Fort Worth TX

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

liv score
589
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 27
Demographics 70
Economy 70
Education 47
Health 55
Housing 58
Infrastructure 72

#88. Fort Worth, TX

You may think you have this Cowtown branded, but Fort Worth is a city that is full of surprises, culture, incredible food — and yes, there is a celebratory longhorn cattle drive every day in the historic Stockyards.

Fort Worth made our Top 100 Best Places to Live list because of its access to so many great attractions and cultural sites like their trio of major art museums — the Kimbell, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — as well as the famous Fort Worth Zoo and the Bass Performance Hall, which is a European opera-style house that hosts the Fort Worth Opera, the Texas Ballet Theater and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

This city of cowboys and culture also scored marks for its ease of transportation, with public transportation options like the Trinity Railway Express, which takes passengers between Fort Worth and Dallas with a transfer access to DFW International Airport, as well as Molly the Trolley, a vintage-looking trolley that travels between the Fort Worth Convention Center to Sundance Square (the nickname for the downtown entertainment district) seven days a week.

All in all, not a bad place to hang your (cowboy) hat.

Local Obsession: Watching the TCU Horned Frogs play at Amon Carter Stadium on fall Saturdays (let’s not talk about last season though, okay?).

Climate Described in 6 Words or Less: Sweltering summers and bearable winters

Top Industries and Employers: The top industries in Fort Worth are aviation and aerospace as well as healthcare. The city’s top employers are American Airlines, Texas Health Resources and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. Fort Worth is also home to several corporate headquarters for brands like Pier 1, Justin Brands and BNSF Railway.

Local Dream Job: Art Director for Pier 1 Imports at their corporate headquarters near downtown — but we also suspect we’d spend our whole paychecks with the corporate discount.

Quintessential Meal: A sliced brisket sandwich at Riscky’s BBQ (at the original Azle Avenue location, of course)

Favorite Weekend Activity: Admiring the Warhols at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — and maybe taking in a cocktail at the Modern bar afterwards.

After-Work Meetup Spot: The Usual, located on the increasingly cool Magnolia Avenue, offers a speakeasy-type vibe with delectable drinks made by a quintessential hipster mixologist.

Best Brewery/Local Beer: There’s nothing better than tossing back an Ugly Pug at Rahr & Sons Brewing Company on a Saturday afternoon.

Free Way to Have Fun: When it’s not too hot, Fort Worth loves to ride bikes, walk or even ride a trusty horse on the Trinity Trails, which is a system of trails that runs along the Trinity River.

Truly Hidden Gem: The Fort Worth water gardens are tucked away in downtown Fort Worth by the Convention Center and are especially perfect when that Texas heat just won’t give.

– Jamie Birdwell-Branson

Read More:

Why Fort Worth, TX is a Best Place to Live

8 Reasons to Move to Dallas-Fort Worth Right Now

Best Places to Live in Texas

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