South of McKinney
1. Allen
Median home price: $492,515 (Redfin, three months ending September 2026, down 1.5% YoY), about $212 per square foot, 49 median days on market.
Vibe: Allen is McKinney's southern neighbor along US 75 and feels like a slightly older, more settled version of south McKinney. It grew only modestly from 104,627 in 2020 to 107,328 in January 2025, so most homes are resale. Shopping and dining are concentrated around Watters Creek and the Allen Premium Outlets area. Allen ISD is a single high school district, which a lot of families like.
Commute: US 75 runs straight through Allen, and SH 121 / Sam Rayburn Tollway forms its northern edge, so you're closer to Plano and Richardson than most of McKinney is.
Best for: buyers who like McKinney's price range but want a shorter drive south. Note that the east side of Craig Ranch has McKinney addresses and Allen ISD schools, which can give you both. Browse Allen homes for sale and see McKinney vs Allen.
2. Fairview
Typical home value: $651,318 (Zillow Home Value Index, September 30, 2026, down 4.3% YoY).
Vibe: Fairview is a small town of about 11,282 people between McKinney and Allen, with generally larger lots than its neighbors and the Fairview Town Center retail district. It's quieter and more spread out than its neighbors.
Schools: per the Town of Fairview, Lovejoy ISD serves a large portion of town, while McKinney ISD serves the western side and a small area in the far northeast. Check the address before you fall in love with a house.
Commute: SH 121 and US 75 are both close, so it commutes like south McKinney.
Best for: buyers who want more land or Lovejoy ISD without going far from McKinney. See Fairview homes for sale.
3. Lucas
Median home price: $1,149,239 (Redfin, three months ending August 2026, down 5.0% YoY), about $294 per square foot, only 40 sales that month and 85 median days on market.
Vibe: Lucas is rural feeling, with estates on acreage, horse properties, and custom homes, bordering Lavon Lake on the east. With about 8,378 residents, it's the smallest place on this list. There's very little retail inside the city; most people shop in Allen or McKinney.
Schools: the City of Lucas lists six school districts within its limits: Allen, Lovejoy, McKinney, Plano, Princeton, and Wylie ISDs. That's the clearest example in Collin County of why the address check matters.
Commute: slower than the US 75 suburbs because you're on two lane farm roads for part of the drive.
Best for: buyers who want land and privacy and can live with a longer drive. Browse Lucas homes for sale or luxury homes.
West of McKinney
4. Frisco
Median home price: $649,691 (Redfin, September 2026, down 5.4% YoY), about $230 per square foot, 63 median days on market.
Vibe: Frisco is about the same size as McKinney (235,615 vs 226,181 in January 2025), but it's newer, more corporate, and more expensive. It has a deep job base, pro sports facilities, and a lot of retail along the Dallas North Tollway and SH 121. Frisco ISD also covers most of Craig Ranch in McKinney.
Commute: the Dallas North Tollway and Sam Rayburn Tollway put you close to Legacy and Plano. Getting to downtown McKinney is a cross county drive on SH 121 or US 380.
Best for: people working in Frisco or Plano who want newer housing and don't mind paying more. See Frisco homes for sale and McKinney vs Frisco.
5. Prosper
Median home price: $840,125 (Redfin, three months ending September 2026, down 2.3% YoY), about $234 per square foot, 101 median days on market (up 26 days from a year earlier).
Vibe: Prosper went from 30,174 people in 2020 to 46,087 in January 2025. It's mostly newer, larger homes in master planned communities, with a smaller town center. Days on market have stretched, which gives buyers more negotiating room than a year ago.
Schools: Prosper ISD also serves a big slice of northwest McKinney, including Tucker Hill, newer Westridge sections, Aster Park, and Highland Lakes. If you want Prosper ISD, you may be able to get it with a McKinney address and a lower price point.
Commute: the Dallas North Tollway and US 380 are the main routes. The planned US 380 bypass is designed as a six lane highway through Frisco and Prosper.
Best for: buyers shopping $700K and up who want a newer home. See Prosper homes for sale and McKinney vs Prosper.
6. Celina
Median home price: $499,757 (Redfin, September 2026, down 9.14% YoY), about $182 per square foot, 89 median days on market, with sales up 27.4% year over year.
Vibe: Celina is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. NCTCOG puts it at 61,834 in January 2025, up from 16,739 in 2020. Most of that growth is in large master planned communities on the city's south and west sides, with a small historic square in the old town. Prices fell more than anywhere else on this list over the past year, mostly because builders are competing for buyers.
Commute: the Dallas North Tollway extension and Preston Road head south; McKinney is reached via US 380 or FM roads.
Best for: buyers who want new construction and a large community amenity package and are comfortable with a longer drive. See Celina homes for sale and new construction.
North of McKinney
7. Melissa
Typical home value: $436,874 (Zillow, January 31, 2026, down 6.1% YoY). This is the oldest figure in this post; I couldn't open a more recent sale price.
