Mid-size cities are popular places to live because they offer all the amenities of urban living with fewer of the problems. With a population of 360,000, Arlington is just such a city. It's the 54th largest city in the U.S., the 7th largest in Texas, and the third largest in the Metroplex, after Dallas and Forth Worth. Founded in 1875, the city was named for Robert E. Lee's hometown in Virginia. It has been a frontier outpost, an agricultural center, a site of Indian battles, a mecca for horse racing and gambling, and was once was famed for its mineral waters.

Arlington has attractions to draw visitors, colleges to educate residents and others, museums for intellectual stimulation, sports for fans, and enough parks to keep toddlers across the city happy.

A few of the many attractions include the famous Six Flags Over Texas, Johnnie High's Country Music Review, and Hurricane Harbor.

Institutions of higher education include the University of Texas at Arlington with 30,000 students, Tarrant County College, and Arlington Baptist College.

Museums and cultural life thrive in Arlington, including:

• Arlington Museum of Art
• American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum
• The Gallery at UT Arlington
• Legends of the Game Baseball Museum
• River Legacy Living Science Center
• The Upstairs Gallery
• Theatre Arlington
• Arlington Community Band
• Creative Arts Theatre and School (CATS)
• Metropolitan Classical Ballet
• Symphony Arlington
• The Planetarium at UT Arlington
• Texas Scottish Festival & Highland Games
• The Fielder House
• Center for Research and Contemporary Art (CRCA)

Arlington is the home of the Major League Baseball team, the Texas Rangers. In 2009, the Dallas Cowboys will play in their new $650 million stadium in Arlington.

Arlington has 82 public parks including River Legacy Parks, a 1,300 acre oasis on the Trinity River in the heart of north Arlington. The Parks currently offer more than eight miles of paved trails winding through thick forest and expansive greenbelts.

The median resident age is 30.7 years old; more than 50% of residents are between the ages of 18-44, and another 35.3% are under age 19. Median household income was $47,622 in 2000, and median house value was $96,400 in 2000.

Among the many reasons to make Arlington home, mild weather is the icing on the cake. The daily mean temperature is 66 degrees Fahrenheit and average humidity of 56 percent. Average annual rainfall is 33 inches.