Frisco and Plano sit side by side on the Dallas North Tollway, and they are the two cities people compare most when moving to Collin County. One is the fast-growing newer suburb; the other is the established city closer to Dallas. Both rank well on Realust, but they win on very different things.
Here’s how they compare across the eight categories in the Realust Score. The table updates live as our data does.
At a glance
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Higher scores for schools, safety and growth. The typical home is worth $638,512, and most were built after 2010.
About $145,000 cheaper, 9 miles closer to downtown Dallas, served by DART rail and the most walkable city in our data.
Money: what you pay and what you get
Zillow puts the typical Frisco home at $638,512, about $145,000 more than Plano’s $493,092. With 20% down at today’s 7.40% rate, that’s roughly $3,537 a month in principal and interest in Frisco versus $2,731 in Plano: a gap of about $800 a month before taxes and insurance. The extra money buys more space: Frisco homes average 3,289 square feet, against 2,487 in Plano.
Even so, the two land almost level on Affordability (77 for Frisco, 76 for Plano), because Realust weighs price against local incomes. Half of Frisco households earn $150K or more, compared with 36.4% in Plano.
Tax rates are close. Frisco’s city rate is $0.425517 per $100 (flat for a ninth straight year) and Frisco ISD’s is $1.0194; Plano’s city rate is $0.4376 and Plano ISD’s is about $1.03. Both cities offer a 20% homestead exemption on the city portion. HOAs are the bigger difference: 45.5% of Plano homes in our data carry one, averaging $224 a month, against 17.5% in Frisco at $111.
- Is the $800-a-month difference buying space and newness you’ll use, or would you rather keep it?
- Have you priced the full payment, with tax, insurance and HOA, for the specific homes you like?
Schools
Frisco ISD scores higher in our data: rated 9.0 out of 10, ahead of 97% of Texas districts, with a 98.8% graduation rate. Plano ISD is rated 6.9, ahead of 76% of districts, with a 94.5% graduation rate. That’s a 90 versus 84 Schools score.
Plano ISD is shrinking: enrollment is expected to fall to about 41,830 students, and the district is closing four campuses. Frisco ISD is still adding students. District lines also don’t follow city lines: parts of Frisco are zoned to Prosper, Lewisville and Little Elm ISDs, and parts of west Plano to Lewisville ISD. Check the campuses for any address you’re considering.
Safety
Frisco reports lower crime on both measures: 1.09 violent and 8.79 property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025, against 1.49 and 12.12 in Plano. Both are low for cities their size. Frisco’s Safety score is 83; Plano’s is 76.
Getting around
This is where Plano wins. It’s 19.3 miles from downtown Dallas versus 28.4 for Frisco, the average commute is 25 minutes against 29, and its Walk Score of 92 is the highest in our data (Frisco: 80). Plano is also a DART city, with Red and Orange Line rail and the new Silver Line to DFW Airport. Frisco isn’t in DART; it relies on roads, plus a GoZone on-demand rideshare zone.
- Will you commute downtown, or mostly stay north?
- Would rail access change how you get to work or the airport?
Growth and the market
Frisco’s population grew about 24% in five years; Plano’s grew about 1%, because it’s essentially built out. That shows in the housing: the median Frisco home was built in 2017, the median Plano home in 1994. Growth brings new schools, shops and the Universal Kids Resort, which opened in July 2026, along with construction and traffic. Plano’s change now comes from redevelopment, like Collin Creek and AT&T’s planned headquarters move.
Both markets have cooled: values are down 4.1% in Frisco and 3.8% in Plano over the past year, but up 17.8% and 15.8% over five years. Plano homes sell faster (63 days versus 72) and edge Frisco on Market, 79 to 75.
Lifestyle: a tie
Both score 89. Frisco is built around sports and entertainment, with stadiums, team headquarters and newer town centers. Plano offers an established dining scene, Legacy West and a big trail and nature-preserve system. Spend a Saturday in each.
So which one?
- Choose Frisco if schools, newer homes and more space top your list and the higher price fits your budget.
- Choose Plano if you want to be closer to Dallas, value walkability and rail, and want to spend about $800 less a month for a typical home.
Our overall scores put Frisco at 90 (tied for No. 12 in North Texas) and Plano at 82 (tied for No. 29). Frisco wins five categories, Plano two, with one tie. If commute and price matter more to you than schools and growth, the gap narrows. Set your own weights, or put them side by side on the compare page.
Sources
- City of Frisco: Property tax rates and school districts in the city
- Community Impact: Frisco approves flat tax rate for FY2026-27
- City of Frisco: 20% homestead exemption
- Frisco ISD: Tax rate history
- Community Impact: Plano proposes holding its tax rate for FY2026-27
- Republic Title: 2025 DFW tax rates and exemptions
- Murphy Monitor: Plano ISD 2026-27 tax rate and enrollment
- NBC DFW: Plano ISD to close four campuses
- Lewisville ISD: Communities served
- DART: Silver Line launch
- City of Frisco: Transit and GoZone rideshare
- Visit Frisco: Universal Kids Resort opening
- NBC DFW: AT&T moving HQ to Plano
- Collin Creek: Redevelopment update
Realust figures (scores, typical home values, estimated payments, days on market, crime rates, commute times, school ratings) are from Realust data as of October 2026. Home values are Zillow’s typical home value; estimated payments are principal and interest with 20% down at a 7.40% 30-year rate; crime rates are FBI 2025 reports per 1,000 residents. The comparison table updates live. Tax rates and project dates come from the official sources listed above. Rates change every year, so confirm with the appraisal district before you buy.