McKinney, Texas
The county seat of Collin County and one of the largest, most established cities in the North Corridor, McKinney pairs a genuinely historic downtown square with decades of steady, significant growth. It's a city where a well-preserved past and a fast-growing present sit comfortably side by side.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized for web. Original available at source.
Photo: Mistermckinney · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized for web. Original available at source.
Photo: Jedrollins · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized for web. Original available at source.
Photo: Prianxi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized for web. Original available at source.
McKinney at a glance
- Median sale price (May 2026)
- $481,000, down 2.8% year over year
- County
- Collin (county seat)
- School district
- Varies significantly by address, see note below
- Population (2020 Census)
- 195,308; current estimates generally cited between roughly 207,000 and 243,000
- Median household income
- Approximately $124,000
- Commute to Downtown Dallas
- 33 to 37 minutes, traffic-dependent
A note on school district: only about two-thirds of McKinney residents actually attend McKinney ISD. The remaining third is split across Frisco, Prosper, Allen, Melissa, Lovejoy, and Celina ISDs depending on the specific address, which is genuinely important to confirm before a buyer falls in love with a home.
McKinney's housing market is genuinely diverse, ranging from historic homes near the downtown square to newer master-planned communities on the city's edges. As Collin County's third-largest city and one of the most established in this guide series, McKinney offers meaningfully more resale inventory and a wider range of price points than newer, still-developing cities in the corridor. Contact me for current insights on pricing and pace in the specific area you're considering.
How McKinney is moving right now
- $200,000 to $299,999
- 6.4%
- $300,000 to $399,999
- 21.0%
- $400,000 to $499,999
- 25.8%
- $500,000 to $749,999
- 34.1%
- $750,000 to $999,999
- 7.1%
- $1,000,000 and above
- 5.6%
- Days on market
- 43
- Days to close
- 30
- Total days
- 73
Source: Texas REALTOR Data Relevance Project via Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center. May 2026.
Is this community right for you?
- Want genuine historic character alongside modern amenities, not just a newly built downtown
- Value a wider mix of home types and price points than newer, single-phase master-planned cities
- Are drawn to walkable, small-square charm with real local businesses and history behind it
- Want established, mature neighborhoods with decades of settled infrastructure
- Care about school quality but want flexibility to shop across multiple highly regarded districts depending on address
- Want to guarantee your child attends McKinney ISD specifically, confirm the exact attendance zone for any home you're considering
- Are looking primarily for brand-new construction (consider Prosper or Celina instead)
- Need the shortest possible commute to Dallas or Fort Worth
- Prefer a single, unified master-planned community identity over a more varied, historically layered city
What buyers are actually seeing
| Home type | Typical price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Townhomes / condos | Contact for current range | Limited inventory relative to single-family. |
| Single-family, historic / established | Contact for current range | Concentrated near the downtown square. |
| Single-family, master-planned | Contact for current range | Newer communities on the city's edges. |
| Luxury / estate | Contact for current range | Larger lots and custom builds across multiple areas. |
Typical home prices are a general guide and vary by neighborhood and market conditions. Contact me for current insights.
Source: NTREIS. Refreshed quarterly.
Getting to work, the airport, and downtown
McKinney sits along US-75 with strong access to the Sam Rayburn Tollway and US-380. Commute times here are meaningfully shorter than the corridor's northernmost cities, without giving up small-town character.
US-75 (Central Expressway), Sam Rayburn Tollway (SH 121), US-380.
McKinney National Airport (TKI), a city-owned general aviation airport handling 300 to 700 flights a day, is set to begin commercial passenger service through Avelo Airlines in November 2026, with routes to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Tampa. These are general planning estimates, not a substitute for checking real-time traffic.
The story behind the growth
McKinney is the county seat of Collin County and, at roughly 195,000 residents as of the 2020 Census, was ranked by the U.S. Census Bureau as the nation's fourth fastest-growing large city from 2010 to 2019. It's now Collin County's third-largest city, behind only Plano and Frisco.
