A very good place all-around
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9/17/2021
We've lived in Benbrook for almost 15 years, coming from Southern California. After trying to find the "ideal" place to live, we realized there is none -- but that Benbrook was as close as anything.
Homes, even after doubling in value since we moved here, are still affordable (lower than national average) in relation to the median household income (higher than national average). As a business owner, it is easy to operate in Benbrook and Texas. Having no income tax in Texas is great, having come from a state with some of the highest taxes in the nation.
Benbrook has somewhat of a small town feel, but that is changing. I wouldn't say it's becoming more urban but more suburban whereas it had more of a rural feel when we first moved here. There's still a feed store (Russel, they're a great place to get vegetable garden plants and fertilizer) and a ton of natural space set aside. It's worth mentioning that the Chisholm Trail Parkway tollroad is just a couple exists from Benbrook and heads towards downtown Fort Worth pretty fast or south into the countryside. There's going to be a lot of development along this new highway.
The Trinity Trail system extends into Benbrook and is popular for walking and cycling. The roads are not very bike-friendly, though a few neighborhoods have bike lanes, so it's great top have the Trinity Trail. During the Spring it's great to see all the wildflowers in the prairie section of the trail in Benbrook. As it goes into Fort Worth, there is a creek and long stretches of shade-producing tree canopy.
Benbrook has gold, creeks, horseback riding and a marina on the lake (could be nicer, but is convenient and Benbrook Lake itself is beautiful). We really like Dutch Branch, a creek with trees that is nicely shaded - great for relatively "cool" summer hike hike with kids. Baseball and soccer are big in Benbrook and there are sufficient playgrounds.
As far as amenities go, Benbrook has a main boulevard that has a Walmart, fast food and... a surprising number of dentists. Now, I strongly disliked every Walmart I had ever been to until they put one in Benbrook. Somehow, it is the world's greatest Walmart. But the real shopping is in Southwest Fort Worth (one of the nicest parts of Fort Worth), which borders Benbrook (Target, Whole Foods and all the big box stores).
In addition to shopping, there is a medical district one exit down from Benbrook on I-20 so we've found all the doctors (and a good hospital) we've needed within 15 minutes of Benbrook. As far as entertainment, we're homebodies and nature lovers so our outings end up being hikes along creeks in or near Benbrook and visits to Benbrook Lake. Fort Worth has more things to do if you're that "going out" type. Farmers marker, restaurants, walks along the Trinity River, a great zoo and all that.
From what I hear, schools are just average at best when going past the elementary level. The middle school and high school are new and one of the elementary schools was just rebuilt in the southern part of Benbrook. They're within walking distance from one another so it's possible to have your kids walk to school from elementary through high school. We homeschool which is an option for many regardless of locale.
Benbrook has given us a lot. A good quality of life and "margin", financially speaking. In California it was a struggle. Here we've been able to pay out house of (you'd not believe how little we paid, which helped make that possible) and we're able to do all the things you're supposed to like save for retirement, college, and so on. Doing that in California was just not going to happen. We're content in our Benbrook "starter home" for as long as we're on this earth.
Oh, the cons. Of course there are some. Boating and swimming in the lake is nice, but it's not quite as stunning as the Pacific Ocean. The heat is real. Summer is in the 90's for a while. It took us many years to become acclimated, coming from a place where it's 70's almost year round. Cost of living is generally low but pay attention to the cost of home insurance since weather can be damaging to roofs some years. We've not had any damage to our home in 15 years except a few shingles that were easy to tar back down but there was a neighborhood in Benbrook that we saw a roofing sign in nearly every single yard after a bad hail storm. It happens.
It rains here. That's nice! The droughts people freak out about here are nothing compared to the droughts in the southwest (yes, I know "the West begins in Fort Worth"). It's fantastic to have rain... sometimes 4" over night. I love seeing Benbrook Lake overflowing on occasion. Water is a blessing. Spring and Fall see the most rain, Winter the least. Every few years we see a day or two of snow, just enough to satisfy. And every couple years there's a debilitating ice storm. Just stock up and stay inside for two or three days until it's safe to drive again. Fall weather is pleasant. Spring weather here in Tornado Alley can be pretty wild (sometimes fun to see, sometimes a bit concerning). Overall it's not too cold, but I'd say it is too hot!
Also be aware of property tax which is generally higher in Texas than other places and especially in Tarrant County. It does help that homes are reasonably prices so, for example, we wouldn't be paying any less property tax in California than we do in Benbrook. But if you decide to go big, be sure to estimate property taxes before diving in. They can be substantial if you're in a big house on a big lot. Still, having no state income tax might offsets that for you.
A word of warning: if you think you're going to come to Texas from a place like California and live large in a $600K house (which in California is a pretty lousy domicile), know that the property taxes might be painful. You don't need to spend very much for a good home in Benbrook. Keep your lifestyle close to "normal" and you won't pay much more in property tax than other places. Still, having no income tax helps if you do choose to go big on a house.
Politics? Benbrook leans conservative like most other suburban areas of Forth Worth. Tarrant County as a whole seems to be moving from mostly conservative to somewhat moderate, as is the trend for large metros over time. It's certainly no liberal stronghold so I think most conservatives would be quite comfortable and liberal's would hopefully not feel too far removed from the culture as a whole.
We've found people around the Fort Worth area to be friendly, much more so than in SoCal. Not friendly as in have you in their homes but friendly as in not freaking out when a stranger waves or says hello (somebody waves to you in CA and you wonder what's wrong with them or what they might be up to).
I hope this is helpful for someone considering Benbrook. Also look at the Aledo area and areas south of Benbrook. A bit less convenience than Benbrook but some great neighborhoods, especially if you want more of a rural setting.
Michael | Benbrook, TX