Flower Mound, Texas

County: Denton
Nearest big city: Dallas

According to town legend, in the mid-1800s in what is now Texas, settlers came across a hill covered in an unusually large number of wildflowers and aptly named it The Flower Mound. Now, 150 years later, more than 175 types of wildflowers, plants and grasses have been identified on the mound, and the area surrounding the hill is a thriving Dallas suburb with 81,000 residents.

Locals say Flower Mound still has a small-town feel, but it’s growing quickly. The city saw the highest job growth of any place on our list over the last five years. It also comes in second for the highest projected job growth over the next five, just after Round Rock down near Austin.

Its close proximity to one of the largest cities in the Lone Star State is propelling that growth, but Flower Mound has plenty to offer. The town’s Lakeside Business District is just minutes away from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (one of the country’s busiest) and is home to more than 45 businesses. Lucky for business travelers, the town’s first hotel, a Courtyard by Marriott, opened in 2017 and features a 6,000-square-foot conference room perfect for business meetings or wedding receptions.

Meanwhile, the area’s local high school has a graduation rate of 100% and the Midwestern State University recently opened a satellite campus dedicated to online learning.

But Flower Mound isn’t all work and school. Located on the shores of the Grapevine Lake, it also offers a wealth of recreational activities, from camping and boating to hiking and horse riding. Flower Mound’s biggest party of the year is on the Fourth of July, when residents enjoy live music, fireworks and food trucks. In 2021, the event was headlined by Josh Abbott Band, and the town estimates 30,000 people attended. — Mallika Mitra

[money-bpl-stats population="81,188" income="$133,478" home-price="$426,507" unemployment="5.2%" location="Flower Mound, Texas"]