When Tanisha Jones decided to move to the Dallas-Fort Worth area five years ago from a small town in central Arizona, she first settled on living in DeSoto with her husband.

But after a divorce, Jones started to look for a new place — one that would get her closer to the city. Jones' father grew up in Dallas, which is why she was originally drawn to live in D-FW in the first place.

In February 2018, she moved into her newly built, three-bedroom, two-bath home, which at a price of $118,500 came in under her budget.

Only it was in Fort Worth. Jones looked for a place in Dallas first, but she couldn't find anything in her price range that she liked.

"I didn't want a rundown house," Jones said. "It's about affordability, and I think our younger people are smart about doing their research. ... They get more bang for their buck."

Tanisha Jones poses for a photograph at her Fort Worth home. Census data shows the D-FW area is booming, but most of that growth comes from Fort Worth, where young people are flocking. Jones' father is from Dallas, but when she got divorced, she moved to Fort Worth last year because she was able to build her own home under budget. (Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer)

Jones became one of thousands of new residents who chose to live in Fort Worth over Dallas. While the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington region was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in 2018, Fort Worth stood out, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released earlier this year.

Between 2017 and 2018, Fort Worth was the fastest-growing among the 50 most populous cities with a 2.2% increase. By comparison, Dallas grew less than 1%.

Since 2010, Fort Worth grew by an estimated 20%, and Dallas at 12%.

The region follows a nationwide trend. Bigger cities experienced a slowdown in growth. Many newcomers are choosing to locate in smaller cities over major metropolises like Dallas.

So we asked why. Residents who chose Fort Worth over Dallas gave a variety of reasons — including family amenities, proximity to trails and public transit, less traffic and good schools.

But one major theme stuck out: affordability.

Cathy Mitchell, president of the MetroTex Association of Realtors, said the region has faced unprecedented growth in the past several years.

The greatest demand in Fort Worth's housing market is for lower-middle income households; in the first few months this year, 44% of the houses sold in Fort Worth were in the $200,000-$300,000 range, compared to 18% in Dallas.

"We're getting 1,000 people a day moving into this area, which is phenomenal," Mitchell said. "We've got a lot of people coming in and no place to put them."

MetroTex Rrealtors said that in a balanced market, a city needs six months' worth of inventory — which means that if no more houses were put on the market, it would take six months for the city to run out of houses for sale.

Fort Worth had only two months' worth of inventory as of May, according to a MetroTex report. Dallas had four.

Moiri Brown, greater Fort Worth president of MetroTex, said the need for affordable houses presents a major challenge for the Fort Worth area — which has seen an uptick in development the past few years, but not nearly enough to keep up with the demand.

Many of those moving to the region are drawn here for jobs, Brown said. That was the case for Steve Lebner, who said he came for the financial opportunities and business environment.

He settled in Fort Worth because he "honestly just had a very good feeling" about the city.

But for others, perception played a big role too.

Kathryn Phillips said she chose to live in Fort Worth because she wanted to raise her children in a city that cares more about "character" than wealth and status.

She said her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, legally blind and physically disabled, is also treated with more respect in Fort Worth.

"I just felt like people were more open, honest and real in Fort Worth. ... Dallas has this status to uphold," Phillips said. "I want my girls to know it's not about what you own. It's about who you are and how you treat people."

Cameron Atkins met his wife in Fort Worth — where she first bought a house — while he worked in Dallas.

They ultimately settled in Arlington, but he said Fort Worth appealed to him because of its walkability and downtown entertainment. He believes Fort Worth has a more defined identity than Dallas by embracing its "cowboy" culture.

"They're two great cities, but they have different personalities," Atkins said. "Dallas is like the L.A. of the South. Fort Worth is Fort Worth."

Like Atkins, Fort Worth resident Mark Brandt said he preferred his city's laid-back culture and density. He said the infrastructure in Fort Worth allows him to walk, use public transit and bike regularly. When he moved to Fort Worth, his family downgraded from two cars to one, saving him money.

"That's one frustrating thing about the metroplex. It just keeps growing wider and wider and wider," Brandt said.

Jones said Fort Worth's amenities are a well-kept secret. The city has everything people seek in Dallas, she said, even if big-city life isn't necessarily what Fort Worth is known for.

"When you say you live in Texas, the name Dallas is what people resonate with," Jones said. "When you think of Dallas, you think of the big city. Fort Worth is the cowboy town."

Beatriz Cruz, a 24-year-old who moved to Fort Worth a couple of years ago, agreed. She said she and her husband initially chose Fort Worth because that's where his job was. But now, she can't imagine leaving anytime soon.

It has the appeal of a big city without the stress, Cruz said.

But she said she has friends who are gay and prefer Dallas for its LGBTQ scene. Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax said Dallas' diversity is one of the city's great appeals.

Broadnax said Dallas continues to think about ways the city could improve its brand and boost its standing in the region. He's in the process of developing a 10-year economic development plan that would address ways to attract the right types of businesses and workforce.

Broadnax said much of the city's land mass remains untapped and offers plenty of room for growth. He said the city already has a powerful brand that draws residents, and he wants the city to boast of its diversity and reputation as an innovator.

"I think people believe Dallas is where big things happen," Broadnax said. "I want to continue that, do it obviously in the right way. I don't want to just be another urban center."