The little town of Azle, TX owes a lot to a doctor named James Azle Stewart. He came here in 1846 and built up a town of settlers along the three little creeks in the area: Silver Creek, Ash Creek and Walnut Creek. It was a farm town for many decades, producing milk from dairy cows and a variety of crops. When the generous Dr. Stewart donated the land for the town, it was the least the settlers could do to name the town after him.
Today Azle is a little more urban than it was back in those days, but it's not big on farming anymore. It is one of the more country suburbs of Fort Worth and is home to 10,947 people, according to the 2010 Census. It's grown steadily at about 1,000 new residents every ten years, which means that it grows a little slower than a lot of the other Fort Worth suburbs. That's not a bad sign, though, because it means that people still want to be here and the small city has the basic amenities you need, but it's not experiencing the incredible sprawl of many of its neighbors.
Moving to Azle
Like most of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, housing values are quite a bit lower in Azle compared to many other parts of the country. And even compared to other parts of the metroplex, Azle's housing prices are a clear winner. The country life isn't for everybody and the location is a little bit remote, but the simpler and slower pace of life in Azle is a great choice for those who have had enough of big city life.
It might be a little tougher to find a rental property in Azle because the vacancy rate is a little lower than average and the cheap cost of buying a house means that a lot of people own their homes and stay put. But don't lose hope, because you can definitely find a place to live -just be prepared to spend a little more time looking for your perfect place. There aren't a lot of apartment complexes in Azle, but there are some. Prices are pretty affordable, so it should be easy on your budget whether you are looking for a one bedroom apartment or a duplex for rent.
Neighborhoods
Azle may be small, but it still has a few distinct neighborhoods for you to choose from.
Castle Hills Estates: This neighborhood includes Wells Burnett Road and SE Parkway St -- the latter of which is known to locals as just Jacksboro Hwy. The northern part of this neighborhood borders Eagle Mountain Lake, so it's perfect if you want lake views.
Castle Hills Northwest: This is an older part of Azle with smaller houses, many of which only have two bedrooms. The good news about this neighborhood is that it's a great place to find housing bargains.
Lake Crest Park: This little neighborhood is just north of Hwy 199 and just east of Hwy 720. Shady Grove Park is within walking distance.
Oak Harbor Estates: Really like lakefront living? Then this neighborhood is where you want to be. It includes Harbor Dr and Spinnaker Lane, and all of the houses here are within a very short walking distance to Eagle Mountain Lake. As you might expect, all those lake views come with a higher cost than the rest of Azle.
Old Cobweb Park: This tiny neighborhood includes just a few streets just west of Oak Harbor Estates, including N. Ash St and Lakeview Dr. You're still pretty darn close to the lake, but the prices are quite a bit better.
Timberlake Estates: This neighborhood located just north of Wells Burnett Rd. is also really close to the lake, and has beautiful lake views. It's the most expensive part of Azle, so it doesn't come cheap, but compared to the rest of the country you can get a lakefront home for much less money than you might think.
Like every other place, you need to be able to look like you will be a good tenant when you meet prospective landlords. So when you apply for an apartment for rent or a rent to own house, bring some information that might make a convincing case for yourself. Bring some pay stubs from your job, the contact information for previous landlords who might vouch for you, and of course, have the money on hand for deposits. In addition to first and sometimes last month's rent, you will have to pay those usual security deposits. If you need to rent a pet friendly apartment, you should expect to pay some extra deposits for that privilege, too. Fluffy and Fido are worth it!
Life in Azle
Like we said already, Azle is a little bit country. Sure, you have the bare essentials right in town, like pharmacies, fast food restaurants and even a pet salon, and the much greater number of amenities in Fort Worth are just a few miles away. But the real draw of Azle is feeling like you have gotten away from it all.
Spending time on the lake is huge here, and the warm weather for most of the year enables you to take advantage of that. Azle is located near the popular Eagle Mountain Lake, which is perfect for boating and fishing.
When you want a good bite to eat, Azle has you covered there, too. Red's Burger House is a local favorite. Hey, you're in Texas -of course you want beef sometimes! If you're hankering for another Texas favorite, Mark Dean's BBQ and Trading Post BBQ are two great choices.
Life in Azle is so calm and peaceful that you would hardly know that one of the country's biggest cities is just a few miles away. Does that sound like your thing? Hurry on down to Azle.
