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Wylie, Texas Named One Of The Best Places To Live For Families In The US

Despite the well-known 1980 ax murder, the town is thriving
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Photo: NicholasGeraldinePhotos | Shutterstock

The Fortune 25 Best Places to Live for Families has been released and the results may seem surprising. Wylie, Texas, home of the infamous 1980 ax murder, was ranked number two on the list. 

The town's quaint and picturesque landscape seems like a perfect place to settle down, and according to Fortune Well it is. But a deep and dark history of the town lies beneath the surface. 

In 1980 Candace "Candy" Lynn Montgomery was accused of murdering Betty Gore, her lover's wife. Local Profile previously reported, “In 1980, Wylie was a small Dallas suburb, a budding town of fewer than 4,000 people, compared to today’s population of over 50,000. Newspapers described a tight-knit community where everyone knew everyone else, and took pride in their hometown.” 

Montgomery was not convicted of the murder. Instead, the court decided it was self-defense. It took the jury less than four hours to find Candy Montgomery not guilty of the crime. Hulu has even picked up the story with a five-episode series. 

Today, the town still holds the same kind of historic energy and, despite the murder, it is still a great place to raise a family. In fact, Txschools.gov gave the school district an A (96 out of 100) with around 18,300 students currently enrolled. The ranking measures how much students are learning in each grade. It also shows how well the schools are preparing their students for future schooling and careers. 

Housing in Wylie is also decently affordable compared to other Dallas suburbs. The property tax rate is 56 cents per $100 and is one of the fastest-growing regions in Texas with a typical home value of $398,248. Data from Fortune Well also shows that the average commute for Wylie residents is around 36 minutes, with most residents working in or around Fort Worth. 

Despite Wylie’s dark past, the town is full of Texas history and is continuing to be a good place to raise families.