Reaching your business operations, markets and suppliers is easy. Dallas is connected to the world by two class I railroads, five interstate highways and DFW International Airport, the third busiest global airport. Dallas has air access to 135 cities domestically and 38 internationally and is less than three and a half hours by air to all of North America's major business centers including: New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Toronto, Chicago and Atlanta. Dallas is also the heart of a North Texas economy with over 6 million residents and 3 million jobs. Downtown/ Uptown Dallas is the metro area's largest employment center (134,000 jobs) and the focal point of the regional transit rail system, DART. The city is home to 31 light rail stations (43 by 2011). Dallas Love Field, just minutes from downtown provides 121 daily non-stop flights. With this connectivity, local business is best done from a Dallas address.
Dallas' costs of living and doing business set it ahead of other leading U.S. cities. Dallas' overall cost of living is 92% of the national average. Combined with low taxes and reasonable real estate costs, this helps businesses and households make more of their income, improving the business bottom line and the individual's quality of life.
Dallas has the transportation, utility and communications systems to ensure easy access to your markets whether global or local. A combination of airports, railroads and highways move people and goods quickly and cheaply in and out of the region. Public transit continues to grow with four rail lines serving downtown Dallas alone. Dallas was ranked by Forbes Magazine in 2008 as one of America's most wired cities with the sixth highest broadband penetration rate in the nation. Dallas water utilities provides over 400 million gallons of water daily and maintains a water supply plan to accommodate the next 50 years of regional growth.
The tax structures of both Texas and Dallas do not focus on taxing work or income. There is no local or state income tax for Dallas residents and there is no corporate or personal income tax in Texas. The average per capita state and local tax burden in Texas was 43rd among all states according to the most recent analysis by the Tax Foundation (2008). Overall total state and local tax burden per capita in Texas was 84% of the national average. Dallas businesses also have ample opportunities to take advantage of foreign trade zones to reduce their business tax burden.
Dallas offers families and singles big city experiences for the cost of a much smaller market. A diverse housing stock, ranging from historic single-family neighborhoods to high-rise condos, can accommodate any household type. For recreation, Dallas offers more shopping and restaurant opportunities per capita than anywhere else in America, diverse cultural venues from small theater companies and galleries to the nation's largest arts district. Parks, trails, forests and lakes as well as professional sports venues round out the local opportunities.
Dallas is home to over 600,000 workers. In addition, Dallas businesses draw upon a regional workforce that exceeds 3 million workers. The diversity of Dallas' economy mean that firms providing everything from advanced business services to health care to distribution can find a well trained workforce. Almost 30% of local workers have at least a college degree and over 80% have at least a high school education.