We are the champions: Some people refer to Duncanville as the "city of champions" because the high school has won so many athletic championships, especially in basketball. But even if you're not a fan of cheering on the local teams, there are a lot of other things you can cheer about here, too.
The city of Dallas has a bit of a reputation for being flashy, glamorous -- and even pretentious! But, if you want to have easy access to the best that Dallas has to offer while still choosing a more laid-back place to live, Duncanville could be your perfect new home. Cool, unpretentious and generally affordable, this town is part of the "Best Southwest" collection of four suburbs in South Dallas County. Looking for stability? Compared to other parts of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Duncanville is pretty well-established. That gives it a settled down-to-earth feeling, because people are settling down here instead of always moving on to the next bigger and better property.
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Moving to Duncanville
A lot of the housing stock here is older, at least by Texas standards. The median home age is 34 years, pretty close to the same as for the rest of the nation. A lot of the northern suburbs of Dallas have much newer houses. The great news about getting an older home --aside from the fact that they often have more character - is that you can save a lot of money. The median home cost here is way below the national average, which translates to pretty affordable rents, too.
The unique combination of older houses in Duncanville with newer houses in nearby suburbs means that you have a great chance of finding house rentals in Duncanville. You may even have options like pet-friendly apartments or homes with plenty of yard space.
Landlords usually want to see tenants who can check off a certain number of boxes on their landlord wish lists, like a good job history, solid rental references, clean credit report and the ever-important deposits. And while meeting all that criteria will usually assure you can get any place you want, older neighborhoods like Duncanville might give on requirements for property rentals. You might have a little negotiating room with a friendly landlord.
Neighborhoods
Duncanville has a lot of unique neighborhoods, and if you're looking for one-bedroom apartments or even larger apartment rentals, you'll have numerous options.
Greenbriar Estates: This neighborhood is a hidden gem with close-knit neighbors and a complete lack of pretentiousness. It's not the cheapest neighborhood in Duncanville, but this area is refreshingly free from the need to keep up with the Joneses.
Green Hills: This is the neighborhood you head to if you want some extra land. Many lots here have small amounts of acreage, so there's no sense of cookie-cutter homes built so close together that you can touch your neighbors' house through your windows.
Woodland Hills: This large section of southeast Duncanville runs right up against southeast Dallas. This neighborhood is older and maybe not as new and pretty but is still a great place to find housing bargains.
Camp Wisdom and Cockrell Hill: Less a neighborhood per se than an intersection of two main drags in town, this area is home to a lot of apartment complexes, although it's not really an area with luxury apartments. The good thing is that there's easy access to shopping, food and major highways like I-20.
Living in Duncanville
Getting Around
What's that old saying in real estate about the most important criteria for where you should live? Location, location, location! That's what Duncanville has going for it, especially if you work downtown or in southwest Dallas, or even in Arlington or Grand Prairie. It's just a quick trip on I-20 or Highway 67 to get in and out of Duncanville.
Unfortunately, just like most of the rest of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, it can be challenging to get around here without a car. Most people who live here travel by car to work and other places they need to go -- but that doesn't mean there's no public transportation options available. The percentage of Duncanville residents using public transit is quite a bit higher than the incredibly low Texas state average.
A lot of Duncanville residents travel by using the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) bus system at least part of the time. Even if you have to spend a little extra time waiting around for the bus, it's still well worth it to avoid the famously hectic Dallas traffic -- not to mention the expense of gas and parking.
Having Fun
Even though there's always something to do in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you don't even have to leave Duncanville for fun.
Joe Pool Lake is actually a freshwater reservoir that covers more than 7,740 acres and extends across several of the southern suburbs in Dallas, Tarrant and Ennis counties - including Duncanville. The cities that contain part of Joe Pool Lake each have parks and recreation areas for using the lake. Campers will enjoy the easy access to the outdoors, even though one of the biggest cities in the country is just a few miles away.
Are you a fan of fish? Joe Pool Lake is stocked with fish, just to bring some extra happiness to avid anglers. Joe Pool Lake contains a variety of fish, including Florida largemouth bass, threadfin shad, coppernose bluegill, catfish, crappie and even common carp. Bring the fishing poles, forget about your worries for the day and see what you can catch!
Enjoying the City
If fishing isn't your thing but you still want to be outdoors, you might love the new Waterview Park. With 17 acres of walking trails, developed park land and a small lake, this is a relaxing way to spend a peaceful afternoon.
You don't need to go into Dallas for a dose of culture, either. Be entertained by your neighbors at one of the shows at the Duncanville Community Theater.
Like other people in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Duncanville residents love to go out to eat! In addition to all the usual chain restaurant offerings you would expect, Duncanville also plays host to local favorites like Kitchen's Deli and Soda Fountain and Sabor a la Mexicana. If you want to show some love to your neighborhood favorites or discover something new, don't miss the annual Taste of Duncanville festival, either.
Fitting In
If you're a newcomer to Texas, you'll want to learn some Texas ways. Tradition is important to residents here -- black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year's Day, fried catfish and hush puppies in the spring, summer and fall when the days are hot and the fishin's been good, and barbecue all year long, especially in cooler weather when you can smell the smoker all day while sipping cold Longnecks in the backyard.
Then, of course, there's the State Fair of Texas in the fall. Held in Dallas, you'll have an easy time getting to Fair Park from your place in Duncanville. Just plan to spend the whole day there -- visit the exhibits, of course, but then make your way to the Fairway for the rides, games and fried food treats.
In the spring, head south on the highway until you find a field of Bluebonnets. Then, pull over like so many other drivers; grab a camera or your cell phone and trudge out to the field to snap an annual picture amid the blooms.
It's all a part of local tradition!
