Moving to North Texas: The Complete 2026 Guide

North Texas keeps growing at a pace few places can match. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest estimates show the Dallas-Fort Worth metro adding about 123,500 people in a single year, the second-biggest gain of any metro in the country. The North Central Texas Council of Governments puts the wider region at nearly 9 million residents as of January 2026.

Here’s the problem most of those newcomers run into: DFW isn’t one place. It’s dozens of separate cities, each with its own school district, tax rate, police department and personality. Even people who’ve lived here for years usually know their own suburb well and the rest only by reputation. This guide is the map we wish everyone had before they started looking at houses. It covers the four counties Realust tracks, what each budget actually buys, commutes, schools, taxes, weather, and a checklist for your first 90 days, using Realust data on 84 cities.

Why people are moving here

Jobs come first. According to the Dallas Regional Chamber, DFW has added about 450,000 net new jobs this decade, more than any other U.S. metro, and logged 87 notable corporate relocations and expansions in 2025 alone, spread across 26 different cities. Finance has become a big part of the story: the Texas Stock Exchange started trading from Dallas in July 2026, and NYSE and Nasdaq have both opened Texas operations. The local nickname is “Y’all Street.”

Then there’s cost. Texas has no state income tax, and the metro median home value is well below the national figure. Add a central location (two major airports, and roughly three-and-a-half-hour flights to either coast) and it’s easy to see why people keep coming.

The honest flip side: growth brings traffic, construction and crowded schools in the fastest-growing towns. And because Texas doesn’t tax income, it leans on property taxes, which are among the highest in the country. We’ll get to the real numbers below.

The lay of the land: four counties, four personalities

Realust covers the four counties north and east of downtown Dallas, where most families relocating to the Dallas side of the metroplex end up looking. (Fort Worth and Tarrant County are the other half of DFW and deserve their own guide.) Each county has a distinct feel, and knowing which one fits you narrows the search fast.

Collin County is where most of the headline growth is happening. It added 64,703 residents in 2025, more than any other county in the region, according to NCTCOG, and Celina alone added nearly 17,000. Older suburbs like Plano (82, $493K) and Richardson (77, $439K) anchor the south end, while Frisco (90, $639K), Prosper (93, $758K) and Celina (88, $512K) keep pushing new rooftops north.

Denton County mixes very different places. Denton (72, $347K) is a genuine college town with two universities and a live-music scene. Little Elm (79, $394K) and Lewisville (75, $387K) sit on Lewisville Lake. Argyle (91, $596K), Bartonville (95, $1.42M) and Trophy Club (92, $693K) are big-lot, low-density towns with some of the highest Safety scores in the region.

Dallas County is the most urban and the most affordable. The city of Dallas (69, $306K) scores 83 on Commute but 49 on Safety citywide, a number that hides huge differences between neighborhoods. Around it, University Park (97, $2.47M) and Highland Park (93, $3.04M) are the old-money enclaves, while Coppell (89, $612K), Sachse (82, $428K) and Carrollton (76, $401K) offer established neighborhoods close to jobs.

Rockwall County is small but scores the highest on average. Rockwall (83, $475K) and Heath (94, $707K) are lake towns, Fate (84, $355K) is a strong-value newer suburb (Affordability 93), and Royse City (76, $309K) is one of the cheapest entry points on the east side.

Pick a lifestyle first, then a city

Most people start with a city name they’ve heard. A better starting point is the daily life you want. Do you want to walk to dinner, or have an acre? Drive 15 minutes to work, or trade a longer commute for a newer house? Answer that first, and the shortlist almost writes itself.

Want a faster shortcut? Take the 90-second city quiz. It weighs your answers against all 84 cities and gives you a ranked shortlist.

What your budget buys

The median home price across the 84 cities is about $407K, and most of them cluster between $300,000 and $500,000. The surprise for many newcomers is how good the options are in that range: Allen (86, $485K), Melissa (85, $422K) and McKinney (84, $472K) all score in the mid-80s with medians under $490,000.

