Collin County is not Dallas or Fort Worth. It is its own unique community with a proud history and presence of its own.

Just a few decades ago, Collin County was mostly a wide-open prairie, dotted with a few farms, ranches, and towns. It was a long way to the traffic and tumult of Dallas – 32 miles from McKinney, but things began to change. People realized that life could be cleaner in Collin County, and they began to move in. Soon after, businesses recognized that there were more people in the area, so they started to open. When more people saw the businesses, they moved too. Then, there needed to be bigger roads, additional schools, more of everything, except that Blackland Prairie, a lot of which has been paved over, especially in the county’s southwest, Dallas-side corner.

Collin County VS. DFW – The Statistics

But Collin County has not turned into another Dallas, even though it does contain some of the huge city within its borders and has a population of almost 1 million people. The living–a little bit cosmopolitan, a little bit country –is still easier in Collin County.   Collin County residents have higher than average incomes, and lower taxes here. That means that their money can go even further, adding to their budget for other things, and improving quality of life. The average Collin County homeowner paid about $526 in 2016 county property taxes (the county hasn’t raised taxes in 23 years), about half of what they would have paid down the road in Dallas. The median family income in Collin County is $100,839; in Dallas it’s less than half that. In addition, the number of Collin County residents who are considered living at or below the federal poverty level is 7.6%, less than half the national average, and three times lower than the Texas average. The job opportunities in Collin County have contributed to the financial success and stability of its residents. With so many major corporations moving in, there are plenty of well-paid jobs, and local employment means lower commute times.

Education Differences in Collin County

Employers find a lot to love in Collin County because it is a great place for their employees to raise children. The schools are excellent–on average, county schools spend $11,521 per student. There are about 15 pupils per teacher, 518 students per librarian, and 479 children per counselor. In Frisco, the average school test scores are 43% higher than the national average. Outside of school, children can play safely. The crime rate is 30% lower than the national average. Allen is safer than 80% of cities in the United States.

Collin County – A Realm of Possibilities

To accommodate the growth in population, Collin County has had to pave over and grow up into something more urban, but not entirely. You can still feel the Blackland Prairie under your shoes. Not just more megalopolis, each city has its own personality. McKinney has its historic downtown, Frisco has sporting events, Plano has restaurants and live music, and in between, there’s a lot of country in the county. You can still find a field of bluebonnets in the spring; you can still drop a line into a deep pool; you can still sail over a freshly sown field in a hot-air balloon. In Collin County, you can put in an exciting day at your high-tech job, drive 15 minutes to pick the kids up from their award-winning school, and wave to the neighbors (whom you know well) as you drive up to your beautiful new home. It’s all possible here.