- What professional sports teams play in Arlington?
- The Dallas Cowboys (NFL) play at AT&T Stadium, and the Texas Rangers (MLB) play at Globe Life Field, both located in Arlington's Entertainment District. The two stadiums sit within walking distance of each other, connected by the $250 million Texas Live! dining and entertainment complex. This concentration of major professional sports venues in a single walkable district is unmatched anywhere else in Texas.
- Is Arlington affordable?
- Arlington is one of the more affordable larger cities in the DFW area. The median home price is approximately $320,000 — below both the Texas average of roughly $295,000 to $350,000 for comparable metro cities and well below Dallas-area suburbs like Irving or Plano. Median rent runs around $1,350/month, roughly 20% below the national average. Arlington offers meaningfully more home for the money than most of North Texas, particularly for buyers willing to purchase existing housing stock rather than new construction.
- What is the University of Texas at Arlington?
- UT Arlington (UTA) is a large public research university in central Arlington and the second-largest institution in the UT System. Fall 2025 enrollment reached a record 42,710 students, including the largest freshman class in the university's 130-year history. UTA offers more than 180 undergraduate and graduate programs, with particular strength in nursing and health innovation, engineering, and business, and is targeting 50,000+ enrollment within the next decade.
- Does Arlington have public transit?
- No — Arlington is widely cited as the largest city in the United States without a fixed-route public transit system (no DART or Trinity Metro rail or bus service). In its place, the city operates Arlington Rideshare, an on-demand van service run in partnership with Via. A related autonomous-shuttle pilot called RAPID, run with UT Arlington and May Mobility, operated self-driving vans between Downtown Arlington, City Hall, and UTA from 2021 until its federal demonstration funding ended in May 2025. For nearly all residents, a personal vehicle is effectively required for daily life.
- Is Arlington a good place to raise a family?
- Arlington offers real family assets: affordable housing relative to the rest of North Texas, an extensive parks system, Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor, and Lake Arlington and River Legacy Park for outdoor recreation. The tradeoff is school quality, which varies significantly across Arlington ISD's 70+ campuses — from A-rated Martin High School to several D- and F-rated schools — so families should research specific school assignments carefully rather than assuming uniform quality districtwide.
- How are Arlington ISD schools rated?
- Arlington ISD earned an overall C rating (score of 76) from the Texas Education Agency in 2025, its third consecutive year of improvement (up from 72 in 2023 and 74 in 2024). After a successful appeal incorporating corrected STAAR rescores, the district nearly doubled its number of A-rated campuses and cut F-rated campuses from 14 to 9. Of 71 rated campuses, roughly 7 earned an A, 22 a B, 19 a C, 15 a D, and single digits an F. Martin High School is the clear standout, with a 90 overall TEA score and a 95.4% graduation rate, alongside Arlington Collegiate and Arlington College and Career High Schools, both nationally recognized.
- What are property taxes like in Arlington?
- The City of Arlington adopted a total municipal tax rate of $1.0929 per $100 of valuation for tax year 2025 — its lowest rate in 20 years — with Arlington ISD also reducing its rate by about a penny. Combined with Tarrant County and other special-district levies, the effective total property tax rate for most Arlington homeowners lands around 2.2% of appraised value. On a $320,000 home, that translates to roughly $6,500–$7,500 per year before exemptions, though the recent rate cuts and expanded homestead exemptions are trimming typical bills.
- What is the Arlington Entertainment District?
- The Arlington Entertainment District is the dense cluster of sports and entertainment venues surrounding AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, connected by Texas Live!, a $250 million dining, bar, and hospitality complex featuring restaurants like Troy's (from Cowboys Hall of Famer Troy Aikman), Lockhart Smokehouse, and Guy Fieri's Taco Joint. Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor sit nearby, and an IndyCar Grand Prix of Arlington street race through the district is in development, with an inaugural running planned for 2026.
- What major employers are based in Arlington?
- Arlington's largest employers include General Motors' Arlington Assembly plant (4,800+ workers, one of GM's largest full-size SUV production facilities), Texas Health Resources (corporate operations, 4,000+ employees), the University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington ISD, and D.R. Horton — America's largest homebuilder — which is headquartered in the city. JPMorgan Chase maintains significant regional operations, and Bell Textron has an aerospace and defense presence nearby. This mix of manufacturing, healthcare, and higher education gives Arlington a more industrial and institutional employment base than the corporate-campus suburbs to the north.
- Is Arlington safe?