A city median is a starting point, not a promise. Every city has older homes below its median and new construction well above it. Still, the pattern is clear: only nine of the 84 cities have a median above $700,000, and the top-scoring cities aren’t all the most expensive. Fate (84) has a median of $355K.

Timing helps buyers right now. After the run-up of the early 2020s, DFW prices have flattened or slipped in many areas. Realtor.com reported that about a quarter of DFW listings had a price cut in May 2026, and Redfin showed roughly twice as many sellers as buyers in early summer. That usually means more room to negotiate on price, closing costs or a rate buydown.

Go deeper: Best places to live under $400K · Most affordable cities · All 84 cities ranked

The real monthly cost: taxes, insurance and utilities

The sticker price is only part of it. Three costs catch newcomers off guard.

Property tax. Combined rates in most of these cities land around 1.8% to 2.5% of assessed value a year, roughly double what many states charge. Three things soften it. The school district homestead exemption is $140,000 (raised by Texas voters in 2025), with another $60,000 for homeowners 65 and older or disabled. Once you have a homestead, your taxable value can’t rise more than 10% a year. And protesting your appraisal every spring is normal and often works. The catch: many new subdivisions carry an extra MUD or PID assessment on top of the city rate, so always ask for the total rate on the exact address.

Home insurance. North Texas sits in one of the most hail-prone parts of the country, and roof claims drive premiums. Insurance.com’s 2026 analysis puts the average Texas policy at about $4,085 a year for $300,000 of dwelling coverage, far above the national norm. Get quotes before you make an offer, and ask about the roof’s age and material.

Electricity. Most of the area is deregulated: Oncor owns the lines, and you choose a retail plan yourself, usually through the state’s Power to Choose site. Watch for teaser rates. A few cities, including Garland and Denton, run their own utilities. Plan for high summer bills, since the AC runs from June through September.

Run your own numbers with the True Cost calculator, which estimates the full monthly payment (mortgage, tax by school district, insurance and HOA) for any city, or read North Texas property taxes, explained.

Getting around

DFW is built around the car. Freeways are wide and traffic is real, especially on US-75, I-35E and the Dallas North Tollway at rush hour. Toll roads are a fact of life in the northern suburbs: the Dallas North Tollway, the President George Bush Turnpike and the Sam Rayburn Tollway connect most of them, and a TollTag pays automatically at the lowest rate.

Transit is growing, though few households go car-free. DART light rail reaches Plano, Richardson, Garland, Carrollton and other suburbs, and the new Silver Line, which opened in October 2025, connects east Plano to DFW Airport through Richardson, Addison, Carrollton and Coppell. If you fly often or work near a station, that changes the math.

The biggest trade-off in North Texas is closer in versus newer. Cities with the best Commute scores tend to be older and slower-growing. The fast-growing towns are farther out. The chart shows the pattern.

A practical tip: before you commit to a city, drive the commute at 7:45 on a weekday. A route that takes 25 minutes on a Saturday can easily take 50. Go deeper: Best Dallas suburbs for commuting.

Schools and school districts

Schools are the top reason families pick one suburb over another, and North Texas has some of the strongest public districts in the state. The thing to know: school district lines don’t follow city lines. Frisco ISD, for example, also serves parts of Plano, McKinney and Little Elm, while some Frisco addresses are zoned to Prosper, Lewisville or Little Elm ISD. Always check the assigned schools for the specific address, not the city name on the listing.

Realust’s Schools score blends district ratings, test results and other measures into one number per city. These five lead the 84:

Go deeper: Best cities for schools in North Texas.

Safety

Most of the suburbs here are safe by national standards, and many of the small towns are exceptionally so. Citywide numbers can mislead in both directions, though. A large city like Dallas has some of the safest neighborhoods in the region alongside some of the most challenged, which is why its citywide Safety score (49) says little about any single street. For smaller towns without their own police department, Realust uses the county sheriff’s rate and labels it as an estimate.

