Dallas, TX

With a population of more than one million, Dallas is among the ten largest cities in the nation-but only the third largest in the state of Texas, behind Houston and San Antonio. However, its metropolitan area, which includes Fort Worth and Arlington, is the fourth-largest in the United States.

With a median resident age of 32 years, Dallas has a large population of single, career-oriented professionals. The median household income-just over $40,000-is well above the nation's average, and the city is home to more than a dozen billionaires. The city touts its ethnic diversity, with vibrant Asian, Hispanic, and African American communities.

Recognized for its business and finance sectors, the city is a popular tourist destination as well and boasts more shopping centers per capita than anywhere in the nation.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Covering such a large landmass, Dallas has a plethora of neighborhoods both within the urban core and in the surrounding suburban and exurban areas. Some prominent districts include:

• Downtown: This area includes the city center, Main Street, the Arts District where the Dallas Museum of Art and forthcoming performing arts center reside; a Government District south of Main Street; and the West End Historic District, which includes Dealey Plaza -- known in 1963 as the Texas School Book Depository, where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The population of downtown Dallas is expected to skyrocket as its older and historic buildings are converted to lofts and condominiums geared toward young professionals.
• Uptown: Just north of the city center is the trendy, walkable, and expensive Uptown neighborhood, with a relatively new housing stock.
• Highland Park and University Park: Located north of Uptown, these neighborhoods include some of the most luxurious homes in the city, and for that matter, the state. Southern Methodist University is located within the University Park area.
• Deep Ellum: Located just east of downtown, Deep Ellum is considered the most bohemian or artsy area of Dallas, with mixed-income housing, murals on the walls, and many places to hear live music.
• Oak Cliff: Located southwest of downtown, but close enough to make for short commuting times, Oak Cliff is a family-friendly neighborhood built on rolling hills with commanding views of the city center.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Known as "Silicon Prairie," Dallas has a strong business climate, with technological industries playing a key role in the economy. The city's other top industries include telecommunications, real estate, financial services, computer technology, banking, energy, and tourism.

Nineteen Fortune 500 companies make their headquarters in Dallas. They include:

• Advance PCS
• Dean Foods
• ExxonMobil
• Kimberly-Clark
• Neiman Marcus
• Southwest Airlines
• Texas Instruments

The biggest facility of its kind in the country, the Dallas Convention Center contains the largest column-free exhibition hall. The center is the third-most popular business travel destination in the country.

BEST BETS

• Dallas World Aquarium re-creates a rainforest complete with indigenous plant life and animals, including vibrant toucans and monkeys. The aquarium section holds 85,000 gallons of saltwater and houses marine life from exotic sea dragons to endangered sea turtles.
• Dallas Arboretum encompasses more than 60 acres on the shoreline of White Rock Lake. Picturesque trails wind through groves of trees and lush gardens. On the grounds visitors may tour the sculpture garden and the DeGolyer House, a 1940s Spanish mansion.
• White Rock Lake features over nine miles of trails along the water's edge, and visitors enjoy a wide variety of water sports and recreational activities, including horseback riding and bird watching.
• Reunion Tower is a distinctive downtown landmark. The 50-story building features an 837-step staircase for athletically inclined visitors.
• Ice Skating Center at the Galleria lies in the center of a four-level shopping mall. Visitors can take skating lessons as well as learn the game of "broomball."

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Dallas features a thriving arts community. The Arts District contains museums, art venues, and theaters, and is home to the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The city offers several popular cultural attractions:

• Dallas Museum of Art displays temporary exhibits as well as some well-known permanent collections, including the Ten Treasures.
• Museum of Nature and Science contains a paleontology lab and collections of rocks, minerals, and fossils of extinct wildlife. Visitors are also able to view the state's first mounted dinosaur.
• Times Ten Cellars offers wine-tasting events showcasing some of the Cellars' Cathedral Mountain Vineyard wines and the California region's premiere wines.
• Roughton Gallery features 19th- and 20th-century works of art, including paintings by Hovsep Pushman and Louis Aston Knight.

EDUCATION

Dallas is home to several institutions of higher learning:

• El Centro College
• Paul Quinn College
• Mountain View College
• Richland College
• University of North Texas at Dallas
• Southern Methodist University
• Dallas Theological Seminary
• Baylor College of Dentistry
• Dallas Baptist University

SPORTS TEAMS

There are a variety of professional sports teams in the Dallas area:

• Baseball: Texas Rangers
• Football: Dallas Cowboys
• Arena football: Dallas Desperados
• Basketball: Dallas Mavericks
• Hockey: Dallas Stars
• Soccer: FC Dallas

LOCAL MEDIA

Daily and weekly newspapers that serve the Dallas area include:

• Dallas Morning News
• Al Día
• Quick
• Texas Jewish Post
• Dallas Observer
• North Texas Journal

The city also offers a number of ethnic newspapers printed in such languages as Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.