Courtesy of Keyana Darling
- I'm not surprised that Texas is one of the top states in the country attracting new residents.
- What is surprising: Some newcomers bypass bigger cities like Austin and Dallas for smaller spots.
- Movers told me smaller cities and suburbs offer more ways to buy homes and form community.
In the early 2000s, my parents and I, originally from Liberia, moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We'd spent a few years in Massachusetts, where the winters were chilly and the cost of living was more burdensome.