Dallas–Fort Worth | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX metropolitan statistical area | ||
 Map of Dallas–Fort Worth, TX–OKCSA
| ||
| Country | United States | |
| State(s) | Texas Oklahoma | |
| Principal cities[1] | ||
| Area | ||
| 16,302 sq mi (42,222 km2) | ||
| • Urban | 1,746.90 sq mi (4,524.44 km2) | |
| • Metro | 9,300 sq mi (24,100 km2) | |
| Highest elevation | 1,549 ft (472 m) | |
| Population | ||
| 8,344,032 (4th) | ||
| • Urban | 5,843,632 (6th) | |
| • Urban density | 3,281.5/sq mi (1,266.98/km2) | |
| • Metro density | 880/sq mi (339.9/km2) | |
| • MSA | 8,344,032 (4th) | |
| • CSA | 9,021,108 (6th) | |
| GDP | ||
| • MSA | $770.229 billion (2024) | |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | |
| Area codes | 214,430,469,682,817,903,940,945,972 | |
TheDallas–Fort Worth metroplex, officially designated theDallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area by theU.S. Office of Management and Budget,[a] is the most populousmetropolitan statistical area in theU.S. state ofTexas and theSouthern U.S., encompassing 11counties. Its historically dominantcore cities areDallas andFort Worth.[5] It is the economic and cultural hub ofNorth Texas. Residents of the area also refer to it asDFW (thecode forDallas Fort Worth International Airport) orthe Metroplex. The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area's population was 7,637,387 according to theU.S. Census Bureau's2020 census,[6] making it thefourth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. and thetenth-largest in theAmericas. In 2016, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex had the highest annual population growth in the United States.[7] In 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area's population had increased to 8,344,032.
The metropolitan region's economy, also referred to as Silicon Prairie, is primarily based onbanking,commerce,insurance,telecommunications,technology,energy,healthcare,medical research,transportation,manufacturing, andlogistics. As of 2022, Dallas–Fort Worth is home to 23Fortune 500 companies, the fourth-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the United States behindNew York City (62),Chicago (35), andHouston (24).[8] In 2016, the metropolitan economy surpassed that of Houston, the second-largest metro area in Texas, to become the fourth-largest in the U.S. The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex boasted a GDP of just over $620.6 billion in 2020 (although both metropolitan regions have switched places multiple times since GDP began recording).[9] If the Metroplex were asovereign state, it would have thetwentieth largest economy in the world as of 2019. In 2015, the conurbated metropolitan area would rank theninth-largest economy if it were a U.S. state.[10] In 2020, Dallas–Fort Worth was recognized as the 36th best metropolitan area forSTEM professionals in the U.S.[11]
The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex comprises the highest concentration of colleges and universities in Texas. TheUT Southwestern Medical Center is home to six Nobel Laureates and was ranked No. 1 in the world among healthcare institutions in biomedical sciences.[12][13] The Metroplex is also the second most popular metropolis formegachurches in Texas (trailing theGreater Houston metropolitan area),[14] ranked the largest Christian metropolitan statistical area in the U.S.,[15][16][17] and has one of the largestLGBT communities in Texas since 2005.[18][19]
Aportmanteau ofmetropolis andcomplex, the termmetroplex is credited to Harve Chapman, an executive vice president with Dallas-based Tracy-Locke, one of three advertising agencies that worked with the North Texas Commission on strategies to market the region.[20] The NTC copyrighted the term "Southwest Metroplex" in 1972 as a replacement for the previously ubiquitous "North Texas",[21] which studies had shown lacked identifiability outside the state. In fact, only 38 percent of a survey group identifiedDallas andFort Worth as part of "North Texas", with theTexas Panhandle also a perceived correct answer, being the northernmost region of Texas.[22]
The United States Census Bureau determined the Metroplex encompasses 9,286 sq mi (24,050 km2) of total area; 8,991 sq mi (23,290 km2) is land, and 295 sq mi (760 km2) is covered by water. Theconurbated metropolitan area is larger in area than the U.S. states ofRhode Island andConnecticut combined,[23] and larger thanNew Jersey.[23] If the metropolitan area were a sovereign state, it would rank the162nd largest state by total area afterLebanon. TheU.S. Office of Management and Budget combines the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex with theSherman–Denison metropolitan area and sevenmicropolitan statistical areas to form the Dallas–Fort Worth TX–OK combined statistical area.
The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex overlooks mostlyprairie land with a few rolling hills dotted byhuman-made lakes cut by streams, creeks and rivers surrounded by forested land. The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex is situated in theTexas blackland prairies region,[24] so named for its fertile black soil found especially in the rural areas ofCollin,Dallas,Ellis,Hunt,Kaufman, andRockwall counties.
