by The FWR Staff, Fort Worth Report
March 21, 2026

I grew up in the suburbs of Fort Worth, going downtown as a child and visiting my mom while she worked part time at what was then Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital. I used to think Fort Worth was just cattle and Texas Christian University. But as I got older, I realized it is so much more. 

As I entered adulthood, I explored living farther from my hometown, but something always pulled me back to my roots in Tarrant County. 

I currently live in the quaint, peaceful city of North Richland Hills. I have enjoyed the city’s slow pace, age variety and central location. There is a good mix of chain and local restaurants, which are fun to explore and always are a positive experience. It’s really close to North East Mall, which also has a two-story movie theater! 

Recently, one of my lifelong prayers was answered. Last spring, I met the love of my life, Dominick Smith, who was born in Dallas. We met and fell in love in a little coffee shop off of Boulevard 26. Dominick and I have been in our season of engagement, trying to navigate where we want to call home.

Morgan Elliott and her fiancé, Dominick Smith, at Babylon Coffee Roasters, where they first met, in North Richland Hills. (Courtesy | Roma Linda)

Living in North Richland Hills in this transitional season of my life is definitely interesting. 

Kids play freely on the streets of my neighborhood, and parents enjoy a chat with their neighbors as they watch over their children. North Richland Hills stands out from Fort Worth because it brings comfort and peace. 

It is busy enough with the family activities but quiet enough to enjoy your home and a slow life. I used to live in Las Colinas, which I felt was always fast-paced, more expensive and more about chasing luxury living. 

In North Richland Hills, I find it is safer, and people romanticize their lives more here. We are able to find joy in the small things, like personalizing the decor on our porch. 

People are friendlier because they truly enjoy where they live. I hope to find this kind of community when we move, whether we decide to settle down in North Richland Hills or elsewhere. 

I will always appreciate the space North Richland Hills gave me. It’s where I started my first ‘big girl’ job, where I met the love of my life, and where I found the lifestyle I want to live. 

Though we are uncertain of our plans, my fiancé has come to love Fort Worth and is seeking job opportunities in software engineering. 

Even if we decide to live elsewhere in the beginning of our marriage, we will never forget where our story began. 

Whether it was walking the beautiful trails that both North Richland Hills and downtown Fort Worth have to offer, trying new restaurants, spending time in quaint coffee shops, or taking a creative glass-blowing class, we have come to love the area. 

I am excited to see where this season of life takes us and how I can continue to grow into the role of being a wife and blessing my community through the coffee shop I work at and my church.

Morgan Elliott is a manager at a coffee shop near downtown Fort Worth. She’s lived in North Richland Hills for about one year.

North Richland Hills

Total population: 71,428
Female: 53% | Male: 47%

Age
0-9: 9%
10-19: 13%
20-29: 12%
30-39: 14%
40-49: 15%
50-59: 14%
60-69: 13%
70-79: 7%
80 and older: 3%

Education
No degree: 6%
High school: 25%
Some college: 29%
Bachelor’s degree: 25%
Post-graduate: 14%

Race
White: 64% | Black: 8% | Hispanic: 21% | Asian: 4% | Two or more: 3%

Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:

Source: Census Reporter

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