Carrollton

What it does well

Strong here

• Transit options●●●
  The Green Line stops at Downtown Carrollton, Trinity Mills and North Carrollton/Frankford, and the A-train meets it at Trinity Mills.
• Restaurants●●●
  Old Denton Road has more than 100 Korean restaurants.
• Vibrant, big-city energy●●○
  The Green Line helped revive downtown, with mixed-use projects and retail following around the square.
• A real downtown●●○
  The city rehabilitated the historic square, and the Union at Carrollton Square added apartments and a restaurant beside the Green Line.
• Shopping●●○
  Super H-Mart and the 50,000-square-foot 99 Ranch Market anchor Old Denton Road, and the historic square adds shops.
• Parks and trails●●○
  The city lists 20 park facilities, including the Josey Ranch and McInnish sports complexes.
• Golf●●○
  Indian Creek Golf Club is a 36-hole daily fee facility.
• Established neighborhoods●●○
  Settlement began in 1842, and the city incorporated in 1913.

The honest part

What to know first

• Walk Score rates the city 36, with a Transit Score of 20.
• The Dallas County side runs 2.019675 per $100, against 1.671538 on the Denton County side with the same city and school rates.

Not its strength: walkable, quiet, small-town pace, new construction, luxury homes.

Not rated yet: nightlife, lake days, land and acreage, horses welcome. That means I haven't confirmed it either way, not that it isn't here.