Dallas Named Best Place to Live in Downtown by Study

DALLAS. A new study has named Dallas the best place in the country to live downtown.

A study by StorageCafe took the 30 most populous cities and compared the zip codes for each (treating each NYC borough as an independent city) and then ranked them based on the following criteria and their respective weights:

• Rent-to-income ratio – 12.5% ​​(Yardi Matrix, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey: 2021)
• Total number of apartments – 12.5% ​​(Yardi Matrix)
• Apartment living area per person – 7.5% (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey: 2020)
• The percentage of apartments in green houses is 7.5% (Yardi Matrix)
• The share of fitness centers in rental complexes is 7.5% (Yardi Matrix)
• The share of apartments in luxury buildings is 7.5% (Yardi Matrix)
• Crime rate – 10% (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
• The cost of groceries is 7.5% (Public and Economic Research Council).
• Public EV Charging Stations – 5% (US Department of Energy)
• Restaurants / 1,000 people – 5% (U.S. Census Bureau, county business models by industry: 2020)
• Theaters / 1,000 people – 5% (U.S. Census Bureau, county business models by industry: 2020)
• Retail stores / 1,000 people – 5% (U.S. Census Bureau, county business models by industry: 2020)
• Percentage of the population educated (with a bachelor’s degree or higher) – 7.5% (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey: 2021)

After all that was said and done, Dallas came out on top. Austin came in second. Houston finished seventh.

“Dallas’s unique array of features and amenities has helped it become the best downtown area in the nation for city lovers,” the report said. “The city, which has traditionally viewed sprawl as an urban design, has recently focused on increasing density to increase housing options and promote walkability. This only adds to the attraction of the center for both locals and new residents who can now enjoy a great mix of vibrant streets, culture and a reasonable cost of living.”

The report said downtown Dallas was the best in the nation in terms of access to exercise facilities (95% of units) and spacious apartments offering an average of over 995 square feet of space per person.

Here’s a look at the overall top ten:

1. Dallas, Texas
2. Austin, Texas
3. Chicago, Illinois
4. Boston, Massachusetts
5. Seattle, Washington
6. Nashville, Tennessee
7. Houston, Texas
8. Columbus, Ohio
9. San Diego, California
10. Phoenix, Arizona

Here’s how Dallas ranked in each of the 13 categories:

• Rent-to-income ratio: 5th
• Total number of apartment units: 2nd
• Apartment living area/person: 1st
• Percentage of apartments located in green houses: 11th place
• Percentage of fitness centers in rental complexes: 1st place
• Percentage of apartments located in luxury real estate: 2nd place
• Crime rate: 20th place
• Food cost: 10
• Public charging stations for electric vehicles: 13th.
• Restaurants/1000 people: 8th place
• Theaters/1000 people: 8th place
• Retail stores/1000 people: 17th place
• Percentage of educated population: 5th place

To read the study, click here.