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Kennedy Hill and her husband, Joseph Hill, recently bought a home in the Marine Creek Ranch area of Northwest Tarrant County. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)
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By Kennedy Hill

Growing up in rural Johnson County, I yearned to live in a space where the grocery store, movies, or a store to leisurely shop wasn’t a 30-minute drive. 

I grew up traveling to Fort Worth for “special events,” such as birthday dinners, occasional shopping or to visit family. As an adult, I still found myself coming up with justifiable reasons to head into Cowtown. The appeal of urban amenities and convenience without the hassle of Dallas-inspired traffic and crowds was an easy selling point. 

My husband, Joseph, and I have a lot to thank Fort Worth for: 

We had our first date on Magnolia Avenue.

We got engaged at the Trinity Duck Pond off West 7th.

We got married at the Ball-Eddleman-McFarland house.

We have great jobs in the heart of the city.

And, we recently purchased our first home in the Marine Creek Ranch area.

When Joseph and I began house-hunting, we knew we wanted to keep a Fort Worth address. The 76179 ZIP code area is rapidly growing. As young professionals, the area has all the amenities we could ever need. We enjoy reading, nature walks and building a sense of community. Fortunately, our neighborhood seems to share the same interests. The Northwest YMCA, Fort Worth Public Library – Northwest branch, and Trinity Trails are all within close walking and driving distance. For me, this convenience makes all the difference, as I grew up having to “make a day” out of a trip into Cleburne or Burleson.

Joseph comes from Flower Mound, so while he was more acclimated with the ways of suburban living, I was eager to show him how positively different Fort Worth is. I like to think he’s come to understand the unique charm the city offers. From the streets of Camp Bowie to the old Montgomery Plaza, from South Main Street through Sundance Square, we’ve become inspired to make our mark in this city. 

Connecting with aspiring leaders and participating with nonprofits are just a couple of ways we plan to become more involved as Fort Worthians. This city is home to numerous organizations and philanthropic individuals that we hope to affiliate with to see our community thrive even more.

We look forward to getting to learn more about our new neighborhood and enjoying all of the perks Fort Worth has to offer — and showing our friends and families outside the city limits what they’re missing.

Kennedy Hill works as the advocacy manager for the Tarrant Area Food Bank. 

Marine Creek Ranch

Total population: 8,650Female: 44% | Male: 56%

Age0-9: 21%10-19: 14%20-29: 6%30-39: 21%40-49: 14%50-59: 17%60-69: 6%70-79: 0%80 and older: 1%

EducationNo degree: 3%High school: 36%Some college: 34%Bachelor’s degree: 16%Post-graduate: 11%

RaceWhite: 50% | Asian: 5% | Hispanic: 37% | Black: 6% | Two or more: 2%

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

Creekview Middle School

Ed Willkie Middle School

Greenfield Elementary

Parkview Elementary

Dozier Elementary

ILTexas Saginaw Elementary

ILTexas Saginaw Middle School

Marine Creek Collegiate High School

Marine Creek Leadership Academy

Elmer C. Watson High School

Alter Discipline Campus

Chisholm Trail High School