Last Updated on: 25th July 2023, 06:34 am
Are you exploring DFW areas ahead of moving to Dallas? While each area has something to offer, North Dallas Texas is one of the best places to live for families, young professionals, and retirees alike. Known for its shopping, golf courses, and affluence, living in North Dallas offers a great quality of life thanks to excellent schools, easy access to downtown, and some of the best parks in Dallas-Fort Worth. Here’s what you can expect ahead of moving to North Dallas TX.
Where Is North Dallas?
As the name implies, the North Dallas area refers to the northern area of Dallas proper. North Dallas is north of downtown and immediately north of the Park Cities enclave (University Park and Highland Park). Most of North Dallas is in Dallas County but a small section extends into Denton and Collin counties.
What Is Considered North Dallas?
The definition and boundaries of North Dallas Texas have changed over the years. It may refer only to the area of Dallas north of Northwest Highway to I-635. More commonly, North Dallas includes the further north region past I-635 known as Far North Dallas as well as Lake Highlands, Northwest Dallas, and Northeast Dallas. Sometimes North Dallas Texas even refers to the Park Cities and the North Dallas cities of Addison, Richardson, Farmers Branch, and Carrollton.
Map of North Dallas
North Dallas Population & Demographics
The population of North Dallas Texas depends on how the area is defined. The narrowest definition bounded by the Northwest Highway (Loop 12), I-635, the Dallas North Tollway, and the Central Expressway (U.S. Highway 75) has a population of 40,000. This core area of North Dallas is the most affluent area of Dallas with a median household income of $129,700.
With a broader definition that includes all Northern Dallas neighborhoods, the North Dallas population is more than 225,000.
| Population of North Dallas Areas | |||
| Community | Type | Population | Median Household Income |
| Far North Dallas | Neighborhood | 154,000 | $75,400 |
| Northwest Dallas | Neighborhood | 93,000 | $45,000 |
| Preston Hollow | Neighborhood | 81,000 | $85,000 |
| Lake Highlands | Neighborhood | 52,000 | $51,600 |
| North Dallas | Neighborhood | 40,000 | $129,700 |
| Bluff View | Neighborhood | 14,600 | $110,000 |
| Carrollton | City | 133,000 | $82,000 |
| Richardson | City | 116,000 | $85,000 |
| Farmers Branch | City | 36,500 | $73,500 |
| Addison | Town | 17,000 | $75,000 |
The North Dallas neighborhood is the richest neighborhood in Dallas with a median household income of nearly $130,000. Bluff View, also part of North Dallas Texas, ranks second. By comparison, the median household income in Dallas is $51,400.
What’s it Like Living in North Dallas Texas?
Is North Dallas a good place to live? If you love being surrounded by parks, trails, and lakes with great schools, upscale shopping, and family-friendly attractions within minutes, you’ll love living in North Dallas.
North Dallas TX is the richest area of Dallas and known for its executive and luxury homes, gated estates, and equestrian homes with lakefront real estate and upscale golf courses. North Dallas cities and neighborhoods are consistently ranked among the best places to live in DFW.
The most affluent neighborhood of Preston Hollow, and Strait Lane in particular, is famous for its multi-million-dollar estates, shady hills, and private lakes with many older mansions designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
North Dallas is a family-friendly area with top attractions for kids, beautiful parks, and prestigious private schools. After moving to North Dallas, you’ll enjoy easy access to downtown Dallas, Garland, Plano, and Irving thanks to several major highways straddling the community and DART light rail service. Love Field Airport is in North Dallas and the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport isn’t far away to the west.
North Dallas is a safe place to live with 18% less crime than average in Dallas and a violent crime rate less than half that of Dallas. Bluff View, Far North, and Preston Hollow have among the lowest crime rates in the city.
With colleges, kid-friendly attractions, excellent transportation, and an ideal location just outside downtown, you’ll find North Dallas is a diverse place to live with young professionals, families, and retirees calling the area home.
If you want to enjoy a more suburban environment with greater affordability, living in Far North Dallas may be more your style. Homes are more affordable with larger lots and a greater variety of new homes for sale. The Far North Dallas neighborhood is home to several top attractions like the Valley House Gallery with a six-acre sculpture garden and Preston Trail.
The North Dallas suburbs offer a different lifestyle than neighborhoods in Dallas proper. Richardson is one of the highest rated suburbs of Dallas. It’s been ranked one of the top 10 cities for retirees and one of the best cities to buy a house and raise a family. It boasts an excellent school district ranked among the top 30 nationwide.
You can benefit from highly rated Richardson ISD schools while living in North Dallas Texas by choosing one of the top Lake Highlands neighborhoods. Many subdivisions in Lake Highlands are served by Richardson schools with affordable living for families, plenty of trails, and the adjacent White Rock Lake, one of the best parks in Dallas.
