Welcome to the Dallas – Fort Worth metroplex and the beautiful suburb of Plano, TX!
Where is Plano, TX?
Did you just move here or are you considering moving here?
The Municipal said recently that Plano, Texas was the 3rd safest city in America, Wallethub said we are the top healthiest U.S. City and the 12th Best City in America to find a job.
According to Niche, a ranking and review site, Plano, TX is #1 for 2018 Best Cities to Buy a House in America, based on home values, property taxes, homeownership rates, housing costs, and real estate trends.
#2 for cities with the Best Public Schools in America based on state test scores, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality, and student and parent reviews.
Plano, Texas was ranked #3 for Best Cities to Raise a Family in America based on its great public schools, low crime rates, affordable cost of living, and family-friendly amenities (Ranking based on data from the U.S. Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, and other data sources).
As part of our warm welcome, We have prepared a list of useful information to make your transition as easy as possible.
Community Vital Signs for Plano, TX
Let’s share some facts and figures to give you more context to see if Plano is a fit for you.
| Projected Population in 2021 | 286,980 |
| Distance in Square Miles | 72 |
| Local Parks | 85 |
| Shared use miles of paths for biking and pedestrians | 91 |
| Median household income | $95,602 |
| Owner occupied | 59.1% |
| Renter occupied | 40.9% |
Real Estate
Plano may not have a lot of newly built housing available in the market compared to neighboring cities, but definitely, there are a lot of housing options for you to choose from; single-family homes, multi-family homes, townhomes, estates, independent and assisted living centers and apartment.
You’ll need a great Realtor to help you with your move.
Home Builders
If you are looking for newly built houses, check out some of the top builders in the nation have to offer around Plano.
Houses around Plano are mostly located near schools, grocery shopping centers, and parks where you can enjoy a pleasant walk in the trail. You wouldn’t have any problem in getting access to important daily family needs.
Apartment Complex and Town Homes
There is an abundance of choices for apartment complexes and townhomes available around Plano, from loft to single or triple bedroom. Your option to choose will also depend on your budget.
Here are five apartments which have high ratings at Apartmentratings.com
1. Riachi At One21, 9600 Coit Road, Plano, TX 75025
They offer one, two and three-bedroom apartments, and two and three-bedroom townhomes. They feature private patios and balconies, ample storage space, and stainless steel appliances. Amenities include two massive swimming pools with a poolside pergola, a bar, and a grilling station, fitness center, a fully furnished clubhouse, and an on-site business center. And, they are conveniently located right off of the Sam Rayburn Tollway.
2. The Place at Harvestree, 5401 Independence Pkwy, Plano, TX 75023
Conveniently located near shops, restaurants, and entertainment and offers fantastic amenities like swimming pool, business center, sports courts and more.
3. Post Legacy, 5741 Martin Road, Plano, TX 75024
Ideally located at The Shops at Legacy where there is tons of shopping, dining, and entertainment within walking distance. Plus, you get direct access to the Dallas North Tollway and Sam Rayburn Tollway. This area of the neighborhood is definitely a place to be!
4. Reserve at Pebble Creek Apartments, 3800 Pebblecreek Court, Plano, TX 75023
Known for its tranquil community, this apartment complex offers a relaxing lifestyle. They’ve got wide-open spaces but with a small-town vibe, which is perfect for people who are looking for a calming and relaxing place to stay at the end of a busy day.
5. Overture Plano Apartments. 500 Coit Rd, Plano, TX 75075
Perfect apartment for 55+ active adult seeking for luxurious living. Located in the middle of Plano which is minutes away from upscale shopping, dining, and entertainment.
6. Junction 15 Apartments, 930 E 15th St, Plano, TX 75074
Perfectly located in the city’s historic arts district, this newly built 6-story apartment is a little gem. It is few steps to many great restaurants, theater, beautiful park and the DART rail station.
For those of you who are looking for real estate agents; here are some good websites that you can use: Realtor, Zillow, Real Estate US and Yelp
Schools
Plano Independent School District (PISD) is one of the highest rated school districts in the state. It houses the largest student population in Plano Schools in Collin County, and the district has a vision that its 53,000 students across 72 campuses are that all of them are college and career-ready upon high school graduation.
The school system is one huge reason that people are moving into the city, with the high hopes that the children’s education is going to be taken care of. 95 languages from 127 countries are spoken in Plano ISD student homes.
It also has a couple of campuses that are IB Classified, like Huffman Elementary in West Plano.
Take a glance at GreatSchools.org and you’ll see the ratings for each school, however, do go and tour a school and ask local parents as the ratings are not always an accurate reflection of the school!