Many areas ofDenton,Johnson,Parker,Tarrant, andWise counties are located in the Fort WorthPrairie region of North Texas,[25] which has less fertile and more rocky soil than that of the Texas blackland prairie; most of the rural land on the Fort Worth Prairie is ranch land. A large onshorenatural gas field, theBarnett Shale, lies underneath this area; Denton, Tarrant and Wise counties feature many natural gas wells. Continuing land use change results in scattered crop fields surrounded by residential or commercial development. South of Dallas/Fort Worth is a line of rugged hills that goes north to south about fifteen miles (24 km) that looks similar to theTexas Hill Country 200 miles (320 km) to the south.
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area is formed by a combination of two separate metropolitan statistical divisions. The Dallas–Plano–Irving MDA and Fort Worth–Arlington–Grapevine MDA come together to form one full metropolitan area or conurbation.[26][1]
Dallas–Fort Worth has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa).
It is also continental, characterized by a relatively wide annual temperature range for the latitude. The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex is located at the lower end ofTornado Alley, and can experience extreme weather.[30]
In the Metroplex, summers are very hot and humid, although low humidity characteristics of desert locations can appear at any time of the year. July and August are typically the hottest months, with an average high of 96.0 °F (36 °C) and an average low of 76.7 °F (25 °C). Heat indexes regularly surpass 105 °F (41 °C) at the height of summer. The all-time record high is 113 °F (45 °C), set on June 26 and 27, 1980 during theHeat Wave of 1980 at nearbyDallas/Fort Worth International Airport.[31][32]
Winters in the area are cool to mild, with occasional cold spells. The average date of first frost is November 12, and the average date of last frost is March 12.[33] January is typically the coldest month, with an average daytime high of 56.8 °F (14 °C) and an average nighttime low of 37.3 °F (3 °C). The normal daily average temperature in January is 47.0 °F (8 °C) but sharp swings in temperature can occur, as strong cold fronts known as "Blue Northers" pass through the Metroplex, forcing daytime highs below the 50 °F (10 °C) mark for several days at a time and often between days with high temperatures above 80 °F (27 °C). Snow accumulation is seen in the city in about 70% of winter seasons, and snowfall generally occurs 1–2 days out of the year for a seasonal average of 1.5 inches (4 cm). Some areas in the region, however, receive more than that, while other areas receive negligible snowfall or none at all.[34] The all-time record low temperature within the city is −3 °F (−19 °C), set on January 18, 1930, however the temperature atDallas/Fort Worth International Airport reached −2 °F (−19 °C) on February 16, 2021, duringWinter Storm Uri.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) | 95 (35) | 97 (36) | 100 (38) | 103 (39) | 112 (44) | 112 (44) | 111 (44) | 110 (43) | 100 (38) | 92 (33) | 89 (32) | 112 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 76.7 (24.8) | 80.5 (26.9) | 85.9 (29.9) | 89.0 (31.7) | 95.0 (35.0) | 98.9 (37.2) | 103.6 (39.8) | 104.1 (40.1) | 99.1 (37.3) | 92.5 (33.6) | 82.9 (28.3) | 77.9 (25.5) | 105.5 (40.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.7 (14.3) | 62.0 (16.7) | 69.9 (21.1) | 77.4 (25.2) | 84.9 (29.4) | 92.7 (33.7) | 96.9 (36.1) | 97.1 (36.2) | 90.0 (32.2) | 79.5 (26.4) | 67.8 (19.9) | 59.2 (15.1) | 77.9 (25.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.8 (8.8) | 52.0 (11.1) | 59.6 (15.3) | 67.1 (19.5) | 75.4 (24.1) | 83.3 (28.5) | 87.3 (30.7) | 87.3 (30.7) | 80.1 (26.7) | 69.1 (20.6) | 57.8 (14.3) | 49.5 (9.7) | 68.0 (20.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 37.9 (3.3) | 41.9 (5.5) | 49.4 (9.7) | 56.8 (13.8) | 66.0 (18.9) | 73.8 (23.2) | 77.7 (25.4) | 77.4 (25.2) | 70.1 (21.2) | 58.7 (14.8) | 47.8 (8.8) | 39.8 (4.3) | 58.1 (14.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 22.5 (−5.3) | 26.5 (−3.1) | 31.1 (−0.5) | 41.3 (5.2) | 52.0 (11.1) | 64.2 (17.9) | 70.8 (21.6) | 69.4 (20.8) | 56.8 (13.8) | 42.0 (5.6) | 31.2 (−0.4) | 25.1 (−3.8) | 19.1 (−7.