Best Dallas Suburbs Compared

Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney sit within a short drive of one another north of Dallas and still differ in ways that matter when you choose where to live. The difference shows up in the numbers before it shows up on the street: Plano is the oldest and slowest growing of the four, Frisco has the highest incomes and home values, Allen is the smallest and has the most owner-occupied homes, and McKinney is the fastest growing. Which one is best depends on what you are optimizing for, and this guide lays out the figures so you can decide for your own household.

The comparison uses U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, which publishes population estimates for July 2025 and survey data averaged over 2020 to 2024. These are city-wide figures, so they describe the typical resident, not any particular street. Treat them as a starting point for a shortlist, then check addresses one at a time.

The four suburbs side by side

Home values, incomes, rent, ownership, education, commute and household size are 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey five year estimates, with income in 2024 dollars. Growth percentages are calculated from the two population figures.

What the numbers say

Growth: three cities are still adding people fast

Plano added roughly 7,500 residents since 2020, which is a small gain on a base of nearly 290,000. Frisco added about 36,000 and McKinney about 41,000, each close to a fifth of its 2020 population. Allen grew by about 8,800.

For a mover, growth has practical meaning. Fast growing cities tend to have more new construction and more new communities, some with their own rules for move in days, truck access and parking. In a slower growing city like Plano, expect fewer new developments, so ask about access address by address.

Price: Frisco stands apart

The median home value in Frisco is $642,100, which is roughly $170,000 to $180,000 above Plano, Allen and McKinney. Those three sit within about $8,000 of one another, between $464,100 and $471,800.

Value alone says little, so it helps to set it against income. Dividing the median home value by the median household income gives a rough price to income ratio:

On this crude measure, Allen is the easiest of the four relative to local income, and Plano and Frisco are the most stretched. The measure mixes owners and renters and ignores interest rates and taxes, so use it to compare cities with each other, not to judge whether a specific house fits your finances.

Income and education: Frisco leads, Plano is second on schooling

Frisco has the highest median household income, $150,212, and the highest share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, 67.5 percent. Plano has the second highest share, 60.5 percent, although its income is the lowest of the four at $112,253. That fits Plano’s larger share of renters, though the figures alone do not explain it.

Renting versus owning

Allen has the highest owner-occupancy rate at 69.4 percent. Plano has the lowest at 56.9 percent, which means more apartments and more rental options. Median gross rent is highest in Frisco at $2,014 and lowest in Plano at $1,841. If you are renting first and buying later, Plano gives you the most choice. If you plan to buy and stay, Allen and Frisco are the most owner oriented cities in the group.

Household size

Allen has the largest average household, 2.95 people, followed by Frisco at 2.83, McKinney at 2.82 and Plano at 2.57. A larger average household usually points to more families with children, which tracks with the owner-occupied housing mix.

Commute: closer than you might expect

The average commute ranges from 25.4 minutes in Plano to 28.6 in Frisco. The gap between the best and worst is about three minutes, so the average will not decide anything for you. Your own commute depends on where you work, and a test drive at rush hour matters more than any city average.

Transit: the one clear difference

Plano is the only one of the four with DART light rail. Its stations include Downtown Plano and Parker Road on the Red Line, Parker Road on the Orange Line, and Shiloh Road, the eastern end of the Silver Line, which opened on October 25, 2025 and runs west to DFW Airport Terminal B through Richardson, Addison, Carrollton and Grapevine. Frisco, Allen and McKinney are not served by DART rail.

If you will commute downtown, to the airport, or without a car at least some days, Plano is the practical choice. If you will drive everywhere, rail access makes no difference, and this factor drops out.

The four suburbs one at a time

Plano

Plano is the largest of the four. It has the lowest income and the most renters of the group, the lowest median rent, the shortest average commute and the only rail service. It also has the slowest growth, so there is less change from year to year. Plano suits renters, people who want rail and anyone who wants the shortest average commute. Our guide to moving to Plano breaks the city down into West Plano, Legacy and East Plano, which differ more from one another than the city average suggests.

Frisco

Frisco is the most expensive and the highest earning of the four, with the most college educated adults and the highest rent. It grew by roughly 18 percent in five years. It has the longest average commute, no rail and the highest home value to income ratio. Frisco suits households with higher incomes who accept a higher price in exchange for what the city offers, and who are comfortable with a longer average commute.

Allen

Allen is the smallest and the most owner-occupied. It has the largest households, the second highest income and the most favorable home value to income ratio. Growth has been moderate. Allen suits families who plan to buy and stay put, and buyers who want a smaller city with a steadier pace than Frisco or McKinney.

