More people moved to the Dallas–Fort Worth metro last year than to any other metro area in the United States. And the vast majority of them didn't move to Dallas proper — they moved to the suburbs. Frisco, Southlake, McKinney, Plano, Grapevine: these are the names people actually research when they're relocating to DFW, and for good reason. The suburb you choose in this metro determines your school district, your commute, your property taxes, and what your daily life actually looks like.
This guide ranks the best Dallas suburbs using real WYLT data — school ratings, crime levels, home prices, walkability scores, and verdicts — so you're comparing them on facts, not reputation.
The comparison at a glance
| Suburb | WYLT Verdict | Median Home Price | School Rating | Walk Score | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southlake | Settle here | $750,000 | 9.1/10 | 22/100 | #1 schools in Texas |
| Colleyville | Settle here | $700,000 | 8.5/10 | 35/100 | Affluent, under-the-radar |
| Frisco | Settle here | $639,900 | 7.3/10 | 32/100 | Growth, amenities, location |
| Grapevine | Settle here | $429,200 | 7.4/10 | 33/100 | Best value "Settle here" |
| McKinney | Good for now | $379,100 | 7.5/10 | 22/100 | Affordable, historic square |
| Plano | Good for now | $359,600 | 7.5/10 | 25/100 | Established, Plano ISD |
| Plano (East) | Settle here | $322,100 | 7.3/10 | 10/100 | Most affordable "Settle here" |
| Addison | Good for now | $414,900 | 7.3/10 | 37/100 | Most walkable, restaurant row |
1. Southlake — the #1 school district in Texas
Southlake 76092 is the answer to a specific question: where are the best public schools in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro? Carroll Independent School District — Southlake's school district — has been ranked the top school district in Texas for multiple consecutive years. The WYLT school rating of 9.1/10 is the highest of any Dallas suburb on this list and among the highest in the state. Dragon Stadium is a 40,000-seat high school football stadium. That tells you something about community investment in the school system.
WYLT verdict: Settle here. Median home price of $750,000 reflects the school premium — buyers are specifically paying for Carroll ISD access, and the market prices that in accordingly. Walk Score of 22 is low but Southlake Town Square gives the city a genuine walkable commercial center with restaurants, shops, and a hotel. It's not walkable from most neighborhoods, but it's a real amenity.
The commute story: Southlake sits between Dallas and Fort Worth on Highway 114, which gives it reasonable access to both city centers — typically 30–40 minutes to downtown Dallas, 20–25 to downtown Fort Worth. DFW Airport is 10 minutes away, which matters significantly for frequent flyers.
→ Full Southlake report: schools, crime, price trends, flood risk
2. Colleyville — affluent, strong schools, and under the radar
Colleyville 76034 earns a Settle here verdict with a school rating of 8.5/10 — second highest on this list — and sits in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, consistently one of the top-rated districts in Tarrant County. At $700,000 median, it's priced just below Southlake but with comparable school quality and an arguably more established, quieter character.
Colleyville doesn't have Southlake's name recognition among people moving from out of state, which has historically kept its prices slightly more contained than the hype would suggest. The city is almost entirely residential — low-density, low-drama, the kind of suburb that delivers on its promises without fanfare. Walk Score of 35 is above average for the DFW suburbs. DFW Airport access is equally strong as Southlake, sitting just south of the Grapevine/Southlake corridor.
→ Full Colleyville report: schools, crime, price trends, flood risk
3. Frisco — the suburb that built itself into a city
Frisco 75034 was farmland 25 years ago. Today it's a city of 230,000+ people with a PGA headquarters, FC Dallas stadium, the Dallas Cowboys' training facility and headquarters (The Star), a AAA baseball stadium, and a development pipeline that shows no signs of stopping. It earns a Settle here verdict with a median home price of $639,900 and a Walk Score of 32 — the highest-volume suburb on this list in terms of amenities and new construction.
School rating of 7.3/10 reflects Frisco ISD, which is a large district managing rapid growth. Individual campuses vary — research specific schools for the neighborhood you're considering rather than relying on the district average. The overall trend has been maintaining quality despite explosive enrollment growth, which is genuinely difficult.
Frisco is where people move when they want the full package: great amenities, newer construction, a strong employment corridor (Toyota headquarters, Keurig Dr Pepper, and major tech presence are all nearby), and a suburb that feels complete rather than still-developing. The tradeoff is price — $639,900 is real money — and the sense that Frisco is a planned environment rather than an organically grown community.
→ Full Frisco report: schools, crime, price trends, flood risk
4. Grapevine — the best value "Settle here" in DFW
Grapevine 76051 earns a Settle here verdict at $429,200 — the most affordable suburb on this list with that rating, and the one that most often surprises people who haven't looked closely. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD (the same district as Colleyville) earns a 7.4/10 school rating. Walk Score of 33 reflects Main Street Grapevine — a genuine historic downtown strip with independently-owned restaurants, wine bars, boutiques, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad that runs to the Fort Worth Stockyards on weekends.
