QTS Fort Worth DC-1

The Dallas-Fort Worth economy spans tech (Texas Instruments, AT&T's headquarters), oil and gas services, defense and aerospace (Lockheed Martin's F-35 line), banking, and freight logistics. The pro-business climate, cheap land, and direct-current power availability have made DFW one of the two or three fastest-growing data center markets in the country. The 40 tracked facilities are the largest count in this dataset, with major campuses from QTS, CyrusOne, Stack, Equinix, and others concentrated in Garland, Richardson, and Dallas proper.

The trades labor market is large (170,610) but priced for a non-union state. Electricians earn $59,010 median — notably below Chicago or even the national average — while HVAC technicians earn nearly the same at $59,560. The deepest pool is maintenance and repair at 39,740 workers, which is a meaningful entry point for facility technician roles that don't require an electrician's license. Network admins clear $103,260, and the metro has a sizable IT support pipeline at 22,600 workers.

For a trades worker, DFW offers volume over wage premium. The opportunity flow is unmatched among growth markets, but pay lags Chicago or Northern Virginia. Best for HVAC technicians, maintenance workers, and operations techs willing to trade union benefits for sheer hiring velocity, with cost of living offsetting some of the wage gap.