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There are a lot of great suburbs in Dallas-Fort Worth. The corridor north of Dallas in Collin County that includes McKinney and Plano is getting a lot of attention these days, but many older suburbs have a lot to offer. Location is key in any real estate transaction but even more so in a sprawling place with a lot of traffic like the Metroplex. Grapevine has an appealing mix of a convenient location, comparatively low taxes, lots of amenities, and great schools. Find more about what this charming suburb has to offer.

 Great Location

Located in northeast Tarrant County, Grapevine is just a stone’s throw from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. That makes it an ideal choice for business travelers who frequently need to fly as well as for people who work at the airport. 

GameStop, the nation’s largest video game retailer, also has their headquarters in Grapevine. Major roadways including State Highways 121, 114, and 635 also pass through Grapevine, allowing easy access to nearby employment centers like Las Colinas, North Dallas, and Addison. Grapevine is almost exactly the same distance from both Downtown Fort Worth and Downtown Dallas.

Appealing Housing Stock 

Grapevine has a pretty stable population and housing base. Although there’s a smattering of new houses under construction, most of the land is already developed. The prime era of growth in Grapevine was in the 1980s, so there are a lot of homes from that era that have since been nicely updated and renovated. Homes in Grapevine are generally larger than average, reflecting the fact that the suburb has a high median income of $80,000, according to Money magazine. 

Lower Tax Rates

Photo courtesy of Grapevine Texas

Texas is known for having high property taxes, which is offset by the state’s lack of income tax. Many of the cities in North Texas have property taxes that are higher than the state average, but Grapevine doesn’t even rank in the 20 most expensive DFW suburbs. Considering the fact that Grapevine property values are high and so are median incomes, that means Grapevine residents keep more of their paychecks.

Excellent School District

Photo courtesy of Grapevine Texas Online

You might think that comparatively low property tax rates wouldn’t be sufficient to fund a good school system, but Grapevine shines here, too. The city’s students are part of the top-rated Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. According to the Texas Education Agency, the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD ranks ninth in the DFW area and 16th in the state. With International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement programs, students from GCISD are well prepared for success at the collegiate level.

Charming Downtown

Grapevine Heritage Gunfighters photo by Shutterstock

Money magazine rated Grapevine on its Best Places to Live list in 2017. In addition to the low unemployment, top-rated schools, and convenient location, Grapevine also has a charming and historic downtown area. Main Street in Downtown Grapevine offers a public library, a convention and visitors’ bureau, restaurants, shops, and scenic rides on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. The downtown area is walkable and has trolley rides to get a tourist’s-eye view. 

Great Shopping and Lifestyle

Aerial Grapevine Mills Mall photo by Shutterstock

Another top reason to choose Grapevine is that the city offers a lot of recreational opportunities. Grapevine has 25 miles of recreation trails for walking and biking throughout the city, allowing its residents to get out and be active. The trails include public restrooms, water fountains, and mile markers. Lake Grapevine also offers opportunities for boating and swimming, options that aren’t very common in North Texas.

The city of Grapevine is also well known for the grapevines from which it gets its name. This means that there are dozens of wineries, which celebrate the area’s wine-making heritage every year in September with Grapefest. The four-day Grapefest festival is a big town party, drawing visitors from all over the Metroplex and beyond. Not only can guests sample some of the wines made in the area, they can also participate in fun activities like stomping grapes.

Visitors come to enjoy the Gaylord Texan resort and Great Wolf Lodge. And Grapevine also has lots of shopping opportunities. In addition to being home to locations of most major chains, Grapevine has the Grapevine Mills Mall. Grapevine Mills is a large outlet mall that also includes Rainforest Cafe, an indoor ice skating rink, and a movie theater.

Grapevine is a unique community that combines the best of history, convenience, and all the amenities you need for a good life. It’s a great place to visit or to call home.