Comparing Dallas–Fort Worth suburbs: 19 cities by tax rate, school rating, price and commute
All 19 cities in Jessie’s record, on the numbers that change a monthly payment and a school day. Sourced, not ranked.
FriscoCollin / Denton
- 2025 combined tax rate
- 1.68%
- District · TEA 2026 rating
- Frisco ISD · A
- Mean commute
- 28.6 min
- Population since 2020
- +18.2%
Tax rate, schools, price and commute, city by city
Sort by any heading or filter by county. Each line of the tax rate is in the next table.
| City | County | Combined rate (per $100) | Tax a year on $600k | Main district · 2026 rating | Census median value | Population since 2020 | Mean commute (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory Creek | Denton | 1.652343 | $9,914 | Lake Dallas ISD · B 82 | $507,200 | +45.6% | 27.4 |
| Frisco | Collin / Denton | 1.675480 | $10,053 | Frisco ISD · A 91 | $642,100 | +18.2% | 28.6 |
| Plano | Collin | 1.707713 | $10,246 | Plano ISD · B 85 | $465,900 | +2.6% | 25.4 |
| Lewisville | Denton | 1.722747 | $10,336 | Lewisville ISD · B 83 | $378,500 | +10.6% | 24.6 |
| McKinney | Collin | 1.747147 | $10,483 | McKinney ISD · B 87 | $471,800 | +20.8% | 27.8 |
| Allen | Collin | 1.771763 | $10,631 | Allen ISD · A 90 | $464,100 | +8.4% | 28.0 |
| Keller | Tarrant | 1.835680 | $11,014 | Keller ISD · B 84 | $594,300 | +0.7% | 27.4 |
| Princeton | Collin | 1.877989 | $11,268 | Princeton ISD · B 81 | $331,000 | +156.1% | 32.2 |
| Melissa | Collin | 1.909179 | $11,455 | Melissa ISD · A 91 | $454,000 | +115.6% | 33.6 |
| Prosper | Collin / Denton | 1.949663 | $11,698 | Prosper ISD · A 91 | $823,700 | +51.2% | 29.5 |
| Coppell | Dallas | 1.960951 | $11,766 | Coppell ISD · A 93 | $560,500 | −3.7% | 24.3 |
| Little Elm | Denton | 1.961039 | $11,766 | Little Elm ISD · C 78 | $420,700 | +36.2% | 34.6 |
| Euless | Tarrant | 1.968846 | $11,813 | Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD · B 87 | $318,800 | −1.7% | 24.8 |
| Anna | Collin | 1.995536 | $11,973 | Anna ISD · C 74 | $351,700 | +105.7% | 30.7 |
| Celina | Collin / Denton | 2.015864 | $12,095 | Celina ISD · B 85 | $509,600 | +276.8% | 33.3 |
| Carrollton | Dallas | 2.019675 | $12,118 | Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD · B 81 | $381,000 | +0.8% | 24.1 |
| Fort Worth | Tarrant | 2.162580 | $12,975 | Fort Worth ISD · C 77 | $303,000 | +11.9% | 27.1 |
| Mansfield | Tarrant | 2.249380 | $13,496 | Mansfield ISD · B 87 | $410,700 | +16.3% | 28.6 |
| Garland | Dallas | 2.394721 | $14,368 | Garland ISD · B 86 | $270,800 | +1.4% | 29.7 |
Sources (15)
- Collin County Tax Assessor: 2025 tax rates and exemptions by jurisdiction (PDF)
- Dallas County Tax Office: 2025 tax rates by entity
- Tarrant County Tax Office: truth-in-taxation summary, tax year 2025
- Denton County: adopted FY 2025–26 budget and tax rate
- Town of Little Elm: adopted 2025–2026 budget
- Little Elm ISD: quick financial facts
- City of Lewisville: budget and tax facts
- Lewisville ISD: 2025–26 adopted budget and tax rate
- Town of Hickory Creek: 2026 truth-in-taxation information
- Lake Dallas ISD: current tax rate
- Texas Education Agency: 2026 accountability rating system (district summaries)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Celina
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Melissa, Anna, Princeton, Little Elm, Lewisville, Hickory Creek
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Carrollton, Coppell, Euless, Fort Worth, Garland, Keller
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mansfield, Hickory Creek
Each line of the tax rate, city by city
The combined rate is the sum of these lines before any exemption. A MUD or PID on the parcel comes on top.