North Dallas Neighborhoods
With dozens of neighborhoods in North Dallas, how do you choose just one? Here are some of the best North Dallas neighborhoods you’ll want to consider!
Preston Hollow – Prestigious North Dallas Neighborhood Near Private Schools
Preston Hollow is famous as the most affluent neighborhood in Dallas and home to the city’s largest estates. However, most of the neighborhood features modest ranch homes along tree-lined streets. Residents love easy access to shopping at Preston Center and NorthPark Center, the Northwest Highway and Dallas North Tollway, and some of the best private schools in Dallas.
Lake Highlands – Quiet Suburbs with Great Schools Along the White Rock Creek Greenbelt
Lake Highlands is a dream come true if you’re looking for great outdoor recreation and highly rated schools. This North Dallas neighborhood is a big draw for families because it’s within the LBJ Freeway loop but served by Richardson ISD, not Dallas ISD. There are many subdivisions to choose from including several right along the White Rock Creek Greenbelt. Residents enjoy their community park, Flag Pole Hill Park, with a scenic overlook of the adjacent White Rock Lake.
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Melshire Estates – One of the Most Walkable Neighborhoods in North Dallas
Melshire Estates is uniquely walkable for a suburban community. The core residential neighborhood, made up of a mix of older ranch-style homes and new custom homes, is surrounded by shopping and dining on the Dallas North Tollway, Quincy Lane, and Preston Road. You’ll find it fairly easy to walk to the Preston Forest Square, Forestwood Shopping Center, and Preston Lebanon Crossing, Market at Preston Forest, three moderately sized shopping centers with a Whole Foods, Tom Thumb, Lowe’s, Petsmart, Petland, and chain restaurants. Off Preston Road you’ll find a fitness center easily within reach.
Parents can appreciate Jamestown Park and ED Walker Middle School to the north are also within walking distance!
Preston Highlands – Voted One of America’s Best Places to Live
Located in Far North Dallas, Preston Highlands is one of several Dallas-Fort Worth neighborhoods to be named one of the best places to live in America. What makes it so great? It’s home to many young professionals and families with excellent public schools, a diverse population, and affordable home prices. The median home price is $570,000 for a single-family home compared to the median of $662,500 in Far North Dallas.
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Northwest Dallas – Great North Dallas Neighborhood for Renters
Northwest Dallas is a large section of the North Dallas area west of Preston Hollow and surrounding Dallas Love Field Airport. From the highway, it appears as a mostly commercial and industrial area, but it’s mostly residential with many close-knit communities, some of the best parks in North Dallas along Bachman Lake, and the city’s Medical District.
Two areas of Northwest Dallas stand out as some of the best neighborhoods in North Dallas for renters.
The Northaven Park area to the north along I-635 features many upscale apartment buildings like Santa Fe Apartments, a dense shopping area at I-35E Expressway and I-635, and nearby schools.
Midway Hollow is in the southern section of Northwest Dallas. It’s close to the University of Dallas in Irving, fun attractions like the LOOK Dine-in Cinemas, and nightlife destinations including the Cowboys Red River dance club and two music venues: Stereo Live Dallas and Amplified, a hip roadhouse-style venue with BBQ. Midway Hollow is one of the best North Dallas neighborhoods for millennials with a short commute to downtown.
Things to Do in North Dallas
Ready to explore fun things to do in North Dallas? Northern Dallas is home to the best shopping in the city, gorgeous parks, and family-friendly recreation. Here are the top North Dallas attractions to explore.
North Dallas Attractions
- Topgolf is a massive entertainment venue with a bar, lounge, and high-tech driving range complete with games. It’s a top pick for what to do in North Dallas for date night or hanging out with friends.
- Adventure Landing Dallas is a family fun amusement park with laser tag, go-karts, and mini golf in Far North Dallas.
- Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden is the oldest modern art gallery in the city and it features a large sculpture garden on 4.5 wooded acres.
- Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Lake Highlands is one of the best things to do in North Dallas on a date or weekend with new and classic movies, cocktails, and meals served at your seat.
- Amplified is a popular live music venue with BBQ, local craft beer, and live music in a roadhouse-style setting.
North Dallas Museums
- Cavanaugh Flight Museum at the Addison Airport features a huge collection of vintage fighter planes. Some of the vintage planes are available to book rides!
- Farmers Branch Historical Park is a historic home and museum on 27 acres with more than one dozen original structures representing the period of 1840 to 1940.
- Mary Kay Museum in Addison offers free tours with displays that document the history of Mary Kay cosmetics.
- Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field Airport is a Smithsonian-affiliated museum with exhibits and vintage aircraft on display.