So, what school is the best fit for your child will all depend on your family and your child’s needs.
Early Childhood
- Beaty Early Childhood
- Head Start
- Isaacs Early Childhood
- Pearson Early Childhood
Elementary Grades K-5
- Aldridge
- Andrews
- Barksdale
- Barron
- Bethany
- Beverly
- Boggess
- Brinker
- Carlisle
- Centennial
- Christie
- Daffron
- Davis
- Dooley
- Forman
- Gulledge
- Harrington
- Haun
- Hedgcoxe
- Hickey
- Hightower
- Huffman
- Hughston
- Hunt
- Jackson
- Mathews
- McCall
- Meadows
- Memorial
- Mendenhall
- Miller
- Mitchell
- Rasor
- Rose Haggar
- Saigling
- Schell
- Shepard
- Sigler
- Skaggs
- Stinson
- Thomas
- Weatherford
- Wells
- Wyatt
Middle School- Grades 6-8
- Armstrong
- Bowman
- Carpenter
- Frankford
- Haggard
- Hendrick
- Murphy
- Otto
- Renner
- Rice
- Robinson
- Schimelpfenig
- Wilson
High School – Grades 9-12
- Academy (9 -12)
- Clark (9 -10)
- Jasper (9 -10)
- McMillen (9 -10)
- Plano (11 -12)
- Plano East (11 -12)
- Plano West (11 -12)
- Shepton (9 -10)
- Vines (9 -10)
- Williams (9 -10)
- eSchool (9 -12 Online)
Here is the link for school locator map. Plano is home to many private, charter and Montessori schools too.
Plano TX Neighborhoods
Plano has tons of good neighborhoods and choosing which one fits you will depend on your budget, accessibility to work and what type of community you are looking for. As for the demographics, Plano is an extremely ethnically-diverse city; predominantly white which is 55%, followed by Asians 19%, Hispanic 15% and a mix of other races.
Here are few of the neighborhoods around Plano along with their linked Schools in a nutshell:
WEST PLANO (West from Coit)
Estates of Glen Eagles
The neighborhood is named after one of the top country clubs in DFW. This is a luxurious neighborhood; it contains about 300 homes that were constructed between 1987 and 1996 with a price range from $550,000 to $1.4 million.
Elementary School: Huffman Elementary School (K – 5)
Middle School: Renner Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Shepton High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano West Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Lakeside on Preston
This neighborhood provides residents 400 scenic acres of luxury residences ranging from 3,000 to over 6,000 square feet with a price from the mid $600+ to over $1M.
Elementary School: Brinker Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Renner Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Shepton High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano West Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
White Rock Creek Estates
Luxury homes neighborhood which contains about 50 houses and most were constructed between 1994 and 2002. It had a generous lot sizes average between 1/2 and 1-acre and are priced from $800’s to $1.75M.
Elementary School: Brinker Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Renner Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Shepton High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano West Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Glenhollow Estates
A little gem neighborhood where nestled west of Dallas Tollway and north of Parker Road and most houses were built in the early 1990s. The homes range in size and price from $400’s to $600+.
Elementary School: Barksdale Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Renner Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Shepton High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano West Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Deerfield
Deerfield neighborhood is centrally located, it is between Preston Rd. and Coit Rd. in northwest Plano. Homes here are moderately priced and cost from $500,000 to $900,000+. This neighborhood provides 24/7 security service for the residents protection benefits of additional peace and safety. It is very well known around the DFW area for amazing display of holiday lights!
Elementary School: Haun Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Robinson Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Jasper High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano West High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Harrington Place
A beautiful neighborhood that offers 125 single-family homes. It is a short distance from the Legacy Drive business park area where most corporate campuses are situated such as Toyota, HP, JC Penney, Frito Lay, Dr Pepper and the SMU in Legacy campus. Prices start from $500,000 to $800,000+ and sit on quarter-acre lots with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The most common type of parking is garage.
Elementary School: Daffron Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Robinson Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Jasper High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano West Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
CENTRAL PLANO (Between Coit and US75)
Whiffletree
A well-established neighborhood and most of the homes in this community are either traditional or ranch-style single-family homes. It contains 459 households of which the majority were constructed in the 1980s. It is moderately priced at $400,000 to $700,000+.
Elementary School: Wells Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Haggard Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Vines High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Forest Creek Estates
Located west of Independence, east of Coit, south of Hedgecoxe and north of Legacy Drive. The average price of a home exceeds $500,000. Listings in the neighborhood don’t stay on the market for long because of the high demand from buyers.