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −3 (−19) | 2 (−17) | 11 (−12) | 30 (−1) | 39 (4) | 53 (12) | 56 (13) | 57 (14) | 36 (2) | 26 (−3) | 17 (−8) | 1 (−17) | −3 (−19) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.59 (66) | 2.78 (71) | 3.45 (88) | 3.15 (80) | 4.57 (116) | 3.83 (97) | 2.54 (65) | 2.31 (59) | 3.10 (79) | 4.79 (122) | 2.93 (74) | 3.23 (82) | 39.33 (999) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.9 (2.3) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.3 (0.76) | 1.7 (4.3) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 7.0 | 6.9 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 9.4 | 7.3 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 6.9 | 82.2 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 67.5 | 66.4 | 63.7 | 65.3 | 69.7 | 65.8 | 60.0 | 60.5 | 66.5 | 65.7 | 67.4 | 67.5 | 65.4 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 31.3 (−0.4) | 35.2 (1.8) | 42.6 (5.9) | 52.0 (11.1) | 61.0 (16.1) | 66.6 (19.2) | 67.6 (19.8) | 66.7 (19.3) | 63.3 (17.4) | 53.2 (11.8) | 43.7 (6.5) | 34.7 (1.5) | 51.5 (10.8) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 183.5 | 178.3 | 227.7 | 236.0 | 258.4 | 297.8 | 332.4 | 304.5 | 246.2 | 228.1 | 183.8 | 173.0 | 2,849.7 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 58 | 58 | 61 | 61 | 60 | 69 | 76 | 74 | 66 | 65 | 59 | 56 | 64 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Source 1:NOAA (sun, relative humidity, and dew point 1961–1990 atDFW Airport)[d][36][37][38][39] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (Average UV index)[40] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Fort Worth, Texas | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) | 79 (26) | 87 (31) | 92 (33) | 97 (36) | 113 (45) | 110 (43) | 113 (45) | 111 (44) | 103 (39) | 95 (35) | 83 (28) | 113 (45) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 54.1 (12.3) | 60.1 (15.6) | 68.3 (20.2) | 75.9 (24.4) | 83.2 (28.4) | 91.1 (32.8) | 95.4 (35.2) | 94.8 (34.9) | 87.7 (30.9) | 77.9 (25.5) | 65.1 (18.4) | 56.5 (13.6) | 75.8 (24.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 44.1 (6.7) | 49.4 (9.7) | 57.4 (14.1) | 65.0 (18.3) | 73.1 (22.8) | 80.9 (27.2) | 85.0 (29.4) | 84.4 (29.1) | 77.5 (25.3) | 67.2 (19.6) | 55.1 (12.8) | 46.7 (8.2) | 65.5 (18.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.0 (1.1) | 38.7 (3.7) | 46.4 (8.0) | 54.0 (12.2) | 63.0 (17.2) | 70.7 (21.5) | 74.6 (23.7) | 74.0 (23.3) | 67.2 (19.6) | 56.4 (13.6) | 45.1 (7.3) | 36.8 (2.7) | 55.1 (12.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) | −8 (−22) | −2 (−19) | 21 (−6) | 32 (0) | 43 (6) | 52 (11) | 59 (15) | 31 (−1) | 24 (−4) | −3 (−19) | −5 (−21) | −8 (−22) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.89 (48) | 2.37 (60) | 3.06 (78) | 3.20 (81) | 5.15 (131) | 3.23 (82) | 2.12 (54) | 2.03 (52) | 2.42 (61) | 4.11 (104) | 2.57 (65) | 2.57 (65) | 34.72 (882) |
| Average precipitation days | 7.2 | 6.1 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 9.3 | 7.2 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 5.8 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 79.8 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 186.0 | 169.5 | 217.0 | 240.0 | 248.0 | 300.0 | 341.0 | 310.0 | 240.0 | 217.0 | 180.0 | 186.0 | 2,834.5 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 60 | 55 | 58 | 62 | 57 | 71 | 79 | 77 | 67 | 64 | 60 | 60 | 64 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Source 1: National Climatic Data Center[41] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas[42] (sunshine data, UV index) | |||||||||||||
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The following are cities and towns categorized based on the latest population estimates from theNorth Central Texas Council of Governments (as of July 1, 2022).[43] No population estimates are released forcensus-designated places (CDPs), which are marked with an asterisk (*). These places are categorized based on their 2020 census population.[44]
Places designated "principal cities" by theU.S. Office of Management and Budget are italicized.[45]
1,000,000+
200,000–499,999
100,000–199,999
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2,974,805 | — | |
| 1990 | 3,885,415 | 30.6% | |
| 2000 | 5,221,801 | 34.4% | |
| 2010 | 6,426,214 | 23.1% | |
| 2020 | 7,637,387 | 18.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 8,100,037 | 6.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| County | 2023 estimate[46] | 2020 census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 2,606,358 | 2,613,539 | −0.27% | 871.28 sq mi (2,256.6 km2) | 2,985/sq mi (1,153/km2) |
| Tarrant | 2,182,947 | 2,110,640 | +3.43% | 863.61 sq mi (2,236.7 km2) | 2,495/sq mi (963/km2) |
| Collin | 1,195,359 | 1,064,465 | +12.30% | 841.22 sq mi (2,178.7 km2) | 1,377/sq mi (532/km2) |
| Denton | 1,007,703 | 906,422 | +11.17% | 878.43 sq mi (2,275.1 km2) | 1,113/sq mi (430/km2) |
| Ellis | 222,829 | 192,455 | +15.78% | 935.49 sq mi (2,422.9 km2) | 227/sq mi (88/km2) |
| Johnson | 202,906 | 179,927 | +12.77% | 724.69 sq mi (1,876.9 km2) | 270/sq mi (104/km2) |
