Okay, so I’ve been thinking a lot about where to settle down and, you know, actually put down some roots. My partner and I want kids in the next few years, so naturally, we’ve been brainstorming the “best places” to do that. Texas kept popping up, so I dove in headfirst.
My Texas Family-Friendly City Deep Dive
First, I grabbed a notebook and started listing out what was actually important to us. Good schools, obviously. Safe neighborhoods were a must. And we wanted things to do – parks, museums, family activities, that kind of stuff. We also are on a budge so, Cost of living was a biggie, too.
Then, I hit the internet. I mean, where else do you start, right? I googled things like “best Texas cities for families” and “safest cities in Texas with good schools.” I found tons of articles, blog posts, and forum discussions. Seriously, tons.
I started making a spreadsheet (because I’m a nerd like that) and jotted down the cities that kept appearing: Plano, Frisco, The Woodlands, Austin, Round Rock, and a few others. Then I dug into each one.
- Plano: Seemed super popular. Great schools, tons of parks, but the houses looked pretty pricey.
- Frisco: Another one with amazing schools, and it seemed a little more affordable than Plano. Plus, it had that “growing fast” vibe.
- The Woodlands: This one kept popping up as being really “master-planned” and family-oriented. Lots of green space, which we loved.
- Austin: The cool factor. Music, food, * the cost of living is high.
- Round Rock: near to Austin and a little cheaper than Austin.
Next, I spent hours on real estate sites. Because it is the real deal right? Looked at house prices, property taxes, the whole nine yards. I also checked out sites for school ratings – GreatSchools, Niche, all that. I compared crime rates on different websites, just to get a feel for the safety of each area.
Then, I got into the nitty-gritty. I started looking at things like commute times (because nobody wants to spend hours in the car), local events calendars, and even Facebook groups for parents in those areas. That’s where you get the real scoop, from people actually living there.I even search and look at some pictures about the cities.
After all that, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on things. Frisco and The Woodlands are really ticking all our boxes. Plano is still in the running, but the price tag is making us a little nervous. While Austin has the cuture vibe, it is too expensive for us. And Round Rock seem to be a perfect *’re planning a trip down there next month to actually see these places in person and get a feel for the neighborhoods. Wish us luck!
