To the west of Tarrant County lies a small community that has become an oasis for some who want to escape the hustle and bustle of larger cities.
Aledo, a farming settlement until the Texas and Pacific Railroad built a line through the area to connect Fort Worth and Weatherford, now is a city of 2,716 people spread over 21/2 miles of land. The population swelled 57 percent over the past decade, census data show."People want to move out to a more rural setting, and Aledo is perfect for that," said Mayor Kit Marshall, who also touts the school district as a draw. "We are 20 minutes from downtown [Fort Worth] and on a good day, 45 minutes from the airport and an hour from Dallas, minus accidents of course."More than location, the small Parker County city boasts a "tremendous sense of community," Marshall saidIn this family-oriented city, children live in nearly 60 percent of the homes, according to American Community Survey data released in December. The average family size is 3.89 -- topped only by Everman and Sansom Park among area cities.Aledo has become slightly more diverse as the population has surged, but the city remains one of the most homogenous in the area.Census data show that more than 95 percent of residents, or 2,590, are white; by comparison, in the 2000 Census, about 97 percent of the population was white. The city counts three black or African-American residents; 17 American Indian or Alaska natives; 28 Asians; two Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders; and 39 people of "other races." Among the races, Aledo has 231 Hispanic residents, compared with 44 a decade earlier. Only one area community included in a Star-Telegram analysis has a higher percentage of white residents: the enclave of Westover Hills, with 96.77 percent.Anna M. Tinsley, 817-390-7610Population: 2,716
Median household income: $79,914
Median age: 31.3
Average family size: 3.89
Households with people over 65: 17.2 percent
Households with people under 18: 58.4 percent
Population under age 5:
9.9 percent
Foreign-born residents: 3.4 percent
Native Texans: 71.9 percent
Mean commute time: 22.4 minutes
Owner-occupied housing: 79 percent
Homeowners with no mortgage: 30 percent
Median monthly mortgage payment: $1,600
Sources: The 2009 American Community Survey, 2010 U.S. Census
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