Article by James Reinle, social issues reporter at DailyMail.com
Updated: July 10, 2024 20:44, July 10, 2024 21:03
Until recently, Forney was described as a “sleepy commuter town” in North Texas.
That’s all changed thanks to intense construction moving outward from the sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Forney, located in Kaufman County east of Dallas, is expected to see its population grow a staggering 51 percent between 2020 and 2023, to 35,470, according to Census Bureau estimates.
According to the Dallas Business Journal, the city is the fastest growing in America.
Mike Harrison, a Texas real estate agent, said the city, which is just 13 square miles, is “growing fast.”
The downtown area of Forney is booming as the Dallas-Forth Worth metropolitan area expands.
Harrison says that’s because the company is “one of the top providers of new homes in the DFW metropolitan area.”
Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing regions in the country, with many people flocking to the emerging southern hub.
Forney Mayor Jason Roberson
With a population of approximately 8.1 million, the city is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States after New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
Much of Dallas’ expansion is now concentrated in its surrounding “suburbs,” of which Forney is currently the fastest growing.
Harrison said that has a lot to do with the affordability of new housing in the area.
In Forney, spacious, modern three-bedroom properties with two bathrooms can still be purchased for under $250,000.
Similar properties in Frisco, Proposal and other nearby Texas cities are much more expensive, Harrison said.
The city also has a relatively low crime rate, good schools and “a friendly atmosphere throughout the city,” the real estate agent says.
Newly constructed homes can sell for under $300,000, making Forney more affordable than many nearby cities.A small concert in front of Forney City Hall, where some local residents have complained about a lack of entertainment options.Texas Realtor Mike Harrison said Forney has maintained a “small-town feel” despite its rapid growth.Some locals may feel that Forney is isolated and lacks restaurants, shopping and other entertainment.Forney’s population is expected to grow by a staggering 51.2% between 2020 and 2023, reaching 35,470 people.
“Forney’s population has nearly doubled in the past decade, but there’s still a neighborhood feel where neighbors know each other and there are opportunities to build relationships with people all over town,” adds Harrison.
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Residents have plenty of options for antique shopping in warehouses on the city’s east side, and in 1987 Forney was officially recognized as the “Antiques Capital of Texas.”
But some locals feel the town is isolated and lacks restaurants, shopping and other entertainment.
Forney Mayor Jason Roberson in February touted plans for a new supermarket by the popular Texas chain HEB as a “defining moment” for the city.
Roberson complained about “retail exodus,” with Forney residents driving to other cities to shop because of limited options in the neighborhood.
Local residents also complain about higher-than-average property taxes and heavy traffic to and from Dallas.
Texas Boomer Boomtown
One Southern city has become a baby boom town, with an influx of older Americans flocking to its vibrant, age-restricted communities.
Georgetown, Texas, is officially the fastest growing city in the nation, thanks to an affluent 55-and-over community known as Sun City Texas.
The Texas community, which is home to about 15,000 residents on about 5,000 acres, was established in 1994 when the land was purchased by Del Webb.
A Wall Street Journal analysis of Census Bureau data on cities with populations of 50,000 or more found that Georgetown has been the city with the fastest population growth for three consecutive years.
Georgetown grew 11 percent in 2023, 14 percent in 2022 and 11 percent in 2021. The median age in this baby boomer-dominated city is 44, and about 27 percent of residents are 65 or older.
The population boom is being driven by energetic seniors who are moving to Sun City for its vibrant social scene, including community theater, game nights, fitness classes and sports teams.
Sun City offers groups to help people connect with their roots, such as the Texas Born Interest Group (pictured).
“We didn’t just want to move into an old community,” resident Betty Schroeder told The Wall Street Journal.
Schroeder, an 80-year-old avid skydiver, moved to the city 20 years ago. Since then, she has met her new boyfriend, 72, and is thriving in the community.
“We’re not dead yet,” said Suzanne Herndon, 70, who moved to Sun City in 2021.
The community, which is home to about 15,000 residents on about 5,000 acres of land, was launched in 1994 when the Del Webb Company purchased the land.
Construction began in October 1995, and by the spring of 1996 residents had moved into the town.
Sun City Sassy Ladies (pictured) is a club focused on the love of dance and bringing joy to people, performing at care homes around Georgetown.
The community association offers a variety of activities for residents, including a dance club, karaoke, arts and crafts, gardening, pickleball, cooking, and poker.
There are also activity groups for singles and couples, and it is said that you can experience an environment similar to university life without having to go to classes.
Unlike their Gen Z peers studying at the university, this group of older Americans enjoying all that Georgetown has to offer has hundreds of thousands of dollars in their bank accounts to spend at their disposal.
Nationwide, Americans over the age of 55 own 70% of all household wealth. The median age in Sun City is 73, compared with the U.S. average of 39.
The community frequently hosts events such as ice cream social game nights, and pictured here are neighbors playing a game called Sequence.
Photos on the community’s social media pages show baby boomers taking part in fun dance contests, game nights and holiday parties.
Many Georgetown residents have hobbies such as renovating homes or classic cars, while others join computer clubs to hone their technology skills later in life.
The community also hosts lively entertainment, including pickleball tournaments and a recent sold-out concert by a Beach Boys tribute band.
Nearly a fifth of Sun City’s residents are military veterans, most of whom served in the Korean and Vietnam wars, according to a WSJ investigation. About 90 percent are white.
Maria and Ottavio Arena moved from New York to be closer to family, but remain connected to their hometown by meeting with the New York club in Sun City.
Nationwide, Americans over the age of 55 own 70% of all household wealth. The median age in Sun City is 73, compared with the U.S. average of 39.
“We’re having more fun than she is,” Ottavio said.
Jim Ankmon, 67, who moved from the Chicago suburbs in 2016, said he moved to Texas because of the lower taxes.
“I don’t think we got much bang for our buck in Illinois,” Ankmon said.
Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder, 47, isn’t old enough to live in Sun City, but he said he’s excited about the influx of new residents.
“It’s like they’re going to college, but they don’t have to go to class and they have $3 million in their bank account. It’s like a cruise ship on land,” Schroeder said.
