Westlake is a small town straddling Denton and Tarrant counties on the northwestern side of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Incorporated in 1956, it has long had a split identity: a tiny residential population alongside an outsized corporate and commercial footprint. The town's growth was shaped by the Circle T Ranch and, notably, the development of the Solana office complex, which brought major employers to Westlake and established it as a corporate destination within the region.
Solana, a large master-planned business park, has historically housed significant corporate operations—including IBM, Verizon, and Mercedes-Benz Credit—and remains the center of the town's commercial identity. The presence of such employers means Westlake's daytime population and economic activity far exceed its residential base, a defining and unusual characteristic for a town of its size.
Residential development is concentrated in a handful of upscale, master-planned communities. Vaquero is a gated golf-course community of luxury estates with resort-style amenities and around-the-clock security, while Terra Bella offers a family-oriented setting with open space and walking trails. The broader area near Trophy Club, Southlake, and Roanoke provides additional housing, shopping, and services.
Education is a particular draw. Westlake operates Westlake Academy, a municipally run open-enrollment charter school serving grades K through 12 and designated an International Baccalaureate World School. Depending on address, students may instead be zoned to Keller ISD, Carroll ISD, or Northwest ISD. Westlake thus attracts executives and families seeking proximity to corporate campuses, top-rated schools, and high-end residential communities in the northern Fort Worth corridor. Its location near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and the State Highway 114 corridor further reinforces its role as a corporate and residential enclave within the Metroplex.
