Texas Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Fort Worth, Texas

Population: 653,320

Located in Tarrant and Denton County

Fort Worth is a great place to live, whether you're starting out, ready to retire or somewhere in between. Among the largest cities in Texas and the 17th-largest in the United States, Fort Worth stands as the tenth-safest U.S. city of its size, the fastest-growing city in the nation with a population of 500,000 or more, and one of “America’s Most Livable Communities.” Fort Worth is an area of enormous assets. Opportunities abound here. We are known for our strong, stable economy, mild climate, and excellent quality of life.

As the aggressive market of North Texas flourishes, Fort Worth is proving ideal for companies of all sizes and from many different industry sectors. Fort Worth ranks among the top business destinations in the nation, with over 900 major business expansions or relocations over the past decade. Six Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered here, and our business climate recently earned Fort Worth the designation as one "America's Top 10 Recession-Proof Cities" by Forbes magazine. Activities surrounding the Barnett Shale, one of the largest natural gas fields in North America, have stimulated an annual $6.5 billion in economic growth and 70,000 jobs within our region, and have helped insulate us somewhat from the global recession.

The true test of a city's quality is its neighborhoods. Partners for Livable Communities has recognized Fort Worth as one of the "Most Livable Cities" in the country for many reasons, but the most significant is the quality of life of its residents. Fort Worth was also named the 2007 Best City for Relocating Families by Worldwide ERC. The city features an array of homes from early 1900s bungalows to state-of-the-art custom houses. These options address the needs of the retiree who wants to hit the golf course, the family seeking a secure and communal neighborhood, or the young professional or empty-nester needing a trendy downtown apartment or condo. There are existing homes and new construction of highest quality at a good value. This variety, plus our relatively low cost of living and lack of state income tax, plus the comfort that the nearby suburbs have to offer, make Fort Worth the location of choice in the Southwest.

We offer plenty of educational opportunities, progressive private schools, and excellent public schools. There are many universities within commuting distance as well as Fort Worth's beautiful TCU campus. Fort Worth has gained international attention for its museums within easy walking distance of one another, including the Kimball Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, the Amon Carter Museum and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Fort Worth is second only to Washington D.C. for the number of accredited museums within walking distance of one another. Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in Texas, is a lush 109-acre garden with more than 2,500 species of native and exotic plants. Consistently ranked as one of the top five zoos in the nation, the Fort Worth Zoo is home to more than 400 animal species, a world-famous reptile collection and one of the few breeding facilities for Asian elephants in the United States. The Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge offers more than 20 miles of hiking and nature trails.

Fort Worth was named one of America's 50 Greenest Cities by Popular Science in 2008, based on electrical use, recycling, buildings, parks and nature reserves, and transportation. Fort Worth's bus system, The T, uses clean-burning natural gas for its fleet. In downtown Fort Worth, the futuristic $200 million RadioShack Riverfront Campus, opened in 2005, stands as a gleaming example of green building, incorporating exceptionally efficient energy- and water-management systems, recycled materials and many other green features. Some observers expect up to $60 billion in green construction throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex within five years.

Established originally in 1849 as a protective Army outpost at the foot of a bluff overlooking the Trinity River, the city of Fort Worth still boasts today of being down-home, laid-back, and traditionally old-fashioned—especially in comparison with our friendly rival, Dallas. Our diverse economy, cultural offerings and world class educational institutions provide an exceptional quality of life for our residents of today and for tomorrow.