green Line
To get to the Fair, ride DART’s Green Line to Fair Park Station, located on Parry Avenue at the entrance to the fairgrounds, or to MLK, Jr. Station, located south of R.B. Cullum Boulevard and convenient to the Gate 6 entrance and the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

To get to the Green Line:

  • Southbound Red, Blue, and Orange Line passengers – transfer to the Green Line at Pearl/Arts District Station.
  • Northbound Red and Blue Line passengers – transfer to the Green Line at Akard Station.
  • Eastbound Orange Line passengers – transfer to the Green Line at Bachman Station.

Schedule
Extra Green Line trains will run between Victory Station and Lawnview Station Monday-Friday 9 am-3 pm, and Saturday-Sunday from 9 am-6 pm. During those hours, trains on that portion of the Green Line will run approximately every 10 minutes.

Every day during the fair’s 24-day run, all Orange Line trains will offer extended service to Parker Road Station.

All rail lines will operate on a 20-minute frequency until 10 pm daily.

DCTA
Customers using the Denton County Transportation Authority should check DCTA.net for departure and arrival times to connect at Trinity Mills Station to DART's Green Line.

Trinity Railway Express (TRE)
Trinity Railway Express (TRE) will operate on all four Sundays during the fair on a Saturday schedule.

TRE passengers can transfer to the Green Line at Victory Station. Look for trains saying, "Fair Park," "Buckner," or "Lawnview." Details are at TrinityRailwayExpress.org/StateFair.

DART tickets
A Local Day Pass is $6, and is good for DART Rail, local buses, and riding the TRE between DFW Airport/CentrePort Station and EBJ/Union Station. Tarrant and Denton County customers need a Regional Day Pass for $12. Details are available at DART.org/StateFair or by calling DART Customer Service at 214-979-1111.

Contactless payments
DART offers four contactless options for fast, safe, and convenient purchase of tickets.

1. GoPass app: Download the latest version of the app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Just be sure to activate your DART pass before you board.

2. GoPass Tap card: Available at hundreds of participating retailers, GoPass Tap is the reloadable transit card that automatically gives you the best fare every time you ride. Simply tap your card to a reader on a DART rail platform or bus prior to boarding, and your fare is deducted automatically. (Note: GoPass Tap cards are valid for local fares only. GoPass Tap cards are not valid for travel on TEXRail, DCTA, or Trinity Metro.)

3. Credit or debit card: Buy your DART pass with any contactless credit or debit card. Just tap your contactless card to a reader on a DART rail platform or bus prior to boarding.

4. Mobile device: Using your preferred mobile payment app – such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay – tap your mobile device to a reader on a DART rail platform or bus to buy your pass.

Save on fair admission with DART GoPass
Use the promo code provided in the DART GoPass app to receive $5 off fair admission Monday-Friday, or $7 on Saturdays and Sundays. Enter the code 23DART when purchasing your fair admission on the State Fair of Texas website.

Service changes
Fair days are always busy days on DART rail and buses. Please visit DART.org/statefair to view the special DART Rail schedules.

DART Alerts
DART makes it easier to keep up with transit information with My DART Updates. Register to receive important updates that make for a better riding experience. Subscribe at DART.org/email.

Two football games
Ride DART to the State Fair Classic between the Grambling State Tigers and Prairie View A&M Panthers on September 30. The Allstate Red River Rivalry game between The University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners is on October 7.

These are the 8 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

This week in gluttony

Burgers take center stage this week. Two popular burger joints are hosting celebrations – one, a grand opening of a new location, and the other, a new pint night partnership with a off-menu feature. There are also two tequila tastings, two foodie festivals (one vegan, and one with a legendary drum battle), and an opportunity to dine out for a good cause.

Tuesday, September 26

Lori’s Day at Newk’s Eatery
The Mississippi-based sandwich, salad, and soup will celebrate its third annual ovarian cancer fundraiser in honor of Lori Newcomb, wife of Newk’s founder Chris Newcomb, who passed away of the disease in 2019. Through Newk’s Cares, founded by Lori in 2014 after her diagnosis, all locations will donate 20 percent of sales to Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. Newk’s is located at 3556 Highway 114 in Fort Worth’s Alliance area.

First Responders Appreciation Day at B&B Butchers & Restaurant
The annual event treats all on-duty first responders, including firefighters, police officers, EMTs and paramedics, to a complimentary three-course lunch at the Shops at Clearfork steakhouse. Berg Hospitality Group founder and CEO Benjamin Berg started the event in Houston in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey. Menu highlights include the iceberg wedge with crumbled blue cheese, the Butcher Shop burger with applewood smoked bacon, and New York cheesecake. Guests of first responders may partake in the menu for $25. The menu is available from 11 am-4 pm and reservations are recommended.

Pint Night with Panther Island Brewing at Fred’s Texas Café
The longtime burger joint has launched a new monthly pint partnership with Panther Island Brewing Company. Each month, patrons can order an off-menu specialty burger paired with a Panther Island beer. This month, it’s the Elotes Burger – a half-pound Black Angus patty with grilled pepperjack cheese, elotes, and finished with spicy Cheetos dust, cilantro, and Valentina hot sauce. The burger is paired with Panther Island’s Pantera Loco Mexican Lager and the combo is available at both Fred’s locations (Camp Bowie Boulevard and Western Center Boulevard) for the rest of September. Visit either location for live music on Tuesday and Wednesday this week for Panther Island Pint Night, when patrons can keep the pint glass. On October 1, Fred’s will debut the Oktoberfest burger, to be served on a pretzel bun with caramelized onions and Panther Island Brewnette amber ale beer cheese poured atop tableside.

Wednesday, September 27

Rodeo Goat Grand Opening in Denton
Worth the drive: a new location of Rodeo Goat in Denton, especially this Wednesday. That’s when the funky-fun burger joint will host a fundraiser for the Denton Community Food Center as part of its grand opening celebration. The $25 ticket includes burgers and other menu items and two drink tickets good for beer, wine, and cocktails. Note the restaurant will not be open to the public during the fundraiser celebration, which will run from 5:30-8 pm.

Thursday, September 28

Meet the Maker at Toro Toro
The Worthington Renaissance Hotel restaurant will feature the flavors of Milagro Tequila during this complimentary tasting. Visit anytime between 5-7 pm for tequila sampling and bar bites. Valet parking is complimentary.

Saturday, September 30

Fort Worth Veg-Fest
Hosted by vegan restaurants Belenty’s Love and Vida Café, this vegan food festival and market will feature nearly two dozen vendors offering everything from vegan soul food to skin care. The event will take place from 11 am-4 pm at SouthSide Bar & Party Hall, and admission is free.

Tequila & Margarita Festival at Fort Worth Botanic Garden
As part of its month-long ¡Celebramos! A Celebration of Latin American Culture & Heritage, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden will host a late-night party fueled by tequila and margaritas. The $45 ticket ($30 for Fort Worth Botanic Garden members) will include tequila tastings, margs, and bites from local Latin restaurants along with dance demonstrations and DJ music. The event will take place from 8 pm-12 am.

Sunday, October 1

Fort Worth Eatz Food Fest
It’s a Sunday Funday paired with a legendary drum battle. Visit Trinity Park (near the Fort Worth Dream Park) for a food festival featuring performances by alumni of Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University drum lines. Food vendors will feature barbecue, fried fish, snow cones, and more. Admission is free with advance tickets or pay $20 and get two mimosas. The event will run from 11 am-6 pm.

View All Listings