Uptown is an upscale, trendy Dallas neighborhood. Bordering downtown, it is a nearby location for business people who drive downtown for work. Uptown is a major destination spot for Dallas nightlife and shopping. Not as many people live in the actual downtown area, as it is more of an industrial and business oriented part of town, but downtown Dallas has a growing residential population. The downtown loft is becoming popular with young business people. If you like the urban lifestyle, look for a location near the trolley route, which runs across uptown on McKinney Avenue. If you want to be able to walk to many retail locations, choose a residence near Lemmon East.
Southern Methodist University is a large college located near downtown with an enrollment of 11,000 students. Three neighborhoods in Dallas border the SMU campus, and offer a blend of downtown, suburban and college town feel. University Park is an upscale suburban neighborhood with property values that commonly exceed $1.5 million. Lovers Lane is a street in University Park that has upscale residences and crosses Snider Plaza, filled with quaint businesses like an old fashioned hamburger restaurant, a barber shop and a diner. The Knox-Henderson district is a historic area with single-family and multi-family residences a streetcar's ride away from downtown. Highland Park is known for a shopping district called the Highland Park Village, located just south of Mockingbird Lane, a major street that is also located near the Dallas Country Club.
There are several major suburban neighborhood districts in northern Dallas, which are far less expensive than the areas near downtown. Lake Highlands offers a lot of outdoor attractions including park and lake access. Church Road is a scenic street located near Skyline Park. A number of residential streets run south of the park. Streets immediately east of Van Dyke Road are near the large Norbuck Park. Richardson is a suburban area that offers neighborhood events such as concerts that build community. Both of these neighborhoods offer strong schools.
Oak Cliff is a major area of South Dallas. It is a residential district that offers a closer commute into downtown than the Northern suburbs. This area is more affordable than the downtown neighborhoods. The Oak Cliff area is historic and ethnically diverse, and is divided into many small neighborhoods that each have their own character. The Kings Highway district has undergone significant conservation efforts, so if you want to live in a historic area that has been well maintained, this is a good choice. Kessler Park is another historic district that contains a wide range of residential options, from very large to modest sized houses.
