ARLINGTON, TEXAS

Stats in 2004

Population: 335,000
Clear/Partly Cloudy/Cloudy Days: 135/97/133
Average High/Low Temps in July: 96/74
Average High/Low Temps in January: 54/33
Average Elementary Students/Teacher: 20
Average Secondary Students/Teacher: 19

Arlington is the heart of a lot of entertainment - a lively and sizeable city. As recently as 1950, it was a small town of about 8000 residents. But under the sturdy leadership of Judge Tom Vandergriff, it boomed to 45,000 in that decade alone.

Vandergriff had big dreams for the area, and as he watched Mr. Walt Disney create a fantastic destination for the world in California, he believed something similar and fantastic could be built in Texas. In 1961, the original Six Flags Over Texas was built -- a theme park that today draws around 3 million visitors each year!

But that's not the only attraction. A major ballpark was recently built in Arlington with modern facilities, yet as a tribute to the great ballparks of the past. Today, the powerful Texas Rangers play here.

As evidence of the city's strong financial ground, the bond for the park was paid off 10 years early! The city boasts a balanced budget and excellent overall finances because of that. Some of the top employers in the city are Arlington ISD; University of Texas at Arlington; Six Flags; General Motors; and the city itself, which, with its strong economy, is able to keep a beautiful city and provide many necessary services for its citizens.

The city offers such amenities as 5 multi-purpose recreation centers; 2 senior centers; 3 softball complexes; 4 municipal golf courses; and 5 public libraries.

Recent polls show that 84% of residents feel that Arlington is a quality city to live in, and 88% feel that it has quality neighborhoods. And the citizens have gotten involved in keeping it that way, with efforts like a park crime watch and a citizen program to reduce speeding in neighborhoods; both programs have shown substantial success, leading to even a nicer quality of life for Arlington residents.

Team that up with the economy and all that there is to do here, Arlington make for a very nice place to live.