Combined With Dallas Fort Worth Is One Of America's Least Favorite Cities

Last week I was really surprised when I learned that Fort Worth is known world-wide as one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

I am a fairly ignorant guy, so me not knowing that Fort Worth is known world-wide as one of the Greatest Cities in the World is not too surprising.

But, now that I know that Fort Worth is one of the Greatest Cities in the World I can't help but wonder how this fact is determined and by what criteria such a claim is made.

A survey in Travel Leisure Magazine online about America's Most Favorite Cities only made me more confused about how it is that Fort Worth is considered, world-wide, to be one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

The survey ranks the Top 35 American Cities by its reputation regarding certain criteria, with the categories labeled Intelligent, Attractive, Tech Savvy, Sports Crazed, Diverse, Stylish, Proud of Their City, Athletic/Active, Driving Ability, Offbeat.

I am most familiar with two of the urban zones on these lists, that being Seattle and Dallas/Fort Worth.  Let's mix another Texas town with the two I'm most familiar with and see how the towns do on some of these lists.

America's Most Intelligent City is Seattle. Austin comes in at #10. Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35. I"m shocked.

America's 13th Most Diverse City is Seattle. Austin is #18. Dallas/Fort Worth did a little better with diversity than in the Intelligence department, coming in at #34.

America's 9th Most Sports Crazed City is Dallas/Fort Worth. Austin is #12. Seattle is #20.

America's 3rd Most Athletic/Active City is Seattle. Austin is almost as Athletic and Active as Seattle, at #4. Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last again, at #35.

I think I've mentioned previously that it is really amazing how many more plus-sized people there are in the D/FW zone than in the Seattle zone. Every time I'm back in the Pacific Northwest it takes me awhile to get used to most of the people looking like they've had the air let out of them. Then I fly back to Texas and its over supply of pumped up balloon people.

The town that came in at #11 with Most Attractive People is Austin. Seattle is #20.  Dallas/Fort Worth is #32.

America's #1 Tech Savvy City is Seattle. Austin is #3. And once again, Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35.

I thought for sure that D/FW would do well in the Friendly category. I thought wrong. Austin is America's 12th Most Friendly town, with Seattle #19. And Dallas/Fort Worth #30.

Austin is the 3rd Most Offbeat City in America. Seattle is #9. And once again Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35.

Combining all the categories for an Overall Ranking has Austin at #5. Seattle at #7. And once again, Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35.

Well, enough of that, you can click on the links and see the lists and all the categories.

So, now I am faced with even more of a conundrum of a mystery. As in by what criteria can Fort Worth possibly be considered one of the World's Greatest Cities?

In this Travel and Leisure survey I think it must be Dallas that brings Fort Worth down to the bottom. I'm almost certain if Fort Worth were judged without having that Dallas noose around its neck that Fort Worth would be at the top, or near it, on all these lists, because, like everyone knows, Fort Worth is one of the Greatest Cities in the World....