Living in Arlington, TX

Arlington sits right between the two big downtowns of the Metroplex, about 12 miles east of downtown Fort Worth and about 20 miles west of downtown Dallas. With roughly 400,000 residents it's the seventh-largest city in Texas, and it's home to the Cowboys, the Rangers and Six Flags, along with established neighborhoods and newer master-planned communities.

Getting around

I-30 crosses the north side of the city and I-20 runs across the south, with SH 360 along the east side, US 287 in the southwest and the 360 Tollway heading south toward Mansfield. DFW Airport is about 15 miles north. Arlington doesn't have a traditional bus system, but Via Arlington offers on-demand shared rides citywide, including connections to the Trinity Railway Express at CentrePort Station.

Things to do

AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, plus concerts and big events throughout the year
Globe Life Field and Texas Live!, home of the Texas Rangers, with the dining and entertainment district right next door
Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor, the theme park and water park in the entertainment district
River Legacy Park, a 1,031-acre forest park along the Trinity River with trails and the River Legacy Living Science Center
Levitt Pavilion Arlington, which hosts free outdoor concerts downtown near UT Arlington

Schools

Most of Arlington is served by Arlington ISD, but parts of the city fall in Mansfield ISD, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, Kennedale ISD and Fort Worth ISD. With five districts inside the city limits, I always confirm the school assignment for a specific address.

Homes and neighborhoods

Arlington has a little of everything. You'll find older homes near downtown and UT Arlington, established neighborhoods across the middle of the city, and newer construction toward the south. In north Arlington, Viridian is a master-planned community of about 2,000 acres with lakes, open space, a lake club and a 55+ neighborhood called Elements. Because school district lines and tax rates vary across the city, I check both for every home.

A little history

Arlington was founded in 1876 along the Texas and Pacific Railway and named after Robert E. Lee's home, Arlington House, in Virginia. It incorporated in 1884.