Elementary School: Carlisle Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Schimelpfenig Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Clark High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Haggard Estates
Haggard Estates comprises of 59 acres on the northern half of the historic Haggard Farm at the intersection of Park Blvd. and Custer Rd. It contains 208 homes with pricing from $450,000 to $900,000+. This neighborhood has easy access to US75 and PGBT.
Elementary School: Harrington Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Carpenter Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Clark High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano Senior High School (Grade 11 – 12)
EAST PLANO (East of US75)
Los Rios
This neighborhood which is great for young families looking to buy their first home with relatively mid-price range (from $255,000 to $450,000+) in a beautiful part of East Plano. It’s easy to transition from a day spent near the country club to a night out in downtown Plano. On top of that, Plano has purchased the nearby golf course at Los Rios to provide a larger recreational area and park to the surrounding community. With an average list price of $266,111, now is the time to go in and buy a Los Rios home.
Elementary School: Dooley Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Armstrong Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: C A Mcmillen High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano East Sr High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Stoney Hollow
A beautiful community nestled in a peaceful enclave surrounded by trees, East of Plano, Texas. It has approximately 605 homes ranging in value between $300,000 and $750,000+. Amenities include a recreation center with a swimming pool and fenced playground. Plus, it is only minutes away from the new 800 acres Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, Plano’s largest park.
Elementary School: Hickey Elementary School (Grade K – 5)
Middle School: Bowman Middle School (Grade 6 – 8)
High School: Williams High School (Grade 9-10)
Plano East Sr High School (Grade 11 – 12)
Other Useful Information to Consider
Car Registration – New residents have 30 days to register vehicle(s) and it must be done in sequence.
- You must obtain Insurance meeting the requirements of the State of Texas.
- You need to have an Inspection performed in the County in which the vehicle is to be registered.
- You need to register the vehicle with the County Tax Assessor.
- And finally, apply for a State of Texas Driver’s License.
Don’t stress, as we have the ultimate Plano Moms Guide to the DPS for you. You can also find out more information on vehicle registration at the DPS (Department of Public Safety).
Collin County Tax Assessor-Collector, Plano Office 920 E. Park Blvd. Plano, TX 75074
Here is information on updating your Driver’s License and you can also visit the closest Department of Public Safety, 2109 W. Parker Rd., Suite 224, Plano, TX 75023
Call: (972) 867-4221
For commuters, the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) provides an express service between Plano and downtown Dallas and provides cross-town service in Plano. We have more information here.
Your New Resident Checklist
Thank you to the City of Plano Government for producing this handy checklist for you to access once you’ve arrived.
City of Plano Government
The City of Plano have recently shared these great resources and checklist for all new Residents of the City
Whether you are new here, or have been in Plano a long time, we are glad you’re here!
Check off these items to stay-in-the-know with all things Plano.
- Follow the City of Plano social media sites
- Sign up for Emergency Alerts with Plano City Call
- Sign up for Collection Reminders so you never miss your Trash & Recycling day
- Sign up for City of Plano e-newsletters to stay in-the-know
- Update your voter registration information with your new address
- Learn about your City Council members
- Register your pets with the City of Plano (required)
- Subscribe to the City’s podcast, Inside Plano
- Sign up for a free Plano Public Library card
- Explore the road construction webpage to find construction information near your location and commute
- Check who to call with concerns near your property
- Download the Fix It Plano app to report issues throughout the City
- Add the Plano non-emergency number to your phone – 972-424-5678
- Consider volunteering in Plano to learn more about your City
Plano City Hall, 1520 Avenue K, Plano, TX 75074
Call: 972-941-7000
We also have ideas for Home Services that you’d need, like Moving or Contractors for Remodelling and also where you can find the nearest Grocery Store or for Delivery or Pick up and other services that you’d find helpful, like a House Cleaner
Will I find those of my religious faith in Plano TX?
Yes!
Plano is home to groups representing Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Evangelical, Protestant and Interfaith congregations. Our Community Resources Directory has many of them listed.
rachel frampton
Wednesday 2nd of October 2019
I've been meaning to purchase a property in Plano, but I'm quite hesitant because I'm not sure if they provide the best schools and if the standard of living is affordable. I'm glad that I've stumbled upon this article; it's great to know that aside from low crimes and affordable living, Plano also offers numerous newly built houses. Maybe it's time for me to look for a real estate agent who can guide me throughout the process of the purchase.
Abbie
Tuesday 8th of October 2019
House prices have risen over time but there should be property options for you. We do recommend using an experienced local realtor. Here are some suggestions we love!