Go deeper: Safest cities in North Texas · Safest cities under $500K.

Where the growth is

The center of the region keeps moving north. Over the last five years, Realust’s data shows Celina‘s population roughly tripling, with Princeton, Melissa and Anna not far behind. Fast growth brings new schools, H-E-B and Costco openings, and rising home values, but also years of road construction and the occasional overcrowded campus while the infrastructure catches up.

If you’re buying in a fast-growing town, look at what’s planned nearby: a new highway interchange can help your commute, and a new distribution center can change your view. Realust tracks new employers, roads and schools city by city.

Go deeper: What’s being built in North Texas · Cities with the most new projects · Fastest-growing cities · New vs. used homes

Here’s how three very different choices stack up, one established, one growing, one on the lake:

The weather, honestly

Summer is the adjustment. DFW averages about 17 days a year at 100 degrees or hotter, mostly in July and August, and the humidity means nights don’t cool off much. Spring brings big thunderstorms, hail and the occasional tornado warning. Every few winters an ice storm shuts the region down for a day or two.

In exchange, fall and spring are genuinely great, winters are mild, and you’ll use your patio from March to November. Most transplants say the trade is worth it. Budget for a good roof, a working AC and, if you can, a pool.

Your moving checklist

Texas gives new residents 30 days to register a vehicle and 90 days to get a Texas driver’s license. Since 2025, most passenger cars no longer need a separate safety inspection, but cars registered in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Rockwall counties still need an emissions test.

Keep exploring

Frequently asked questions

What is the best place to live in North Texas?

It depends on what you value, but by Realust Score the top cities are University Park (97), Bartonville and Lucas (95), and Heath and Parker (94). For a mix of strong scores and more typical prices, look at Allen, McKinney, Melissa, Wylie and Fate, which all score 83 to 86 with medians under $500,000.

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas than in other big metros?

For most households, yes. The DFW metro median home value is about $395,000, below the national median, and Texas has no state income tax. Property taxes and home insurance are higher than in many states, so compare the full monthly cost, not just the price.

Which county is best for families?

Collin County has the most suburbs with high Schools scores and the most new construction. Rockwall County has the highest average Realust Score of the four. Denton County offers lake towns and big-lot towns, and Dallas County has the shortest commutes and lowest prices.

How long do I have to get a Texas driver’s license after moving?

New residents have 90 days to get a Texas driver’s license from the Department of Public Safety and 30 days to register their vehicle. In Collin, Dallas, Denton and Rockwall counties, the car needs to pass an emissions test before registration.

How high are property taxes around Dallas?

Combined rates in most suburbs are about 1.8% to 2.5% of assessed value a year. A $140,000 school district homestead exemption and a 10% annual cap on taxable value increases help homeowners. New subdivisions may add a MUD or PID assessment, so check the rate for the specific address.

Do I need a car to live in North Texas?

Almost certainly. DART light rail and the new Silver Line serve Dallas and several suburbs, but most errands, schools and jobs are easiest to reach by car. Plano, Dallas, Denton, Carrollton and Richardson score highest on Commute among the larger cities.

---

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 metro estimates (March 2026), as reported by Hoodline; North Central Texas Council of Governments 2026 population estimates (May 2026); Dallas Regional Chamber economic development review (2025 results); Texas Tribune and Texas Bankers Association (Texas Stock Exchange launch, July 2026); Zillow Home Value Index for DFW (May 2026), as reported by Opendoor; Realtor.com and Redfin market data (May to June 2026), as reported by DFW Housing Weekly; Insurance.com state premium analysis (2026); KERA and Railway Journal (DART Silver Line, October 2025); Texas DMV and Texas DPS (new-resident rules, emissions counties and the 2025 safety inspection change); National Weather Service Fort Worth (100-degree days). City prices and scores are Realust data as of October 2026 and update on each city page. Tax figures are estimates; check with your appraisal district or a tax professional.