| Kaufman | 185,690 | 145,310 | +27.79% | 780.70 sq mi (2,022.0 km2) | 221/sq mi (85/km2) |
| Parker | 173,494 | 148,222 | +17.05% | 903.48 sq mi (2,340.0 km2) | 184/sq mi (71/km2) |
| Rockwall | 131,307 | 107,819 | +21.78% | 127.04 sq mi (329.0 km2) | 970/sq mi (374/km2) |
| Hunt | 113,347 | 99,956 | +13.40% | 840.32 sq mi (2,176.4 km2) | 129/sq mi (50/km2) |
| Wise | 78,097 | 68,632 | +13.79% | 904.42 sq mi (2,342.4 km2) | 83/sq mi (32/km2) |
| Total | 8,100,037 | 7,637,387 | +6.06% | 8,670.68 sq mi (22,457.0 km2) | 916/sq mi (354/km2) |
Numerically, the Metroplex is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S.[47] At the2020 U.S. census 7,637,387 people lived in the area,[6] up from 6,371,773 in 2010,[48] and 2,974,805 in 1970. In 2020, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex's racial composition was 42%non-Hispanic white, 16% Black or African American, 8% Asian, 3–4% two or more races, and 29% Hispanic or Latino American of any race.[49] According to information gathered from the North Texas Commission, the Metroplex's racial and ethnic makeup was 46% non-Hispanic white, 15%Black or African American, 7%Asian American, and 3% from other races in 2017. Ethnically,Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 29% of the metropolitan population.[50] From 2010 to 2017, Hispanics and Latinos increased an estimated 38.9% followed by Blacks and African Americans.[50]
In 2015, an estimated 101,588 foreign-born residents moved to the Metroplex. Of the immigrant population, 44.1% were fromLatin America, 35.8%Asia, 7.1%Europe, and 13.1%Africa. In 2010, 77,702 foreign nationals immigrated; approximately 50.6% came from Latin America, 33.0% from Asia, 7.3% Europe, and 9.1% Africa.[50] During the 2020 American Community Survey, an estimated 18.5% of its population were foreign-born, with 56% from Latin America, 30% Asia, 8% Africa, 4% Europe, and 1% elsewhere from North America.[51]
The median household income in Dallas–Fort Worth was higher than the state average in 2017, and its unemployment (3.6%) and poverty rate was lower.[50] The median income for males was $52,492 and $44,207 for females. In 2019, the per capita income of DFW was $72,265. In 2010, the median income for a household in the metropolitan area was $48,062, and the median income for a family was $55,263. Males had a median income of $39,581 versus $27,446 for females. Theper capita income for the Metroplex altogether was $21,839.
The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex's religious population are predominantlyChristian and the largest metro area that identify with the religion in the United States (78%).[17][15]Methodist,Baptist,Presbyterian, andCatholic churches are prominent in many cities and towns in the metropolitan region. The Methodist and Baptist communities anchor two of the area's major private universities (Southern Methodist University andDallas Baptist University). Non-Christian faiths includingIslam,Judaism,Hinduism,Sikhism,Buddhism, andcontemporary paganism collectively form a little over 4% of the religious population.[52]
The Dallas–Fort Worth, TX–OKcombined statistical area is made up of 20 counties inNorth Central Texas and one county inSouth Central Oklahoma. The statistical area includes twometropolitan areas and sevenmicropolitan areas. The CSA definition encompasses 16,302 sq mi (42,220 km2) of area, of which 15,800 sq mi (41,000 km2) is land and 502 sq mi (1,300 km2) is water. The population density was 485 people per square mile according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.[53]
At the2000 U.S. census,[48] there were 5,487,956 people, 2,006,665 households, and 1,392,540 families residing within the CSA. The racial makeup of the CSA was 70.41%White, 13.34%Black or African American, 0.59%Native American, 3.58%Asian, 0.08%Pacific Islander, 9.62% fromother races, and 2.39% fromtwo or more races.Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 20.83% of the population. The median income for a household in the CSA was $43,836, and the median income for a family was $50,898. Males had a median income of $37,002 versus $25,553 for females. Theper capita income for the CSA was $20,460.
At the 2020 census, the DFW CSA had a population of 8,121,108 (though a July 1, 2015 estimate placed the population at 7,504,362).[55] In 2018 it had an estimated 7,994,963 residents.[53] The American Community Survey determined 18% of the population was foreign-born. The median household income was $67,589 and the per capita income was $34,455. An estimated 11.5% lived below the poverty line. The median age of the DFW CSA was 35.3.
