Moving to McKinney, TX: What It’s Really Like (2026)

McKinney is the Collin County city with two personalities. Near the center is a historic downtown square with local shops, restaurants and tree-lined older streets. Spread around it, especially to the west and north, are newer master-planned neighborhoods that look a lot like Frisco. McKinney’s Realust Score is 85, and it rarely wins a category outright but finishes near the top in most of them.

Here’s what living in McKinney is really like in 2026, using Realust data and official city and school sources.

McKinney at a glance

How big is McKinney?

The Census Bureau estimates McKinney had 236,001 residents in July 2025, and the city’s own estimate is 237,130 as of January 2026, roughly the same size as Frisco. Realust measures about 16.6% growth over five years. Newer subdivisions ring the city, while the area around downtown is older and more established.

Housing and what it costs

McKinney’s median home price is $600,000, or about $221 per square foot, the lowest price per foot of the five cities we profile. The typical home was built around 2018 on a lot of about 13,800 square feet. Starter homes run around $425,000 and premium homes around $827,000. Near downtown you’ll find older homes with character; farther out, newer builds.

Prices have cooled, down 6.8% over the past year and up 37.1% over five years. Homes sell in a median of 66 days at about 97.5% of asking. Median rent is $1,794 a month, against an estimated $3,220 monthly payment to buy.

For taxes, the city rate is $0.412284 per $100 of value for FY2025-26, slightly lower than the year before. McKinney ISD’s 2025-26 rate is $1.1043, and the district has a tax rate election on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. Exemptions vary by taxing unit, so check what the city, county and school district each offer for your situation. About one in six homes has an HOA, averaging $107 a month.

Schools

McKinney ISD earns an A- in our data, ranks in the top 29% of Texas districts and has a 98.1% graduation rate. There are 14 A-rated campuses in the city.

School zoning is more complicated here than in most nearby cities. The city’s GIS maps show seven districts inside McKinney: McKinney, Frisco, Prosper, Allen, Lovejoy, Melissa and Celina ISDs. Two homes a mile apart can attend different districts with different tax rates, so check the exact address before you buy.

Safety

McKinney’s Safety score is 80, with a B grade. Its property crime rate is about 8.15 incidents per 1,000 residents, lower than Frisco (10.03) or Plano (14.66). Violent crime is about 1.17 per 1,000.

Getting around

McKinney is 33.3 miles from downtown Dallas, and the average commute in our data is 27 minutes. US-75 and SH 121 are the main routes. There’s no DART service; public transit is a subsidized taxi program for seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income residents.

Two changes are coming. McKinney National Airport opens its new four-gate passenger terminal on Nov. 11, 2026, with service on Avelo Airlines, so McKinney residents will have a commercial airport in town. And TxDOT is widening Spur 399 and planning a new US 380 freeway bypass, which means construction for years: Spur 399 is expected to finish in late 2029, and US 380 construction dates are still to be determined.

Jobs and the economy

McKinney’s largest employers include Raytheon, Globe Life, Independent Financial and Encore Wire, according to the McKinney Economic Development Corporation. In our data, 21.8% of residents work from home and the median household income is $113,286.

Day-to-day life

Downtown McKinney is the city’s calling card. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and has been a Texas Main Street city since 2003, with independent shops, restaurants, festivals and farmers markets around the historic courthouse square. The city also has about 80 miles of hike-and-bike trails and nearly 3,000 acres of parks and open space. McKinney’s Lifestyle score is 89, tied with Frisco and Plano.

The honest tradeoffs

• Road construction. Spur 399 and US 380 projects will run for years.
• Tax changes in play. McKinney ISD has a tax rate election on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.
• Airport noise. Commercial flights are new; check flight paths before buying near the airport.
• Complicated school zoning across seven districts.

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Who McKinney fits

• Buyers who want balance: good schools, low crime and a real downtown at a lower price than Frisco.
• People who value character and community events over brand-new everything.
• Commuters to Allen, Plano or Frisco rather than downtown Dallas.

McKinney may not fit if you need transit or a short drive to Dallas. See how McKinney compares with Frisco and Plano, put it side by side with Allen and Frisco, or explore the full McKinney city page.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: McKinney city, Texas
• City of McKinney: Demographics
• City of McKinney: FY2025-26 tax rate
• McKinney ISD: Election 2026 financial information
• City of McKinney: School district boundaries (GIS)
• City of McKinney: Airport passenger terminal opening
• TxDOT: Spur 399 project update
• TxDOT: Collin County projects in design (Q4 2025)
• DCTA: Collin County Transit
• McKinney EDC: Notable employers
• City of McKinney: Main Street
• National Park Service: McKinney Commercial Historic District
• City of McKinney: Parks and trails

Realust figures (scores, prices, days on market, crime rates, commute, school grades) are from Realust data as of October 2026; the comparison table updates live. Tax rates, population and project dates are from the official sources listed above. Rates change every year, so confirm with the appraisal district before you buy.