Living in Plano, Texas
Plano
Brick-street downtown, Legacy West and an 800-acre nature preserve.
What it's like
The short version
Plano sits in Collin County, with the Downtown Plano Arts District and its DART station on one side of town and 255-acre Legacy West on the other. More than 80 parks and 100 miles of trails tie the city together.
What's for sale
Homes sold at a median near $500,000 in September 2026. Most neighborhoods were built from the 1960s through 2000, and undeveloped land is about 4% of the city.
What it does well
Strong here
- Restaurants●●●
Legacy Hall, Legacy West and the Downtown Plano Arts District all run restaurants late. - Shopping●●●
Legacy West, The Shops at Legacy and The Shops at Willow Bend sit in one city. - Parks and trails●●●
More than 80 parks and 100 miles of trails, led by 800-acre Oak Point. - Established neighborhoods●●●
Residential development ran largely from the 1960s through 2000. - Walkable●●○
Walk Score rates the city 41, with Armstrong Park at 64. - Transit options●●○
Walk Score counts 2 light rail lines and about 7 bus lines. - Vibrant, big-city energy●●○
Legacy West packs 415,000 square feet of retail and dining into a 255-acre development. - A real downtown●●○
The Arts District has brick streets, McCall Plaza, galleries and a DART station. - Nightlife●●○
Live music at Legacy Hall and McCall Plaza, plus Mic Drop Comedy Club. - Luxury homes●●○
Redfin puts the median sale price near $500,000.
The honest part
What to know first
- Undeveloped land is about 4% of the city.
- Walk Score rates the city 41, and most errands take a car.
Not its strength: quiet, small-town pace, lake days, land and acreage, new construction.
Not rated yet: golf, horses welcome. That means I haven't confirmed it either way, not that it isn't here.
Get outside
- Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve
800 acres with about 8 miles of paved trail, 5 miles of natural trail along Rowlett Creek and a pond for kayaks and paddleboards. - Arbor Hills Nature Preserve
200 acres with paved and natural trails, a mountain bike loop and an observation tower. - Bob Woodruff Park
Fishing ponds, playgrounds and sand volleyball, connected to Oak Point by trail. - Bluebonnet Trail
Links neighborhoods and parks, with wildflowers in spring. - Haggard Park
A downtown park that hosts AsiaFest and other events.
Eat and drink
- Legacy Hall
A food hall with 22 food stalls, a beer garden and live entertainment. - Downtown Plano Arts District
McCall Plaza hosts live music, and The Fillmore Pub has a patio overlooking it. - Whiskey Cake
A Plano restaurant and bar with late hours.
Shop and errands
- Legacy West
415,000 square feet of open-air retail and restaurant space. - The Shops at Legacy
A Main Street-style district with boutiques, sidewalk cafes and restaurants. - The Shops at Willow Bend
A regional mall with department stores and home decor retailers. - Downtown Plano Arts District
Brick streets with boutiques, antique stores and galleries.
On the calendar
- Plano Balloon Festival
A September festival that has run for more than four decades. - AsiaFest
A May festival that has run for almost 20 years. - Lights at Legacy
A November holiday lighting event.
What's coming
- The former mall site at Alma Drive and 15th Street includes almost 500 single-family homes.
- An expanded townhome development at Spring Creek Parkway and Windhaven Parkway.
Taxes
2025 rates per $100 with Plano ISD: Plano ISD 1.039550, Collin County 0.149343, Collin College 0.081220. Add the City of Plano rate from the tax statement for the address. Homestead not applied.
About 5,700 people live in the Denton County part of Plano, where the county rate differs. Check the unit list on the address.
School facts
- Plano ISD: TEA rating B, 2025-26
Take it with you
Want this on paper?
Get the printable Plano report sent to your email.
Sources
- 2025 NCTCOG Population Estimates
- Redfin: Plano, TX Homes and Trends
- Community Impact: Collin County property tax rates for FY 2025-26
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Plano ISD
- Community Impact: Plano plans to address single-family housing demand
- Visit Plano: Top Parks and Trails
- Visit Plano: Late-Night Entertainment Hotspots
- Visit Plano: Shopping Adventures
- Visit Plano: Reasons to Love Plano
- Walk Score: Plano