North Dallas Shopping
- NorthPark Center or NorthPark Mall is one of the largest malls in Dallas with over 230 luxury retailers, boutiques, and restaurants.
- Galleria Dallas is one of the major shopping destinations in North Dallas with three levels of stores, restaurants, a hotel, and a skating rink.
- Preston Valley Shopping Center is right off I-635 and boasts over 90,000 square feet of shopping and dining.
Parks in North Dallas
- Bachman Lake Park in Northwest Dallas is close to Love Field and features a paved trail for running and cycling around Bachman Lake.
- Flag Pole Hill Park in Lake Highlands is adjacent to Norbuck Park and White Rock Lake Dog Park with scenic views. It’s popular for picnics and flying kites.
- Cottonwood Park (1800) in Richardson is one of the most popular city parks in North Dallas with volleyball, trails, tennis courts, a playground, and swimming pools.
- NorthBark Dog Park (1300) in Far North Dallas is a 22-acre off-leash dog park with a dog wash station, trails, and a lake.
North Dallas Schools & Colleges
While living in North Dallas, you will be served by the Dallas Independent School District or one of several neighboring districts if you live in outlying areas north of Dallas. The Richardson Independent School District is the most desirable school district in North Dallas TX and it serves Lake Highlands and many areas of Far North Dallas. Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD serves the communities of Farmers Branch and Carrollton west of Far North Dallas.
Many families choose to send their children to private schools after moving to North Dallas Texas. You’ll find some of the top private schools in DFW in North Dallas and Far North Dallas including:
- Dallas International School (PK-12 coeducational bilingual school)
- Alcuin School (PK-12 Montessori and International Baccalaureate school)
- The Hockaday School (PK-12 secular girls day and boarding school)
- Parish Episcopal School (PK-12 coeducational college preparatory school)
- St. Mark’s School of Texas (nonsectarian 1-12 boys college preparatory school)
- Ursuline Academy of Dallas (girls Catholic college preparatory school)
- Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas (boys college preparatory school)
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While living in North Dallas TX, you’ll have many opportunities for higher education. The University of Texas at Dallas is in Richardson, one of the primary cities in North Dallas. Students can attend one of two Dallas College community college campuses in North Dallas in Richardson and Farmers Branch. The North Campus of Dallas Baptist University is nearby in Plano.
North Dallas Homes for Sale & Rent
Before moving to North Dallas, Texas, you’ll want to explore the North Dallas real estate market to help you choose a neighborhood within your budget. North Dallas homes for sale range from a median as low as $435,000 to more than $1.4 million depending on the neighborhood!
Below you can see median prices for houses for sale in North Dallas by area. Note that condos and townhomes are more plentiful in some neighborhoods – the median price for a single-family home is also listed.
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| Median Price of Homes for Sale in North Dallas by Neighborhood | ||
| Neighborhood | Median Home Price | Median Single-Family Home Price |
| Lake Highlands | $435,000 | $600,000 |
| Far North Dallas | $540,000 | $662,500 |
| Preston Highlands | $570,000 | $570,000 |
| North Dallas | $640,000 | $1.425 million |
| Northwest Dallas | $655,000 | $707,000 |
| Preston Hollow | $685,000 | $2.1 million |
| Bluff View | $1.435 million | $1.435 million |
Lake Highlands and Far North Dallas are the most affordable neighborhoods in North Dallas. In Lake Highlands, condos have a median price of $148,000. Townhouses have a median price in the $300s in both neighborhoods.
Planning to rent while living in North Dallas? Rent in Dallas has increased faster than almost any other city with the average price for a two-bedroom apartment climbing to $2,100. That’s up 46% from 2021 to 2022. One neighborhood in North Dallas was highlighted for rent that skews lower than average: Lake Highlands. Median rent in Lake Highlands is just $990!
North Dallas rent is higher than the city average at $1,860 vs $1,568 for a one-bedroom apartment. Lake Highlands isn’t the only affordable area, though: you’ll find affordable North Dallas apartments in areas like Far North Dallas and Northwest Dallas.
Your money can go far as a renter. The Oaks at North Dallas in Far North Dallas is one of the most popular developments with 456 one- and two-bedroom apartments starting at $1,300. Apartments include in-unit washers and dryers, hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings with skylights, and four swimming pools complete with a spa and cabanas. Another great option is the Residence at North Dallas, an upscale apartment building in the Far North Dallas community of Timberglen. Rent ranges from $970 to $1,715 for studio to two-bedroom apartments. This family-friendly community boasts a pet area, playground, clubhouse, tennis courts, and pool.
Does living in North Dallas Texas sound perfect? Brothers Moving & Storage is ready to help you settle into your new neighborhood and enjoy everything Northern Dallas has to offer! Give our Dallas movers a call today for a free moving estimate and the superior customer care you need.