McKinney

McKinney has grown the fastest, about 21 percent since 2020, and has a home value close to Plano and Allen with an income between Plano and Allen. It has the lowest share of adults with a bachelor’s degree among the four and an average commute of 27.8 minutes. McKinney suits buyers who want a fast growing city at a median price close to Plano. Our guide to moving to McKinney covers neighborhoods, school districts and what changes by area.

Choosing by situation

Most households fall under more than one row. In that case, treat the table as a way to remove options, not to pick a winner.

Four sample households

Numbers become easier to use when you attach them to a situation. These examples are illustrations built from the table above, not recommendations for anyone in particular.

A couple renting while they learn the area. They do not plan to buy for a year or two and want the flexibility to change neighborhoods. Plano has the largest share of renters, the lowest median rent and the only rail service, so it offers the widest choice of leases and the easiest way to test a commute before committing. If one of them works near a DART station, the case gets stronger. Frisco has the highest median rent of the four, at $2,014, so the same lease search will cost more there.

A family with two children buying their first home. Household size is the clue. Allen, Frisco and McKinney all average more than 2.8 people per household, and Allen has the largest at 2.95 and the highest owner-occupancy at 69.4 percent. Allen also has the lowest home value to income ratio. The deciding factor will be the zoned campus for each address, so shortlist two cities and then compare specific streets, not cities.

A buyer relocating from a higher priced market. A median home value of $464,100 in Allen or $471,800 in McKinney may look moderate to someone coming from a coastal metro, while Frisco’s $642,100 is closer to what they are used to. That gap is a reason to compare carefully before assuming the most expensive city is the best one. If you are moving from out of state, remember that the city median describes existing homes and says little about new construction prices, which depend on the builder and the community.

A remote worker who rarely commutes. If the commute is not a factor, the four cities are close to a tie on that measure and the decision turns on price, community size and what you want near home. Growth then becomes a real consideration. In McKinney and Frisco, which each grew by roughly a fifth since 2020, expect more construction and change nearby. In Plano, change is slower.

Questions to ask about move day in each type of community

The city matters less on move day than the specific place you are moving into. Ask these questions of the landlord, property manager or HOA before the date is set.

• Truck access. Can a full size moving truck park close to the door, and are there height or width limits at a gate or on a narrow street?
• Move in rules. Are there permitted hours or days for moving, and does the community require advance notice?
• Elevators and stairs. In a multi story building, can the service elevator be reserved for the full move, and how many flights are there from the truck to the door?
• Parking. Does the truck need a permit, and who arranges it?
• Gate and access codes. Who gives the crew entry, and is anyone needed on site to open a gate?
• Deposits and fees. Is there a move in fee or a deposit for use of common areas?

Tell your moving company the answers when you request an estimate. Those details shape crew size, truck size and time, and they are easier to settle before the day than during it.

A four week plan for choosing

If you need to decide quickly, spread the work out.

What the city numbers cannot tell you

Schools. Each city has its own school district, and the zoned campus for a specific address decides where your children go, not the city name. Ratings change from year to year, so check the current ones for the actual address and confirm zoning with the district before you sign a lease or contract.

Taxes. Texas has no state income tax on wages, which is one of nine states in that group. States without one often raise revenue through other taxes, and property taxes are one common source. The total rate depends on the taxing entities that cover the address, so compare the full bill for each house, and look past the sticker price.

Block level differences. A city median is an average of very different neighborhoods. A house at the median price in Plano and a house at the median price in Frisco can be completely different homes. Use the figures to shortlist, then compare homes.

HOA and community rules. Many newer communities have an HOA with rules on parking, trash bins, exterior changes and sometimes move in scheduling. Read the rules before you buy, and ask about truck access if the street is narrow or gated.

Testing a shortlist

1. Drive the commute. Do it at the hours you would actually travel, on a weekday, twice.
2. Visit at different times. Weekday morning, weekday evening and weekend afternoon show different sides of a neighborhood.
3. Check zoning. Confirm the school assignment for the exact address with the district.
4. Get the full tax bill. Ask for the current total rate and what it covers.
5. Ask about the community. HOA fees, rules, and what is still being built nearby.
6. Look at the move itself. Truck access, stairs, parking and gate codes affect move day more than the city does.

For a wider view of neighborhoods inside the city of Dallas itself, our guide to the best neighborhoods in Dallas is the next stop. If you are comparing the cost of the move itself, the Dallas moving cost guide explains how crew size and hours drive the price.

Mistakes to avoid

• Choosing by city name instead of by address.
• Comparing home prices without comparing the full tax bill.
• Assuming rail access when you will actually drive.
• Skipping the rush hour test drive.
• Ignoring HOA rules until after closing.
• Forgetting that growth means construction nearby for years.