Raising Children in Dallas

Dallas is a large, bustling city that is full of history and well known throughout the nation. As with any metropolitan city in the United States, there are many opportunities for individuals and families to thrive. Like most large cities, Dallas is also prone to higher rates of poverty and crime. There are many aspects of life that someone wanting to raise children may want to know about any city they would choose to raise their kids in. Dallas is a truly multidimensional city, but is it a good city to raise children?  There are many factors that would make any city a promising place to raise children.

            One of the first things that may come to mind when raising children is education. Do the public schools in Dallas prepare students for life after high school, whether the student chooses to go to college or start a career? Dallas Independent School District (DISD) reports that it educates about 160,000 students every year (“General”). According to the Proposed Dallas ISD Teacher Salary Schedule, starting salary for a new teacher with no experience is $50,000 and goes up to $57,000 (“Proposed”). Dallas teachers’ salaries are consistent with national averages. The National Center for Education statistics show the average salary for teachers in the United States is $56,383 (“Estimated”). City Data reports that funding per pupil for Dallas is $7,178 and student to teacher ratio is 23 to 1 (“School”). With the National Center for Education reporting approximately $11,011 spent per student nationwide and average U.S. class sizes at 16.6 students per teacher (“Fast”), Dallas clearly falls short in these critical areas in education. Although the Texas Education Administration reports that DISD meets accountability standards as a whole (“District”), DISD’s own website reports 17 of its 227 schools “need improvement” to meet Texas Education Administration standards (“2016”). Even with the problems DISD has, it clearly is doing some things right. DISD reports implementing many new programs including offering collegiate academies and other innovative types of schools so that students will have options to better fit their interests and learning styles (“Superintendent”). Eight new collegiate academies were opened in 2016, with 10 more set to open this fall (“Dallas ISD Announces Launch”), and 35 new choice schools slated to open by 2020 (“Dallas ISD Announces New”). The U.S. News & World Report regularly ranks the School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas as the number one high school in the nation when looking at how well students were prepared for college (McMullen). DISD’s specialty schools offer innovative opportunities to students, but with larger classes, less financial resources per student and several “failing” schools, it could be easy for some students to fall through the cracks of the education system in Dallas.

            Another important issue in choosing a city to raise children is safety. How is crime in Dallas?  Are hospitals readily available in case of life threating emergency or illness?  According to City Data, Dallas has a crime index of 412 while America as a whole has a crime index of 233 (“Dallas”). Although the crime index in Dallas is nearly double the national average, City Data statistics also show that from 2001 to 2014, murder, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, and arson have dropped significantly, about 50% or more in each category (“Dallas”). Even though the current amount of crime in Dallas is troubling, the downward trend of most major types of crime in Dallas is encouraging. City Data reports that Dallas is home to six health systems with many hospitals across the city. Parkland, Baylor, Presbyterian, St. Paul Medical and Medical City are some of the large hospitals in Dallas. Dallas also has many specialty and children’s hospitals available (“Dallas: Healthcare”). Parkland Hospital reports its mandate is to medically assist “indigent and needy persons residing in the hospital district” in and out of the hospital (“About”). Parkland Health & Hospital System states that it is “one of the largest hospital systems in the nation”, has 32 clinics in the community, and serves as the main teaching hospital for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (“General”). Parkland Hospital reports over 1 million patient visits per year. To better serve the growing needs of the hospital, a “New Parkland” was built across the street from the historic hospital (“New”). Healthcare is available at emergency rooms across Dallas, regardless of health insurance coverage or ability to pay and Parkland’s hospital and clinic programs assist many people that are at or near poverty. Dallas is a strong hub of medical facilities and systems, making healthcare relatively easy to access.

            Another important aspect of raising children in Dallas is to find out whether the financial situation is viable for the parents, as this will affect the quality of life for the whole family. According to the United States Bureau of Labor, Dallas County salaries average $1,100 or more per week, higher than the United States average of $989 and average hourly wages for the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex is $23.57, while the United States average is $23.23 (“Dallas-Fort Worth”). The United States Bureau of Labor also reports a 4% rate of unemployment in Dallas Fort Worth, over a full percent lower than the national average (“Dallas-Fort Worth”). While these statistics show Dallas in a positive light, the latest research done by the Annie E. Casey Foundation notes the poverty rate in Dallas is 19.3% (“Poverty”), while the Center for Poverty Research at the University of California, Davis notes the official national rate of poverty is at 13.5% (“Update”). Affordable housing is another important financial aspect of raising children. Zillow reports the median home price in Dallas at $162,300 (“Dallas Home”) and the median home price for the United States is $195,700 (“United”). According to City Data, the median rent in Dallas in $903 a month (“Dallas”), while the median rent in the United States is at $799 (“Table”). Dallas is a city where it is possible to get a good job, earn a good wage and get affordable housing. Unfortunately many people fall below the poverty line in Dallas. Housing at these prices, whether buying a house or renting an apartment may be out of reach for many citizens in Dallas living in poverty. Someone wanting to start or move a family to Dallas would need to take into consideration whether a suitable job would be available to them with a high enough wage to live comfortably.

A final issue to consider whether Dallas is good city to raise children is whether there is adequate recreation and arts available in the city. The City of Dallas boasts over 300 parks and trails, 6 golf courses, 200 game fields, 41 recreation centers, 5 tennis facilities, 39 fitness centers, 4 dog parks, 18 pools, 10 splash parks, a zoo, 2 lakes, as well as numerous historical sites and museums (“Things”). Dallas is also home to the State Fair of Texas, a three week event held every fall at historic Fair Park. Dallas has many professional sports teams as well to keep Dallasites entertained. When it comes to recreation, arts and other fun things to do, Dallas hits a home run.

The question of whether Dallas is a good place to raise children is a tough one. Dallas, like any large city has many positive and negative aspects. Overall, Dallas seems like it could be a promising place to raise children. Public education is a major concern; parents would have to be vigilant to make sure their children are attending a school that is not on the “needs improvement” list and hopefully attend a school of choice or collegiate academy to best fit their needs. There are several world renowned hospitals in the city, helping to keep the people of Dallas healthy. The high rate of crime in Dallas is a negative aspect that must be considered.  Dallas is full of fun and exciting things to do and places to visit. One thing that may have the most impact on the quality of life for children is the education of the parents. Should a parent obtain a college degree, it will be easier for them to get one of the higher paying jobs available in Dallas. The opportunity for a successful life and family is available in Dallas. It is up to the parents to take full advantage of all available options.

Works Cited

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