One detail matters more here than in almost any other city in this guide series: only about two-thirds of McKinney residents actually attend McKinney Independent School District. The remaining third is split across Frisco, Prosper, Allen, Melissa, Lovejoy, and Celina ISDs depending on the specific neighborhood. Six of these seven districts ranked in the top 5 percent of school districts nationally in Niche's 2023 rankings, a genuinely strong showing, but it means the specific address matters enormously for school assignment in McKinney in a way it simply doesn't in a single-district city.
McKinney is also home to McKinney National Airport, a city-owned general aviation facility handling 300 to 700 flights a day. In January 2025, the city approved a $72 million project to build a commercial airline terminal, and Avelo Airlines is set to begin commercial passenger service from McKinney in November 2026, a genuinely rare amenity for a city of this size.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Wikipedia (McKinney, Texas), Niche 2023 Best School Districts rankings, McKinney ISD public accountability data, The Dallas Morning News.
Four places that define the city
Historic Downtown McKinney Square
A well-preserved historic square with local shops, restaurants, and year-round events.
McKinney National Airport
A major general aviation facility soon adding commercial passenger service via Avelo Airlines.
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
A 289-acre wildlife sanctuary with five miles of hiking trails, one of the city's most distinctive attractions.
The Historic Masonic Lodge
Home to Harvest at the Masonic, a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant inside a restored 19th-century building.
The range of homes you'll find here
McKinney offers a genuinely wide range of housing, from historic homes within walking distance of the downtown square to newer master-planned communities on the city's edges. As one of the more established cities in this guide series, McKinney has meaningfully more resale inventory and architectural variety than newer, still-developing communities in the corridor.
Neighborhood fit depends on your budget, commute, and priorities. For a curated shortlist matched to your budget, lifestyle, and preferred school district, book a Clarity Call.
A day and a weekend in McKinney
- Morning
Coffee and a pastry at Filtered, then breakfast at Layered, both right off the historic square.
- Afternoon
A walk or bike ride on the Erwin Park Trail, or time at Towne Lake Park.
- Evening
Dinner at Harvest at the Masonic for something memorable, or Cadillac Pizza Pub for a livelier, casual night with live music.
- Weekend
Browse Fair and Square Imports downtown, grab dessert at Emporium Pies, and check what's playing at The Sanctuary Music & Events. Each February, don't miss Krewe of Barkus, McKinney's own Mardi Gras dog parade.
Where I actually send clients
Facts you can only say about here
- Ranked the nation's fourth fastest-growing large city from 2010 to 2019 by the U.S. Census Bureau
- Collin County's third-largest city, and its county seat
- A rare case in this guide series where school district assignment varies block by block, with six different ISDs serving McKinney residents
- Home to a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant, Harvest at the Masonic, inside a restored 19th-century Masonic Lodge
- McKinney National Airport is adding commercial passenger service via Avelo Airlines starting November 2026
- Hosts Krewe of Barkus, a 24-plus-year-running Mardi Gras dog parade
How McKinney sits next to its neighbors
Genuine historic character and a wider range of home types vs. a more built-out, uniformly modern amenity base.
Read the guide →Larger and more historically layered vs. more compact and consistently master-planned.
Read the guide →Established resale inventory and multiple school district options vs. earlier-stage new construction.
Read the guide →Common questions before you commit
One of the first questions I ask clients considering McKinney isn't about square footage, it's about how they want their everyday life to feel. The right community isn't always the one with the newest homes or the biggest amenities. It's the one that supports the life you're building. That's the conversation I enjoy having.
Sometimes that conversation confirms McKinney. Other times it leads us somewhere entirely different. My goal isn't to steer you toward one city, it's to help you make a decision you'll still feel good about years from now.
If you could have genuine historic character, a wider range of home types, and more school district options to choose from, but with less consistency in amenities than a single, unified master-planned community, would that tradeoff be worth it for the life you're building?
Not sure if McKinney is your best fit? One conversation can often save weeks of touring the wrong neighborhoods, especially here, where school district can change from one street to the next. Book a Housing Clarity Call and we'll compare McKinney with other North Dallas communities based on your commute, lifestyle, priorities, and long-term goals.
Housing Clarity City Guide
Pick a time that works for you.
A short, no pressure conversation to understand your goals and give you a clear next step, whether you are buying, selling, or simply exploring your options.
Book directly on Calendly (opens in a new tab)Loading calendar