Best in the South: Arlington, Texas

Tucked between Dallas and Fort Worth, Arlington is known as the Entertainment Capital of Texas, and for good reason. It’s home to four professional sports teams—Dallas Cowboys football, Texas Rangers baseball, Dallas Wings basketball, and Dallas Charge softball—theme parks, music venues, comedy clubs, and, not least, the International Bowling Hall of Fame.

Still, there’s more to this city than fun and games.

“Professionally there are a lot of options,” says local Redfin agent Tara Anthony. While Arlington itself has many large employers, including a major General Motors assembly plant and hospital system Texas Health Resources, “there are job opportunities in either direction,” she says. AT&T and Bank of America are top employers in Dallas, 20 miles to the east, while American Airlines parent AMR and Lockheed Martin are 15 miles west, in Fort Worth.

Arlington is also a sweet spot for parents looking for affordable homes and top-ranked schools, including standout public charter school Uplift Summit International Preparatory, named one of the top 20 most challenging high schools in the U.S. by the Washington Post.