- Arlington's crime rates run roughly in line with the national average for a city of its size and population density, with meaningful variation by neighborhood. Newer areas like Viridian and parts of far South Arlington tend to report lower crime rates than some central and eastern neighborhoods. As with any large city, prospective residents should review neighborhood-specific crime data for the exact area they're considering rather than relying on citywide averages.
- What is the average commute time in Arlington?
- The average commute for Arlington residents runs approximately 26 minutes. Downtown Fort Worth is roughly 20–25 minutes via I-30 West, and downtown Dallas is about 25–30 minutes via I-30 East — Arlington's central location gives it genuinely balanced access to both downtowns. DFW International Airport is one of the closer major-airport commutes in the Metroplex at just 12 miles and 20–25 minutes via SH 360. Because Arlington has no fixed-route transit, virtually all of these commutes are made by car.
- What are the best neighborhoods in Arlington?
- Viridian, a master-planned community along the West Fork Trinity River in North Arlington, offers the newest construction and most resort-style amenities. Dalworthington Gardens and Rush Creek provide larger lots and established, tree-lined character. Pantego is a small independently incorporated town within Arlington's borders known for its quiet, small-town feel. Downtown Arlington, anchored by UTA, is the most walkable part of the city and the target of active redevelopment. Lake Arlington and Parks at Arlington offer more affordable entry points with strong recreational access.
- How much have home prices changed in Arlington recently?
- Arlington home prices rose from roughly $220,000 in 2020 to a peak near $320,000–$330,000 in 2022–2024, driven by the same pandemic-era demand seen across North Texas. Prices have since eased modestly — down 2 to 3% year-over-year as of early 2026 — as rising rates cooled buyer demand and inventory grew. The median now sits around $320,000, making Arlington's five-year appreciation substantial in percentage terms while still leaving it one of the more attainable larger cities in the Metroplex on an absolute-price basis.
- Does Arlington have an autonomous vehicle or rideshare program?
- Arlington operates Arlington Rideshare, an on-demand van service through a partnership with Via, bookable by app or phone for trips within the city. From 2021 to May 2025, the city also ran RAPID (Rideshare, Automation and Payment Integration Demonstration), a pilot with UT Arlington and autonomous-vehicle company May Mobility that operated a small fleet of self-driving shuttles — including a wheelchair-accessible vehicle — between Downtown Arlington, City Hall, and the UTA campus. RAPID logged tens of thousands of rides with no reported safety incidents before its federal demonstration funding ended; the city has since been evaluating future autonomous-shuttle options.
- Is Arlington still growing?
- Arlington's population has grown modestly and steadily, from 394,266 at the 2020 Census to an estimated 402,662 as of mid-2025 — growth concentrated in North Arlington's Viridian community and South Arlington infill rather than dramatic greenfield expansion, since the city is largely built out. The more dynamic growth story is institutional and commercial: UT Arlington posted record enrollment in fall 2025, and the Entertainment District continues to expand, including plans for an IndyCar Grand Prix street race beginning in 2026.
- What are HOA fees like in Arlington neighborhoods?
- HOA fees in Arlington are generally modest outside of newer master-planned communities. Many established neighborhoods have no HOA or low voluntary dues. Viridian, the city's premier master-planned community, carries higher HOA fees reflecting its resort-style amenities, lakes, and trail system — typically in the range of $700–$1,500+ annually depending on section. Older subdivisions across South and East Arlington often have minimal or no HOA structure at all.
- Are there good apartments in Arlington?
- Yes — Arlington has an ample and relatively affordable apartment market, concentrated near UTA, Downtown Arlington, and the Entertainment District. One-bedroom apartments typically rent for around $1,150–$1,250/month, and two-bedrooms run roughly $1,500–$1,700/month, both well below national averages. The university presence keeps a steady supply of smaller, budget-friendly units available, while newer luxury communities near Viridian and the Entertainment District command higher rents for updated amenities.
- What internet providers serve Arlington?
- Arlington has multiple broadband options, including AT&T Fiber, Spectrum (Charter) cable internet, and additional regional providers in select neighborhoods. Coverage and available speeds vary by exact address, with the newest fiber buildouts concentrated in North Arlington's Viridian community and other recently developed areas.
- How far is Arlington from Dallas and Fort Worth?
- Arlington sits almost exactly halfway between the two downtowns — about 20 miles from each. Downtown Fort Worth is a 20–25 minute drive via I-30 West, while downtown Dallas is a 25–30 minute drive via I-30 East. This central position, combined with DFW International Airport just 12 miles north via SH 360, is one of Arlington's most consistently cited advantages, even without direct rail access to either downtown.
