Rhome’s shift from rural town to commuter-friendly suburb
Big changes are coming to the little town of Rhome, a quiet community of roughly 2,000 on the edge of rural Wise County. It’s less than 30 miles north of Fort Worth, firmly within Texas’s North Central Plains, a region known for vast prairies, ranchland and rolling hills. Historically, Rhome was a farming community, but it’s grown into a commuter town. Reunion, a master-planned community being developed on the south side, will solidify that vibe, bringing suburban convenience – and an H-E-B – to Rhome.
Older homes and new builds offer a wide range of price points
The median price for a home in Rhome is in the very low $300,000s, which is the starting point for most move-in-ready houses, according to lifelong local Andra Beatty, a Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall-of-Famer and owner of Andra Beatty Real Estate. Houses here tend to sell after 6 weeks on the market, about 9 days quicker than the national average, fostering some good competition. The community offers a mix of homes, from late-20th-century ranch-style and brick houses to contemporary cottages, farmhouses and custom luxury homes. Prices generally run from the low $200,000s to the mid $700,000s; however, properties with bigger floor plans, larger lots and new-construction customization can drive sales well over $800,000.
Additional homebuying costs to consider include HOA fees, which are standard among the neighborhood’s new-construction subdivisions, as well as flood insurance. Like many areas in North Central Texas, parts of Rhome can experience strong storms from time to time. FEMA designates certain zones for potential flooding, so some homes may require flood insurance for federally backed loans. A good local agent can help you understand what applies to a specific property.
New communities offer a more suburban feel than older, spread-out home
The median lot size in Rhome is under a fifth of an acre because most of what’s sold recently are houses in new-construction communities, which tend to put houses closer together. Homebuyers looking for acreage should peruse Rhome’s older housing stock, including ranch styles from the 1970s and ‘80s, as well as 1990s and early-2000s New Traditional brick homes. You have a better chance of getting around an acre or more with these properties, but multiacre lots remain scarce.
Shale Creek and Reunion are two new-construction communities that joined Rhome in the 2020s. Reunion is the larger development. With a $3.5-billion budget, the master-planned community is slated to offer nature-focused living, resort-style amenities and over 10,000 Modern Transitional homes.
Rhome students are a short drive from local schools
The top-rated Northwest Independent School District serves Rhome with limited open enrollment, meaning intradistrict transfers are approved on a case-by-case basis. Acceptance is often hinged on academic, behavioral and attendance benchmarks, as well as whether the selected school has enough room. “Northwest ISD is a great school district,” Beatty says. “It owns its own ranch; land with hills, creeks, barns – everything. They use it as an outdoor learning center.” Highly rated schools serving Rhome include:
- Sevens Hills Elementary (in town)
- Chisholm Trail Middle (in town)
- Northwest High (about 10 miles away)
“I was just driving some clients past Northwest High School the other day. They’re from California, so they’re like, ‘oh, what college is that?’” Beatty says with a laugh. “I said, ‘Oh, no, that’s a high school. We love our high school football.’ Tennis, football, track, basketball – Northwest does a great job with sports.”
A family park and local eats give Rhome a small-town feel
Rhome Family Park is a community green space along Virginia Lane, a residential street near the heart of town. Between boxelder and oak trees, the grassy area has a swing set and walking trails. Nearby, Veterans Memorial Park commemorates all those lost to war in a quiet, landscaped area with several benches for rest and reflection.
The commercial scene in Rhome is small, but it is not without options. There’s a go-to for pick-me-ups: Good Morning Doughnuts. Up the road, 5WTX Field Kitchen is a new lunchtime food truck slinging smash burgers, chuckwagon chicken sandwiches and more. Another hamburger joint, Giant Burger, has been a fast-food staple for years. Other dine-in and take-out options in town are El Sazón Tex Mex Restaurant, Taco Casa and MrJims.Pizza. Currently, shopping is limited to gas station markets, but in early 2025, Rhome announced plans to add an H-E-B store.
Driving is the main way to get around in rural Rhome
Rhome is car-dependent. State Highway 114 and U.S. Route 287 are the main ways in and out of town. Highway 114 connects to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, roughly 30 miles away. Taking Route 287, which merges with Interstate 35W, Fort Worth is within a roughly 25-mile drive, while Dallas is a little over 50 miles away.
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Written By
Micaela Willoughby