| City | Main school district | City | School district | County | College | Hospital | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory Creek | Lake Dallas ISD | 0.211205 | 1.255200 | 0.185938 | — | — | 1.652343 |
| Frisco | Frisco ISD | 0.425517 | 1.019400 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.675480 |
| Plano | Plano ISD | 0.437600 | 1.039550 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.707713 |
| Lewisville | Lewisville ISD | 0.419009 | 1.117800 | 0.185938 | — | — | 1.722747 |
| McKinney | McKinney ISD | 0.412284 | 1.104300 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.747147 |
| Allen | Allen ISD | 0.415400 | 1.125800 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.771763 |
| Keller | Keller ISD | 0.287000 | 1.085200 | 0.186200 | 0.112280 | 0.165000 | 1.835680 |
| Princeton | Princeton ISD | 0.440226 | 1.207200 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.877989 |
| Melissa | Melissa ISD | 0.454116 | 1.224500 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.909179 |
| Prosper | Prosper ISD | 0.505000 | 1.214100 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.949663 |
| Coppell | Coppell ISD | 0.444976 | 0.981900 | 0.215500 | 0.106575 | 0.212000 | 1.960951 |
| Little Elm | Little Elm ISD | 0.549901 | 1.225200 | 0.185938 | — | — | 1.961039 |
| Euless | Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD | 0.476466 | 1.028900 | 0.186200 | 0.112280 | 0.165000 | 1.968846 |
| Anna | Anna ISD | 0.525073 | 1.239900 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 1.995536 |
| Celina | Celina ISD | 0.576401 | 1.208900 | 0.149343 | 0.081220 | — | 2.015864 |
| Carrollton | Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD | 0.537500 | 0.948100 | 0.215500 | 0.106575 | 0.212000 | 2.019675 |
| Fort Worth | Fort Worth ISD | 0.670000 | 1.029100 | 0.186200 | 0.112280 | 0.165000 | 2.162580 |
| Mansfield | Mansfield ISD | 0.639000 | 1.146900 | 0.186200 | 0.112280 | 0.165000 | 2.249380 |
| Garland | Garland ISD | 0.689746 | 1.170900 | 0.215500 | 0.106575 | 0.212000 | 2.394721 |
Reading the tax column
What the combined rate tells you, and what it leaves out.
- The spread is real money
- Hickory Creek (1.652343) and Garland (2.394721) are about $4,450 a year apart on $600,000; inside Collin County, Frisco and Celina are $170 a month apart.
- Dallas and Tarrant counties carry two more lines
- Every Dallas County parcel pays Parkland and Dallas College; every Tarrant County parcel pays JPS and Tarrant County College. That is why Keller, with the lowest city rate, still lands above Frisco.
- Special districts sit on top
- MUDs in Collin County add 1.00 to 1.20 per $100 and PIDs add an annual assessment, mostly in the newer subdivisions of Celina, Prosper, Princeton, Anna and Melissa. Check the parcel before comparing two homes.
- Homestead exemptions differ by city
- Every district exempts $140,000 for a homestead; city exemptions vary: Frisco and Plano 20%, Prosper 17.5%, none in McKinney, Celina or Princeton. Dallas, Denton and Tarrant County cities are not compiled here.
- New construction is taxed on the finished home
- A builder’s last bill reflects land or a half-built house. Use the completed value.
Reading the school column
2026 ratings: five A districts (Coppell 93, Frisco 91, Prosper 91, Melissa 91, Allen 90), eleven B, three C (Little Elm 78, Fort Worth 77, Anna 74).
- A district score is not a campus score
- Frisco ISD’s 91 covers 76 campuses. Look up which campuses an address is zoned to, then read those reports.
- City lines and district lines are not the same
- Frisco contains parts of Lewisville ISD and Prosper ISD; north Carrollton and Coppell are in Lewisville ISD. The district decides the school and the largest line on the tax bill.
- Zones move in growing districts
- Frisco ISD is consolidating campuses for 2026–27; Prosper, Celina, Princeton and Mansfield open campuses and redraw zones. Ask the district before buying.
Reading the price and growth columns
The five-year median is what owners report, and it runs low in fast-appreciating cities: Frisco’s 2024 one-year figure is $735,300 against the five-year $642,100. Compare cities with it; do not price a house with it.
- Where the new supply is
- Celina +277%, Princeton +156%, Melissa +116%, Anna +106%, Prosper +51% are new subdivisions; Plano, Allen, Carrollton, Garland and Keller grew under 10%, and Coppell and Euless shrank, so new homes there are infill.
- Ownership rate tells you the housing stock
- Celina 92.7%, Melissa 88.7% and Prosper 87.9% are almost all owner-occupied houses; Euless 39.8%, Lewisville 46.3% and Plano 56.9% have large rental stocks and more resale inventory.
Reading the commute column
What residents report, one way, in minutes: Carrollton 24.1 and Coppell 24.3 at the short end, Melissa 33.6 and Little Elm 34.6 at the long end. Frisco, Prosper and Celina sit on the Dallas North Tollway; Plano, Allen, McKinney, Melissa and Anna on US 75; Carrollton, Coppell, Lewisville and Little Elm on I-35E. Map your own weekly destinations first.
How to turn the tables into a shortlist
Three filters, applied in order.
Daily geography
Mark the places your household has to reach each week. That sets the corridor.
Payment, not price
Same purchase price, each address’s rate, insurance and HOA: compare the monthly payment.
Housing fit
New subdivisions in Celina, Prosper, Princeton, Anna and Melissa; resale in Plano, Allen, Coppell, Garland and Keller; both in Frisco, McKinney, Little Elm and Fort Worth.
Worked example: Frisco new-construction communities, tax rates and schools
Questions buyers ask about choosing a city
Direct answers from the tables above.
Frisco or Plano?
Rate 1.675480 against 1.707713, schools A 91 against B 85, median value $642,100 against $465,900, commute 28.6 against 25.4 minutes. Plano is built out, cheaper and closer; Frisco is newer, dearer and still building. Which matters is your call.
How do I choose among the DFW cities?
Fix the commute boundary, the budget room and the home type first, then use the TEA ratings and a tax calculation at the address. Not by reputation.
Which cities are good for investment?
This site does not predict appreciation. Check for yourself whether rent covers the payment, the vacancy risk, the share of rent going to tax and insurance, and resale. If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, confirm with an attorney what Texas SB 17 (in force since September 1, 2025) allows.
Next step
Send Jessie your three destinations and a budget
She replies with a shortlist: the rate, the school district and the kind of housing in each city.