Why Millennials Should Move To Dallas

We Said Yes To Dallas, And You Should Too!

What many of our readers (and surprisingly a handful of our friends) don’t know about us is that we are actually from Dothan – a small town in south Alabama. Though we’ve been in Dallas for ten years now by way of SMU, we’ve fallen in love with Dallas and have completely embraced the Texas lifestyle. Though we consider ourselves lucky for choosing a college that opened the doors to a perfect city and region, we’re continuously recruiting more friends to move to Dallas – so today we’ll share why!

Read our previous post to learn Why We Said Yes To Dallas

First of all, we always talk about millennials – but who exactly ARE millennials?

Millennials make up one of the largest generations in history (and 25% of the US), and this group is comprised of individuals born between 1980 and 2000. What makes millennials so unique is that we grew up in a period of rapid change, therefore we have a different perspective on life than previous generations. We’re the first digital natives, we’re getting married later, we’re having children later, we’re changing jobs more often, and we’re letting technology change how we do almost everything – including shopping and traveling. Millennials are changing the economy in all sorts of ways, and truly we love what’s happening!

So why should millennials move to Dallas?

As much as we love being a millennial, there’s no denying we’re in an age bracket that raises a lot of questions – What kind of job should I seek? Where should I live? Should I buy a house or rent an apartment? The list goes on and on. While we can’t answer those questions for you, we will say, move to Dallas.

JOBS

What we love most about Dallas is that it’s a city and region of opportunity. The area is home to a range of companies from Fortune 500 to non-profits – and of course, fashion as well. Dallas constantly ranks as one of the top 10 cities for job opportunities, as well as job growth. Also, Dallas millennials are making about $800 more than the average US millennial household.

What we find so inspiring about the city and region is that (most) everyone is driven. Being surrounded by so many go-getters keeps us motivated, and we love following the success of so many of our fellow Dallasites – especially fellow SMU grads Amber Venz and Baxter Box of rewardStyle.  

HOUSING

Let’s be real, there’s nothing fun about paying rent – but living in a city and region that offers affordable housing alongside all of the perks of living in a metropolitan area makes it so much better! Dallas is ranked as one of the top 10 most affordable cities to live in with area home prices 24 percent lower than the national average and 50 percent lower than many other large metros – meaning you can enjoy all of the benefits of the city and region, without paying an arm and a leg to live here.

The Dallas area and region is made up of so many different neighborhoods and suburbs. Though Janie and Ellen both rent in Uptown and Blair owns a home in the M Streets, there are so many great areas (each with their own personality and charm) to consider when looking to rent or buy.

Some of our favorite neighborhoods to consider if you’re moving to Dallas: Uptown, Knox-Henderson, M Streets, Devonshire, Highland Park, or Victory Park.

CULTURE

Aside from the financial aspects of living in Dallas, we think millennials should move to Dallas for the culture itself. Dallas is such a social region and a melting pot of individuals, so it’s easy to make friends and find your own circle by joining one of the many social or philanthropic groups, becoming a member of a local church, stopping by a lively happy hour, or simply getting to know your neighbors.

There are so many fun networking events and clubs to get involved with to expand both your social and professional circle. We suggest checking out the Dallas Regional Chamber Young Professionals, Salvation Army Echelon, Young Texans Against Cancer, Junior League of Dallas, The Think Ahead Group, and more! (Hint: these are for a great cause too!)

Though Dallas can get extremely hot in the summer, we love taking advantage of outdoor activities. To unwind after a day of work, we love running on the Katy Trail, which spans from Victory Park through Uptown to Highland Park. It’s a great trail for exercise, plus we always run into so many friends along the way! We also love swinging by Klyde Warren Park during the week for one of their free workout classes – or a bite to eat at a food truck or Savor.

While you won’t find a beach or mountain in the area, Dallas is home to two major airports that offer easy and affordable flights to SO many places. As three sisters who used to drive HOURS from our hometown just to catch a flight, having direct and affordable flights right around the corner makes traveling (and travel blogging) SO simple! As for transportation, driving in Dallas is fantastic – very little traffic, easy to navigate, and parking is simple. For those of you that have lived in other major cities, you’ll understand why this is so important!

Though we could go on and on about why you should move to Dallas, one last reason is because it’s a city and region that never stops. There’s always a live concert to attend, a new restaurant to try, a trendy fashion pop up to shop, and more. It’s impossible to get bored here. So next time you’re faced with a major life question about what to do or where to go, pack your bags and move to Dallas. We’ll welcome you with open arms and a MiCo margarita in hand! 

While this post was sponsored by Say Yes To Dallas, the opinions expressed are my own.