At the core of the Dallas–Fort Worth combined statistical area (CSA) lies the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TXurban area, the sixth-most populous in the United States.[3] Within the boundaries of the CSA the Census Bureau defines 31 other urban areas as well, some of which form the core of their own metro or micro statistical areas separate from the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan statistical area. Urban areas situated primarily outside the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan statistical area but within the CSA are identified with a cross (†) in the table below.
| Urban area | Population (2020 census) | Land area (sq mi) | Land area (km2) | Density (population / sq mi) | Density (population / km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX | 5,732,354 | 1,746.90 | 4,524.44 | 3,281.45 | 1,266.98 |
| McKinney–Frisco, TX | 504,803 | 151.64 | 392.75 | 3,328.93 | 1,285.31 |
| Denton–Lewisville, TX | 429,461 | 150.48 | 389.74 | 2,853.94 | 1,101.91 |
| Sherman–Denison, TX † | 66,691 | 38.49 | 99.70 | 1,732.52 | 668.93 |
| Weatherford, TX | 48,112 | 38.69 | 100.20 | 1,243.60 | 480.16 |
| Cleburne, TX | 43,901 | 24.51 | 63.48 | 1,791.10 | 691.55 |
| Forney, TX | 41,112 | 19.68 | 50.97 | 2,089.25 | 806.66 |
| Melissa–Anna, TX | 34,516 | 16.95 | 43.89 | 2,036.73 | 786.39 |
| Midlothian, TX | 30,908 | 24.72 | 64.03 | 1,250.30 | 482.75 |
| Granbury, TX † | 29,706 | 21.87 | 56.63 | 1,358.53 | 524.53 |
| Greenville, TX | 27,054 | 17.30 | 44.81 | 1,563.59 | 603.70 |
| Corsicana, TX † | 24,380 | 15.52 | 40.20 | 1,570.65 | 606.43 |
| Ennis, TX | 19,763 | 12.42 | 32.16 | 1,591.54 | 614.50 |
| Durant, OK † | 19,324 | 12.01 | 31.10 | 1,609.52 | 621.44 |
| Gun Barrel City, TX † | 18,309 | 18.41 | 47.67 | 994.74 | 384.07 |
| Princeton, TX | 18,184 | 8.24 | 21.33 | 2,207.88 | 852.47 |
| Terrell, TX | 16,581 | 12.30 | 31.86 | 1,347.74 | 520.37 |
| Gainesville, TX † | 16,544 | 9.56 | 24.75 | 1,731.38 | 668.49 |
| Mineral Wells, TX † | 14,211 | 8.86 | 22.94 | 1,604.73 | 619.59 |
| Denton Southwest, TX | 14,105 | 7.06 | 18.29 | 1,997.20 | 771.12 |
| Royse City, TX | 13,922 | 6.13 | 15.89 | 2,269.52 | 876.27 |
| Athens, TX † | 12,050 | 9.32 | 24.14 | 1,292.92 | 499.20 |
| Heartland, TX | 9,841 | 2.77 | 7.17 | 3,556.92 | 1,373.33 |
| Commerce, TX | 8,320 | 3.34 | 8.66 | 2,489.33 | 961.14 |
| Sanger, TX | 8,279 | 4.39 | 11.37 | 1,885.57 | 728.02 |
| Bonham, TX † | 7,799 | 5.03 | 13.02 | 1,550.96 | 598.83 |
| Pecan Plantation, TX † | 6,831 | 8.12 | 21.04 | 841.04 | 324.73 |
| Decatur, TX | 6,486 | 6.20 | 16.05 | 1,046.54 | 404.07 |
| Kaufman, TX | 6,127 | 3.07 | 7.94 | 1,997.39 | 771.20 |
| Krum, TX | 5,876 | 3.27 | 8.47 | 1,796.71 | 693.71 |
| Aubrey, TX | 5,116 | 2.74 | 7.10 | 1,867.03 | 720.86 |
| Alvarado, TX | 5,034 | 3.04 | 7.88 | 1,653.89 | 638.57 |
The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth are the two central cities of the Metroplex, with Arlington being a third economically important city; it is a center for sporting events, tourism and manufacturing. Most other incorporated cities in the Metroplex are "bedroom communities" serving largely as residential and small-business centers, though there are several key employers in these regions. Due to the large number of smaller, less well-known cities, Metroplex residents commonly divide the region roughly in half along TexasInterstate 35, which runs north–south, splitting into two 'branches' (I-35E in Dallas andI-35W in Fort Worth) through the Metroplex. They refer to places as being on the "Dallas side" or the "Fort Worth side", or in "the Arlington area", which is almost directly south of the airport; cities in the Arlington area form theMid-Cities. It is nominally between the two major east–west interstates in the region (I-20, passing to the south of both downtowns, andI-30, connecting Dallas and Fort Worth city centers).
