What most people get wrong about the metroplex

Thanks to regional boosters and ad men in the early 1970s, the world knows the Dallas-Fort Worth area as "the metroplex." Today, for another place to call itself a "metroplex" would be confusing.

What does the word "metroplex" even mean?

In North Texas, the word "metroplex" started as a marketing gimmick in the early 1970s to solve a branding crisis. New York airports also used the term for an air-traffic control system. It's still an FAA term today. Then came Texas' phenomenal 20th-century growth spurt.

"North Texas" failed the test

In 1971, a nonprofit organization called the North Texas Commission (NTC) was formed to market the region ahead of the monumental opening of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. At the time, the area was broadly referred to as "North Texas." However, the commission conducted studies and found that the phrase meant absolutely nothing to people outside the state.

The NTC hired the Dallas-based advertising agency Tracy-Locke. The agency brainstormed several highly literal geometric names, including "The Golden Triangle" and "The Silver Rectangle." The NTC says an executive vice president at the agency, Harvey Chapman, combined two words: metro (from metropolitan) and plex (from complex). The term was designed to encapsulate a massive, interconnected network of multiple cities operating as a singular economic powerhouse.

Dallas and Fort Worth

Dallas and Fort Worth are often seen as interchangeable names for the same place. Culturally, economically, and geographically, they are distinct and separated by an over 30-mile span of mid-cities.

Dallas historically leans toward corporate finance, high fashion and commercial tech, while Fort Worth heavily embraces its rich western heritage, aviation manufacturing and arts scene.

When they say they're from Dallas but live somewhere else 

A massive point of confusion driving local searches is the sheer scale. Newcomers frequently Google commute times and transit routes, mistakenly assuming that independent suburban cities like Plano, Frisco, Keller or The Colony are just neighborhoods within the city limits of Dallas. People who live in the suburbs of DFW typically say they "live in Dallas," because they know those outside the area only know the one word.

The 33-Mile Divide

Long-time residents and transplants frequently look up navigation between Dallas and Fort Worth, often underestimating the 30-plus miles between.

Where is the metroplex?

The 19-county metroplex region covers about 15,600 square miles in northern Texas, stretching from Oklahoma south to the Brazos River and from the Cedar Creek Reservoir on the east to Possum Kingdom Lake on the west.

The metroplex region includes two Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)

The Sherman-Denison MSA, composed of Grayson County, and the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA. 

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA, in turn, comprises two Metropolitan Divisions (MDs): the Fort Worth-Arlington MD, which includes Hood, Johnson, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise counties, and the Dallas-Plano-Irving MD, which includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman and Rockwall counties. 

Counties in the region not associated with an MSA include Cooke, Erath, Fannin, Navarro and Palo Pinto counties.

So, Dallas is basically where brunch looks like a job interview... Fort Worth is "traditional" Texas, where people just want to know if you're hungry, no one says, "I'm from the Metroplex," and, outside of Texas geography, it's also a giant robot that turns into an Autobot city.

So when someone says "North Texas," "DFW," or "the metroplex," they may be talking about slightly different geographic areas depending on the context. And that's where things can get confusing.

There isn't a giant sign that reads, "Welcome to the metroplex."

No one crosses an invisible border and suddenly hears a voice say, "Congratulations! You are now officially in the metroplex." 

It's more of a geographic and economic region. Cities have grown toward each other; people travel between them; businesses operate across them; roads and highways connect them. And over time, all of these communities have become part of one enormous urban network — and North Texas has grown incredibly quickly. That's a big reason why the word "metroplex" is useful.

A city like Dallas can grow. Fort Worth can grow. Denton can grow. Grand Prairie can grow. And all the communities in between can grow, too. Eventually, you have this massive connected region where it can be difficult to tell exactly where one community ends and another begins. You might drive through several cities without even realizing it.

One minute you're in one suburb, then another, then another, and before you know it, you've spent 45 minutes wondering why the road you're on suddenly has six lanes.

And if you've ever wondered why there are so many highways, the metroplex is part of the answer.

The region is highly connected by major highways and transportation routes:

• I-35.
• I-20.
• I-30.
• I-45 - also known as 75 or Central Expressway
• 635 - or LBJ.
• And, of course, the Dallas North Tollway

These roads help connect communities across the region. They also give North Texans an opportunity to develop a very special skill: Calculating how late you're going to be.

The metroplex is more than traffic

The metroplex is more than just roads and traffic. It's a huge economic region.

People from all over North Texas work together, go to school together, start businesses, attend concerts, watch professional sports, shop, travel, and build communities across city boundaries. That's another reason why the term metroplex is useful. It describes how connected the region has become.

You don't have to live in Dallas to be part of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. You don't have to live in Fort Worth to be part of DFW. And you certainly don't have to choose sides. 

Although... 

If you ask someone from Dallas and someone from Fort Worth which city is better, you may discover that the metroplex has some very strong opinions.

Dallas has its skyline. Fort Worth has its Stockyards. Dallas has its museums and major business districts. Fort Worth has its famous Western culture and downtown attractions. 

Arlington sits right between them and has major sports and entertainment venues. And then you have dozens of other cities, each with its own identity.

Is the metroplex really that big?

It's a collection of communities that have grown together while still keeping their own personalities.

So, if someone asks, "What is the metroplex?" Here's the easy answer:

The metroplex is a large, connected urban region surrounding Dallas and Fort Worth in North Texas. It includes Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington and many other cities and communities throughout the region. 

And when people say "DFW metroplex," they're usually talking about this larger network of cities and suburbs that are economically and socially connected. And if you want the even simpler version: the metroplex is basically Dallas + Fort Worth + a whole lot of cities in between and around them.

It has multiple downtowns, countless suburbs, major highways, professional sports, airports, restaurants, universities, businesses and enough construction cones to make you wonder if the roads are ever actually finished.

The metroplex is less about where one city ends and another begins... and more about how connected all of these places have become.

And giving yourself an extra 20 minutes to get anywhere. At least.