Living in McKinney, TX
Collin County
McKinney's distinguishing identity, genuinely different from the newer master-planned feel of Frisco or the corporate-office density of Plano, is pairing a real historic downtown -- Money Magazine named it the #1 Best Place to Live in America back in 2014, and its historic square remains the top-rated attraction in the city -- with the same fast, pandemic-era-driven new-home growth seen across northern Collin County. That combination (walkable historic core plus high-volume new construction on the edges) is McKinney's specific pitch. Housing runs around $509,723 as of mid-2026, down modestly year over year as the metro-wide new-construction supply from the boom years works through the market, positioning McKinney between Plano/Frisco's higher prices and Arlington's lower ones.
Explore McKinney in depth
- Moving to McKinney: Pros, Cons & What to Know
- Cost of Living in McKinney
- Housing Market in McKinney
- Buying a Home in McKinney
- Renting in McKinney
- Property Taxes in McKinney
- Taxes in McKinney
- Homeowners Insurance in McKinney
- Flood & Hurricane Risk in McKinney
- Climate & Weather in McKinney
- Jobs & Economy in McKinney
- Schools in McKinney
- Crime & Safety in McKinney
- Healthcare in McKinney
- Traffic & Transportation in McKinney
- Best Areas to Live in McKinney
- Pros and Cons of Living in McKinney
- Who Should / Shouldn’t Move to McKinney
- Who Should NOT Move to McKinney?
- Retiring in McKinney
- Living in McKinney for Families
- Living in McKinney for Remote Workers
- Is McKinney a Good Place to Live?
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Learn moreHousing
Cited at $509,723 as of June 2026, down 4.7% YoY; price per square foot ($203) down 3.8% YoY. 2026 coverage groups McKinney with Frisco and Prosper as pandemic-boom-era permit hotspots now seeing some of the softest pricing in the metro as that supply works through the system.
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Collin County level this session. Texas carries no income tax statewide. See the Texas hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as McKinney-specific.
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Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
A genuine, walkable historic downtown with a strong national "best place to live" reputation, not just new subdivisions; strong schools and family-oriented character repeatedly cited in outside rankings.
Cons
Housing prices are softening from the pandemic-era boom alongside Frisco and Prosper, per 2026 coverage, meaning near-term price trends are less stable than in a more mature suburb like Plano; still meaningfully car-dependent outside the historic square.
Who this fits
Best for: Families who want a genuine historic-downtown identity alongside strong schools and newer housing inventory, without Frisco's top-of-market price point.
Maybe not for you if: Buyers wanting the lowest DFW-suburb price point should look at Arlington instead; those wanting the deepest single-employer corporate draw should look at Plano.
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