Living in McKinney, Texas

McKinney

A historic downtown square, Erwin Park trails and Towne Lake.

CountyCollin

Population226,1812025

Typical home value$509,757Redfin median sale price, Sep 2026

Combined tax rate1.7471%before exemptions

Downtown Fort Worth52 mistraight line

DFW Airport32 mistraight line

What it's like

The short version

McKinney sits in Collin County, with more than 100 places to shop in its historic downtown. Heard Sanctuary, Erwin Park and Towne Lake add open space, and HUB 121 and District 121 bring dining and entertainment beyond downtown.

What's for sale

Homes sold at a median near $510,000 in September 2026. Trinity Falls sits in a separate municipal utility district.

What it does well

Strong here

A real downtown●●●
Historic Downtown has more than 100 places to shop, plus patios and murals.
Parks and trails●●●
More than 50 parks and 80 miles of connected trails, plus Erwin Park and Heard Sanctuary.
Quiet, small-town pace●●○
About 226,000 people, but the downtown square keeps a small-town feel.
Restaurants●●○
Harvest at the Masonic, Hutchins BBQ and Patina Green anchor a strong restaurant mix.
Nightlife●●○
TUPPS Brewery and Cadillac Pizza Pub have live music, and HUB 121 adds entertainment.
Shopping●●○
Historic Downtown, Adriatica Village and McKinney Towne Crossing cover boutiques to big-name stores.
Golf●●○
Oak Hollow has a 40-bay driving range and a 7,300-square-foot clubhouse.
New construction●●○
New property added to the tax roll accounted for about $7.3 million of city revenue growth in the 2025-26 budget.
Established neighborhoods●●○
Historic Downtown and restored buildings such as the Masonic building anchor the older core.
Luxury homes●●○
Redfin puts the median sale price near $510,000.

The honest part

What to know first

Walk Score rates the city 27, and most errands take a car.
Collin County Transit is a shared-ride program for eligible riders, not a fixed bus or rail line.

Not its strength: walkable, transit options, vibrant, big-city energy, lake days.

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

Explore it yourself

See what's around

See this search in Google Maps

Get outside

Erwin Park
212 acres with 10 miles of mountain bike trails and a rustic campground.
Towne Lake Recreation Area
A 22-acre lake with kayak rentals, a fishing pier, sand volleyball and playgrounds.
Bonnie Wenk Park
Half-mile loops connect to Towne Lake, with a two-acre fenced dog park and a wooded nature trail.
Heard Sanctuary
289 acres of nature.
Oak Hollow Golf Course
A 40-bay driving range, practice greens and a clubhouse with a full-service grill, minutes from downtown.

Eat and drink

Harvest at the Masonic
Farm-fresh fare on three levels of a restored historic building.
Hutchins BBQ
Brisket, ribs and jalapeño pork sausage.
Patina Green
Seasonal farm-to-table lunches.
TUPPS Brewery
Craft beer, food trucks and live music just east of the square.
Cadillac Pizza Pub
Wood-fired pizza with live music on weekends.

Shop and errands

Historic Downtown
More than 100 places to shop, plus patios and murals.
Chestnut Square
Home of the McKinney Farmers Market on Saturdays.
Adriatica Village
European-style boutiques and patio dining.
McKinney Towne Crossing
An open-air center with big-name stores.

What's coming

McKinney is working to redevelop 4.75 acres of city-owned downtown land, including the former City Hall building.

Taxes

2025 combined rate per $100 with McKinney ISD: city 0.412284, Collin County 0.149343, Collin College 0.081220, McKinney ISD 1.104300. Homestead not applied.

Trinity Falls is outside the City of McKinney tax jurisdiction and sits in McKinney MUD #1, so its rates differ. Check the unit list on the address.

School facts

McKinney ISD: TEA rating B, 2025-26

Do your own homework

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Sources