Business management and operations play a central role in the area's economy. Dallas and its suburbs have the third-largest concentration of corporate headquarters in the United States. The area continues to draw corporate relocation from across the nation, and especially fromCalifornia. From late 2018 to early 2019, both McKesson andCharles Schwab announced they would be relocating from San Francisco to the Dallas/Fort Worth area.[56] Later in 2019, San Francisco-basedUber announced a massive corporate expansion just east of Downtown Dallas.
Banking and finance play a key role in the area's economy. Dallas/Fort Worth recently surpassed Chicago to become the second-largest financial services hub in the nation, eclipsed only by New York.[57]Bank of America,JPMorgan Chase,Liberty Mutual,Goldman Sachs,State Farm,Charles Schwab Corporation, andFidelity Investments maintain significant operations in the area. The Metroplex also contains the largestInformation Technology industry base in the state (often referred to asSilicon Prairie or theTelecom Corridor, especially when referring to US 75 throughRichardson,Plano andAllen just north of Dallas itself). This area has a large number of corporate IT projects and the presence of numerous electronics, computing and telecommunication firms such asMicrosoft,Texas Instruments,HP Enterprise Services,Dell Services,Samsung,Nokia,Cisco,Fujitsu,i2,Frontier,Alcatel,Ericsson,CA,Google,T-Mobile US, andVerizon.AT&T, the second largest telecommunications company in the world, is headquartered at theWhitacre Tower inDowntown Dallas.McKesson the 9th largestFortune 500 company by revenue is headquartered inIrving.Fluor, the largest engineering & construction company in the Fortune 500, is also headquartered in Irving.[58] In October 2016,Jacobs Engineering, a Fortune 500 company and one of the world's largest engineering companies, relocated fromPasadena, California to Dallas.[59] Toyota USA, in 2016, relocated its corporate headquarters toPlano.Southwest Airlines is headquartered in Dallas. The airline has more than 53,000 employees as of October 2016 and operates more than 3,900 departures a day during peak travel season.
On the other side of the Metroplex, the Texasfarming andranching industry is based in Fort Worth, though the area's economy is diverse.American Airlines, the largest airline in the world, recently completed their new $350M corporate HQ complex in Fort Worth.[60] American Airlines is also the largest employer in the Metroplex.[61] Several major defense manufacturers, includingLockheed Martin,Bell Helicopter Textron, andRaytheon, maintain significant operations in the Metroplex, primarily on the "Fort Worth side". They are concentrated alongSH 170 near I-35W, commonly called the "Alliance Corridor" due to its proximity to theFort Worth Alliance regional airport.
Changes inhouse prices for the Metroplex are publicly tracked on a regular basis using theCase–Shiller index; the statistic is published byStandard & Poor's and is also a component of S&P's 20-citycomposite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market.
The Metroplex is one of the12 U.S. metropolitan areas that has a team in each of the four major professional sports leagues. Major professional sports first came to the area in 1952, when theDallas Texans competed in theNFL for one season.[62] In 1960, major professional sports returned when theDallas Cowboys began competing in theNational Football League and the Dallas Texans began competing in theAmerican Football League.[63][64] The Dallas Texans later relocated toKansas City and became theChiefs.[65] In 1972,MLB's Washington Senators moved to Arlington to become theTexas Rangers,[66] named after thestatewide law enforcement agency. TheNational Basketball Association expanded into North Texas in 1980 when theDallas Mavericks were added to the league.[67] The fourth sport was added in 1993 when theMinnesota North Stars of theNational Hockey League moved to Dallas, becoming theDallas Stars.[68]
TheMLS teamFC Dallas is based in Frisco, and theDallas Wings of theWNBA play in Arlington. The area is also home to many minor-league professional teams, and four colleges that compete inNCAA Division I athletics. ANASCAR Cup Series race is hosted annually atTexas Motor Speedway, theAAA Texas 500, and twoPGA Tour events are held annually in the Metroplex, theAT&T Byron Nelson and theColonial National Invitation Tournament. The Metroplex has hosted many premiere sports events on both an annual and one-time basis.[69][70]
^- Indicates year team relocated to the area
^- Indicates year team relocated to the area
The headquarters for both the Big 12 and American Athletic Conference are located inIrving,Conference USA headquarters are in Dallas, theSouthland Conference headquarters are inFrisco, and the Western Athletic Conference is headquartered in Arlington.
Note: Venues are listed with their current names, not necessarily those in use when an event took place.