Grapevine's location is hard to beat: Lake Grapevine on the north side, DFW Airport literally on the southern edge (beneficial for travelers, occasionally audible for residents near flight paths — research specific streets), and Highway 114 giving reasonable access to both Dallas and Fort Worth. For buyers who want a suburb with actual character, actual walkability by DFW standards, strong schools, and a price point under $450,000, Grapevine is the answer.
→ Full Grapevine report: schools, crime, price trends, flood risk
5. McKinney — historic square, fastest-growing city label, affordable
McKinney 75069 has been on "best places to live" lists for years, and the data backs it up. Good for now verdict, $379,100 median, school rating 7.5/10 — the highest school rating in the Good for now category on this list. McKinney ISD has maintained strong ratings despite managing significant growth pressure.
Historic Downtown McKinney — a preserved town square with Victorian-era buildings, independent restaurants, bars, and a genuine farmers market — is the city's biggest differentiator. It's a real downtown, not a planned commercial strip, and it gives McKinney a character that newer suburbs like Frisco can't replicate. Walk Score of 22 doesn't capture the downtown experience well; if you live within a few miles of the square, the walkable commercial access is genuine.
The commute to downtown Dallas is real: US-75 (Central Expressway) is the corridor, and peak-hour traffic can push the 30-mile trip to 50–60 minutes. But McKinney's own employment base has grown significantly, and many residents work within the north Dallas corridor rather than commuting downtown.
→ Full McKinney report: schools, crime, price trends, flood risk
6. Plano — the established choice with two price points
Plano offers two distinct entries on this list. Plano 75023 covers the western part of the city — Good for now, $359,600, school 7.5/10, Walk Score 25. Plano 75074 covers the eastern side — Settle here, $322,100, school 7.3/10, Walk Score 10. Both feed into Plano ISD, one of the largest and most-watched school districts in Texas.
Plano is the established North Dallas suburb — it's been on the "great suburb" list for 30 years, and the housing stock, infrastructure, and amenities reflect that maturity. It doesn't have the buzz of Frisco or the school prestige of Southlake, but it delivers consistently across every category. The Legacy Business Park and the Shops at Legacy give Plano a walkable mixed-use district that genuinely works. Toyota North America, JPMorgan Chase, Capital One, and dozens of major employers are headquartered or have major offices in Plano — for corporate relocations, this is often where HR sends you.
→ Full Plano 75023 report | → Full Plano 75074 report
7. Addison — the most walkable suburb in DFW
Addison 75001 is a small city (about 16,000 residents) that punches well above its size. Walk Score of 37 is the highest of any suburb on this list and reflects Addison's dense concentration of restaurants, bars, and entertainment options along Addison Road and Belt Line Road — over 170 restaurants in a 4.4 square mile city. Addison Circle is a well-executed urban-style development with apartments, green space, and walkable retail. Good for now verdict, $414,900 median.
Addison is the right choice for buyers who want suburban pricing without suburban isolation — people who want to walk to dinner, have easy Tollway access to downtown Dallas (15 minutes on a good day), and don't need a large lot or top-tier school district. School rating of 7.3/10 via Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD is solid but not a primary draw. Addison attracts young professionals and empty-nesters more than families with school-age children.
→ Full Addison report: schools, crime, price trends, flood risk
The honest summary: match the suburb to your priority
- Best schools, money no object: Southlake (9.1/10, Carroll ISD)
- Best schools under $700K: Colleyville (8.5/10, GCISD)
- Best value overall: Grapevine ($429K, Settle here) or Plano East ($322K, Settle here)
- Best amenities and growth: Frisco
- Best walkability: Addison (Walk Score 37, restaurant row)
- Best historic character: McKinney (town square) or Grapevine (Main Street)
- Best for DFW Airport access: Southlake or Grapevine (10–15 min)
- Best for corporate Plano/Legacy corridor commuters: Plano, Addison, Frisco
One thing every suburb on this list shares
No state income tax. Texas has no personal income tax, which changes the financial math for anyone relocating from California, New York, Illinois, or any other high-tax state. For a household earning $200,000 per year, that's $15,000 to $25,000 in additional take-home income annually compared to California. Property taxes in Texas are higher than the national average, but for most income levels the net effect of relocating is strongly positive. Run your specific numbers, but the baseline is favorable.
See the full WYLT data for every Dallas suburb — school ratings, crime levels, price trends, commute times, and flood risk.
Southlake → | Colleyville → | Frisco → | Grapevine → | McKinney → | Plano → | Addison →
