Plano
Located in Collin County approximately 25 miles north of downtown Dallas and 45 miles northeast of downtown Fort Worth, Plano is easily accessible to most areas in the DFW Metroplex. Excellent city planning has ensured that traffic remains very manageable even as the population increases. Most residential neighborhoods are bordered by six-lane streets, with restaurants, shopping, and recreation at most large intersections.
The six-lane border streets are designed with utility in mind, but once you turn off a main road you begin to appreciate the charm of Plano’s residential neighborhoods. Plano’s homes have varied architecture and sit amongst mature trees and well manicured lawns. The center of most neighborhoods is an elementary school and an adjacent public park and playground. Between the accessibility of commerce and the tranquility of its residential neighborhoods, living in Plano TX provides a terrific quality of life.
Plano’s luxury properties are mostly found further west in the corridor between Preston Rd. and the Dallas North Tollway. Many of the Willow Bend communities sit in relative seclusion next to the Gleneagles Country Club and White Rock Trail Park, yet they are minutes away from Whole Foods and other shopping at Park and Preston.
291,347
Population
$550,000
Median House Value
$96,348
Median Income
What's There
Literally everything.
The Vibe
You'll blend in if you drive a Lexus.
Not-So-Guilty-Pleasure
Grabbing a treat at the Stone Cone Lady’s stand downtown then tailgating before the FC Dallas game.
What's Not There
Sprawling wide open spaces & Trader Joes (yet).
School Info
Graduation Rate: 98.2%
Accountability Rating: A
Parks & Play
Parks: 41
Dog Parks: 1
Things To Do
As with all of the cities in the DFW metroplex, living in Plano TX means that you will need to use your car to get most places. With that said, Plano has three commercial centers where people can walk alongside streets as they look to eat or shop. Downtown Plano, the Shops at Legacy, and Legacy West. None are more than a few city blocks, but they all provide their own distinct hint of urban life in the midst of suburban Plano.
Downtown Plano is the oldest of these neighborhoods, and it has undergone a recent revitalization. The historic downtown area centers around one block on 14th St., just east of the 75. This cute stretch of storefronts was built around the turn of the 20th century, and hosts concerts throughout the summer to add to the close-knit neighborhood feel. The charming Haggard Park is a city block away and, between the two, a DART train station waits to take you into downtown Dallas.
The Shops at Legacy and Legacy West are located on opposite sides of the Dallas North Tollway along Legacy Drive. Both developments offer ample high-end shopping and dining options. Legacy West is the newer of the two developments, and includes a $300 million state-of-the-art food hall that features cuisine from all over the world, an on-site brewery, and a large outdoor stage that hosts live musicians every week.
Legacy Central is the latest of the Legacy developments and is currently under construction at Legacy Drive along Route 75. Watters Creek is another small, pedestrian-friendly shopping area just north of Plano’s border in Allen, TX along Route 75.
Plano ISD
Plano has a highly distinguished public school system. Out of more than 10,000 national school districts ranked, the Plano ISD ranks 43rd for academic and extra-curricular excellence and 102nd for diversity.
Elementary schools make a concerted effort to address social and emotional learning, and the school district has a reputation for being highly responsive to parents. In general, parents living in Plano TX are highly educated and very involved in their children’s academic and extra-curricular growth.
Plano’s middle and high schools are quite large, with graduating classes of as many as 1,500 students. Specialty programs and magnet schools, like Plano Academy, the Health Science Academy, and Plano East’s IB Program offer smaller class sizes and real-world, project-based learning opportunities that would rival private schools.
Activities for Kids
Beyond the numerous parks and playgrounds, there are hundreds if not thousands of extra-curricular options for children living in Plano TX. The Plano Recreation Centers offer year-round classes and activities for residents.
The Plano library system also offers a wide range of educational activities. The libraries all have strong early literacy programs, and two branches have a Digital Creation Space where teens can learn to use video cameras, drawing tablets, scanners, and computer programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator.
For many families, living in Plano TX also means getting very involved in organized sports. Plano is home to a world class gymnastics studio and to multiple sports leagues, martial arts studios, and more.
Plano TX Economy
Plano’s economy is quite strong, with jobs regularly moving into the Legacy developments. In fact, it is projected that Plano Legacy business park will employ nearly as many workers as all of downtown Dallas within a few years.
Plano TX Real Estate
Living in Plano TX has become more and more popular as people from all over the country and the world learn about the city’s quality of life and cost of living. Large corporations like Samsung and Liberty Mutual continue to move into the Legacy developments in northern Plano, which is helping to keep demand for homes fairly stable.
With strong home appreciation over the last several years, living in Plano TX has also proven to be a great investment for home owners. The median home list price is currently $462,500, while the median sales price is $481,000. Plano real estate increased 22.4% in 2021.
Favorite Restaurants
Available Homes in Plano
Sorry we are experiencing system issues. Please try again.