The AT&T Stadium in Arlington is set to host the most matches during the2026 FIFA World Cup.[71][72]
| School | Enrollment | Location | Mascot | Athletic affiliation (conference) | University system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) University of North Texas | 46,940 | Denton | Mean Green | NCAA Division I FBS (American Athletic Conference) | University of North Texas System |
 University of Texas at Arlington | 42,496 | Arlington | Mavericks | NCAA Division I (WAC) Non–Football | University of Texas System |
 University of Texas at Dallas | 31,570[73] | Richardson | Comets | NCAA Division III (American Southwest) Non–Football | University of Texas System |
 Texas Woman's University | 15,472 | Denton | Pioneers | NCAA Division II (Lone Star) Women's sports only | Independent |
 East Texas A&M University | 12,385 | Commerce | Lions | NCAA Division I FCS (Southland) | Texas A&M University System |
 University of North Texas at Dallas | 3,030 | Dallas | Trailblazers | NAIA (Sooner) Non–Football | University of North Texas System |
 UT Southwestern | 2,235 | Dallas | N/A | N/A | University of Texas System |
| School | Enrollment | Location | Mascot | Athletic affiliation (conference) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Southern Methodist University | 11,643 | University Park | Mustangs | NCAA Division I FBS (Atlantic Coast Conference) |
Texas Christian University | 10,394 | Fort Worth | Horned Frogs | NCAA Division I FBS (Big 12) |
 Dallas Baptist University | 5,445 | Dallas | Patriots | NCAA Division II (Lone Star) Non–Football, compete in theMissouri Valley Conference at theDivision I level for baseball |
.jpg) Texas Wesleyan University | 3,378 | Fort Worth | Rams | NAIA (Sooner) |
 University of Dallas | 2,387 | Irving | Crusaders | NCAA Division III (SCAC) Non–Football, compete inTexas Rugby Union at theDivision II level for Rugby |
 Southwestern Assemblies of God University | 2,012 | Waxahachie | Lions | NAIANCCAA (Sooner andCentral States Football League) |
 Paul Quinn College | 600 | Dallas | Tigers | NAIA (Red River) Non–Football |
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 52.2%1,635,723 | 45.8%1,435,750 |
| 2020 | 48.5%1,495,550 | 49.8%1,535,525 |
| 2016 | 50.7%1,218,897 | 44.4%1,066,312 |
| 2012 | 56.4%1,205,855 | 42.2%900,749 |
| 2008 | 54.6%1,188,570 | 44.6%969,541 |
| 2004 | 61.5%1,188,915 | 37.9%732,160 |
| 2000 | 60.8%971,927 | 36.7%587,163 |
The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex is the most populous Republican-leaning metropolitan area in the country. However, since 2016 Democrats have been making inroads in the area's suburbs.[76] As of 2024, both themayor of Dallas (elected as a Democrat) and themayor of Fort Worth are Republicans, with Dallas being the largest city in the United States to have a Republican mayor.[77]
The Republican Party has historically been dominant in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including in presidential elections. Democrats have consistently won Dallas County since 2008. In2020,Joe Biden narrowly won Tarrant County, whose county seat is Fort Worth, marking the first time since 1964 that the Democratic candidate had carried the county.[76][78]
The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth have their own newspapers,The Dallas Morning News and theFort Worth Star-Telegram, respectively. Historically, the two papers had readership primarily in their own counties. As the two cities' suburbs have grown together in recent years (and especially since the demise of theDallas Times Herald in 1991), many sites sell both papers. This pattern of crossover has been repeated in other print media, radio, and television.
Since the 1970s all of the television stations and most of the FM radio stations have chosen to transmit fromCedar Hill so as to serve the entire market, and are programmed likewise. There has been a rise in "80–90 move-ins", whereby stations have been moved from distant markets, in some cases as far away as Oklahoma, and relicensed to anonymous small towns in the Metroplex to serve as additional DFW stations. According toRadioTime, the market had 38AM stations, 58FM stations (many of themclass Cs), and 18 full-power television stations. Per another study the area has a total of 62 FM stations and 40 AM stations as of 2020.[79]
Dallas–Fort Worth is the fifth-largest television market in the United States, behind only New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Two of the Metroplex's AM radio stations,WBAP andKRLD, are 50,000-watt stations with coverage of much of the North American continent and beyond during nighttime hours. The South Asian population (Indian Sub-continent) has increased considerably in the DFW metroplex. They have the FM 104.9 radio channel and 700 AM radio.[80] Recently Sony TV, a subsidiary of Sony TV Asia, launched its FTA (free to Air OTA) channel on 44.2 station in DFW. It was one of the two locations they chose in the United States, the other being New York City, where there is also a large South Asian demographic.
The following are television stations serving the Dallas–Fort Worth television market. Two asterisks (**) denote a networkowned-and-operated station.
