Living in Wylie, Texas
Wylie
A red-brick downtown on Ballard Avenue, between Lavon Lake and Lake Ray Hubbard.
What it's like
The short version
Wylie sits mainly in Collin County, with smaller parts in Dallas and Rockwall counties, on State Highway 78 between Lavon Lake and Lake Ray Hubbard. Its historic downtown runs along Ballard Avenue from Highway 78 to Brown Street, beside the old train tracks.
What's for sale
Homes sold at a median near $400,000 in the three months ending September 2026, with 189 homes sold in September.
What it does well
Strong here
- A real downtown●●○
The historic district on Ballard Avenue has red-brick buildings and the 1905 Brown House, which holds the Welcome Center. - Restaurants●●○
Walk Score counts about 97 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Wylie. - Parks and trails●●○
About 30 city parks with more than 10 miles of paved trails, led by Founders Park and Community Park. - Lake days●●○
Lavon Lake borders the city to the north at about 21,400 acres, and Lake Ray Hubbard lies just south. - Established neighborhoods●●○
Organized in the early 1870s and incorporated in 1887.
The honest part
What to know first
- Walk Score rates the city 17, and almost all errands take a car.
- Wylie is not among the 12 cities in DART's service area.
- The combined 2025 rate runs about 2.25 per $100 on a Dallas County address with Garland ISD.
Not its strength: walkable, transit options, quiet, small-town pace, vibrant, big-city energy, nightlife, golf, horses welcome, new construction, luxury homes.
Not rated yet: shopping, land and acreage. That means I haven't confirmed it either way, not that it isn't here.
Get outside
- Founders Park
Eight lit tennis courts, two lit sand volleyball courts, a lit basketball court, the Pirate Cove playground and a 1.8-mile trail. - Community Park
Three basketball courts, sand volleyball, a playground, a reservable pavilion and a 1.05-mile trail. - Olde City Park
A park at 112 South Ballard Avenue with a playground, a gazebo, a pavilion and a 0.36-mile trail. - Joel Scott Memorial Park
A free skate park and a 0.48-mile trail. - East Fork Park
A recreation area on the southern end of Lavon Lake with 50 RV campsites and a dozen tent sites. - Trinity Trail
A 25-mile equestrian and hiking trail by Lavon Lake, with a trailhead at East Fork Park. - Woodbridge Golf Club
An 18-hole, par-72 public course with a driving range and a putting green.
Eat and drink
- Ballard Street Cafe and Grill
Southern comfort-food staples. - Landon Winery
Red and white wines on a corner lot that held a furniture store in the early 1900s.
Shop and errands
- The Sage Hippie
Crystals, herbs and other goods on Ballard Avenue. - Historic downtown
Clothing boutiques across from Ballard Street Cafe and Grill.
On the calendar
- Bluegrass on Ballard
A free day of bluegrass, jam sessions, arts and crafts vendors and a car, truck and motorcycle show downtown.
Taxes
2025 combined rate per $100 on the Collin County side with Wylie ISD: city 0.543438, Wylie ISD 1.175200, Collin County 0.149343, Collin College 0.081220. Homestead not applied.
Wylie ISD serves most of the Collin County side. Garland ISD serves the Dallas County side, where the Dallas County units replace Collin County and Collin College, for a total of 2.248413 with Garland ISD at 1.170900. Rockwall ISD serves the Rockwall County side, and small Collin County areas fall in Community, Plano or Princeton ISD, so those totals differ. Check the unit list on the address.
School facts
- Wylie ISD: TEA rating A, 2026
- Garland ISD: TEA rating B, 2026
- Rockwall ISD: TEA rating A, 2026
- Plano ISD: TEA rating B, 2025-26
- Community ISD: TEA rating B, 2026
- Princeton ISD: TEA rating B, 2026
Take it with you
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Get the printable Wylie report sent to your email.
Sources
- 2026 NCTCOG Population Estimates
- Redfin: Wylie Housing Market
- Wylie EDC: Tax Rates
- Dallas County Tax Office: 2025 Tax Rates
- Community Impact: Collin County property tax rates for FY 2025-26 (Sep 8, 2025)
- 2025 DFW Tax Rates, Republic Title
- Wylie ISD: Wylie ISD earns another A for 2026 (Aug 14, 2026)
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Garland ISD
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Rockwall ISD
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Plano ISD
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Community ISD
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Princeton ISD
- Wikipedia: Wylie, Texas
- Islands: Wylie, Texas (Jul 13, 2026)
- Murphy Monitor: Bluegrass classics roll into downtown Wylie (May 21, 2026)
- City of Wylie: Find a Park
- GolfNow: Woodbridge Golf Club
- Collin County: Parks and Open Spaces
- Walk Score: Wylie
- DART: Facts about Dallas Area Rapid Transit
- DART: Collin County Transit Service Area