The following are radio stations serving the Dallas—Fort Worth Metroplex.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (IATA airport code: DFW), located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, is the largest and busiest airport in the state ofTexas. At 17,207 acres (6,963 ha) of total land area, DFW is also the second-largest airport in the country and the sixth-largest in the world. It is the third-busiest airport in the world in terms of aircraft movements and the world's seventh-busiest by passenger traffic, transporting 62.9 million passengers in FY 2014.[81] Based in Fort Worth,American Airlines' headquarters are adjacent to DFW. Recently having regained the title as the largest airline in the world in terms of both passengers transported and fleet size, American is a predominant leader in domestic routes and operations.[82]
Dallas Love Field Airport (IATA airport code: DAL) is located in Northwest Dallas. Based in Dallas,Southwest Airlines is headquartered next to Love Field.
The Dallas–Fort Worth area has thousands of lane-miles of freeways and interstates. The Metroplex has the second-largest number of freeway-miles per capita in the nation, behind only theKansas City Metro Area. As in most major metropolitan areas in Texas, most interstates and freeways have access or frontage roads where most of the businesses are located; these access roads have slip ramps allowing traffic to transition between the freeway and access road. North–south interstates includeI-35 andI-45. East–west routes includeI-30 andI-20. I-35 splits intoI-35E andI-35W from Denton to Hillsboro: I-35W goes through Fort Worth while I-35E goes through Dallas. (This is one of only two examples of an interstate splitting off into branches and then rejoining as one; the other such split is inMinneapolis-St. Paul where I-35E goes intoSt. Paul and I-35W goes throughMinneapolis.)I-30 connects Dallas and Fort Worth, and I-45 connects Dallas to Houston. The "multiple-of-5" numbers used for the interstate designations are notable, as these numbers were designed to be used for major multi-state arteries of theU.S. Interstate Highway System. The North Texas region is the terminus for two of them, and I-45 is located only within Texas.
HOV lanes exist along I-35E, I-30,I-635,US 67, andUS 75. I-20 bypasses both Dallas and Fort Worth to the south while its loop,I-820, goes around Fort Worth.I-635 splits to the north of I-20 and loops around east and North Dallas, ending atSH 121 north ofDFW Airport. I-35E,Loop 12, andSpur 408 ultimately connect to I-20 southwest of Dallas, completing the west bypass loop around Dallas. A large number of construction projects are planned or are already underway in the region to alleviate congestion. Due largely to funding issues, many of the new projects involve building new tollways or adding tolled express lanes to existing highways, which are managed by theNorth Texas Tollway Authority. It was originally established to manage theDallas North Tollway and oversees several other toll projects in the area.[citation needed]
Public transit options continue to expand significantly throughout the Metroplex. However, it is limited in several outlying and rural suburbs. Dallas County and portions of Collin and Rockwall counties have bus service andlight rail operated byDART, covering thirteen member cities. DART's rail network currently sprawls for 93 miles throughout the area. TheRed Line extends north to Plano and southwest toOak Cliff. TheBlue Line reaches from Rowlett in the northeast to theUniversity of North Texas at Dallas campus near I-20 in the south. The 28-mileGreen Line, which opened in December 2010, connects Carrollton in the northwest through downtown Dallas toPleasant Grove in the southeast. TheOrange Line, which completed expansion in 2014, parallels the Red Line from Plano to Downtown Dallas and the Green Line from downtown Dallas to Northwest Highway before extending through theLas Colinas area of Irving to reach DFW International Airport.
Denton County has bus service limited to Denton, Highland Village, and Lewisville (with commuter service to downtown Dallas) provided by theDenton County Transportation Authority. TheA-train, a diesel commuter rail line, parallelsI-35E to connect Denton, Highland Village, Lewisville, and Carrollton. Several smaller towns along this line, Corinth, Shady Shores, and Lake Dallas, voted to abstain from the Denton County Transportation Authority and do not have stations. There is an across-the-platform transfer in Carrollton to the DART Green Line. A-Train service began June 20, 2011.[83]
Tarrant County has bus services operated byTrinity Metro (formerly the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, popularly known as 'The T'), available only in Fort Worth. It additionally operatesTEXRail commuter rail, which serves to connect downtown Fort Worth with DFW Airport and the DART Orange Line. The diesel commuter train that serves Fort Worth and its eastern suburbs is operated as theTrinity Railway Express; it connects downtown Fort Worth to downtown Dallas, where it links to the DART light rail system. A station near its midpoint, Centerport, also serves DFW Airport via a free airport shuttle bus. The TRE is jointly owned by FWTA and DART.[84]Amtrak serves two stations in the Metroplex—Dallas Union Station andFort Worth Central Station. Both are served by theTexas Eagle route, which operates daily between Chicago and San Antonio (continuing on to Los Angeles three days a week), though only Fort Worth is served by the Fort Worth-Oklahoma CityHeartland Flyer.
As of 2016 the Taiwanese airlineEVA Air operates a shuttle bus service fromGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston toRichardson, so that Dallas-based customers may fly on its services to and from Houston.[85]
Travel information from Wikivoyage
Data from Wikidata32°45′47″N97°01′57″W / 32.7630°N 97.0326°W /32.7630; -97.0326
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