Vibe: Melissa sits just north of McKinney on US 75 and nearly doubled from 13,901 in 2020 to 26,234 in January 2025. It still feels like a small town, with Melissa ISD as its own district and a mix of new subdivisions and older homes near the original town.
Commute: US 75 south through McKinney. North McKinney traffic and the ongoing Spur 399 and US 380 work are the main variables.
Best for: buyers who want a smaller school district and newer homes for less than most of McKinney. See Melissa homes for sale.
8. Anna
Median home price: $352,850 (Houzeo, citing NTREIS data, March 2026), with a median of 118 days on market.
Vibe: Anna is the next city north on US 75 after Melissa, and it grew from 16,896 in 2020 to 34,100 in January 2025. Much of the inventory is newer entry level construction. Anna ISD is its own district.
Commute: longer, since you drive through Melissa and all of McKinney to reach SH 121. Plan for that if you work in Plano or Frisco.
Best for: first time buyers who want new construction under the McKinney median. See Anna homes for sale.
East of McKinney
9. Princeton
Median home price: $319,495 (Redfin, August 2026, down 6.0% YoY), about $152 per square foot, 68 median days on market, with sales up 43.3%.
Vibe: Princeton is on US 380 east of McKinney and was the fastest growing city in the country in 2024, up 30% to just over 37,000 people as of July 2024 per Census estimates reported by the Texas Tribune. NCTCOG puts it at 43,126 in January 2025. It's mostly new construction at the lowest prices you'll find this close to McKinney. The City of Princeton's 2026 rate is 0.472959 per $100, higher than McKinney's 0.412284.
Address mismatch: some Princeton city neighborhoods have McKinney mailing addresses. Eastridge, for example, is in Princeton city limits with a 75071 McKinney address, 63 closed sales in the past 12 months at a median of $325,990, and PID assessments of about $2,256 to $2,527 a year on Improvement Area 4 lots. From Eastridge, Google Maps showed 16 minutes to the downtown McKinney square on a weekday afternoon in October 2026. Details are on my Eastridge page.
Commute: US 380 west is the only real route, and it's busy. The US 380 projects should help in the long run, but construction comes first.
Best for: budget focused buyers and first time buyers. See Princeton homes for sale.
10. Wylie
Median home price: $399,760 (Redfin, September 2026, down 0.68% YoY), about $184 per square foot, 60 median days on market.
Vibe: Wylie is southeast of McKinney near Lavon Lake, with a small historic downtown, established 2000s neighborhoods, and some newer construction. At 62,918 people in January 2025, it's grown steadily rather than explosively. Prices held up better than most of the cities above.
Commute: SH 78 and FM 544 lead toward Garland, Richardson, and Plano. Getting to McKinney means heading north through Lucas or Lowry Crossing.
Best for: buyers who want an established town at a lower price than Allen or McKinney. See Wylie homes for sale.
How I Picked These Suburbs
I included the cities that border McKinney or sit one step away and that buyers realistically compare with McKinney. For prices, I used each city's Redfin market page where I could open it (checked October 28, 2026), and Zillow or Houzeo where Redfin wouldn't load. Population numbers are NCTCOG's January 1, 2025 estimates. I avoided ranking the cities against each other because a family focused on Lovejoy ISD and a first time buyer focused on payment will rank them in opposite order.
Two things to check on any house in these cities, no matter what the listing says:
- Which city and ISD it's actually in. Collin County mailing addresses don't follow city or school boundaries.
- Whether there's a MUD or PID. Many new communities carry one, and it can add thousands of dollars a year. See McKinney property taxes, PIDs, and MUDs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest suburb near McKinney?
Of the cities here, Princeton had the lowest median sale price, $319,495 in August 2026 per Redfin, followed by Anna at $352,850 in March 2026 per Houzeo.
What is the most expensive suburb near McKinney?
Lucas, at a $1,149,239 median for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). Prosper was next at $840,125.
Which suburbs near McKinney have the fastest growth?
Celina, Princeton, Anna, and Melissa. Princeton was the fastest growing U.S. city in 2024 at 30%, and Celina, Anna, and Melissa were also among the 15 fastest growing cities, per Census estimates reported by the Texas Tribune in May 2025.
Can I get Prosper ISD or Frisco ISD with a McKinney address?
Yes. Much of northwest McKinney is in Prosper ISD, and most of Craig Ranch is in Frisco ISD. Always verify by address with the district.
Which suburb near McKinney is best for acreage?
Lucas and Fairview have the most large lot and acreage properties close to McKinney.
Are home prices near McKinney going down?
Most of these cities showed lower year over year medians in their latest Redfin month, from a 0.68% dip in Wylie to a 9.14% drop in Celina. That's a buyer friendly market, especially in new construction.
Is Lowry Crossing a suburb of McKinney?
It's a small city (about 2,222 people in January 2025 per NCTCOG) southeast of McKinney. Simpson Crossing has McKinney 75069 addresses but sits in Lowry Crossing city limits with McKinney ISD schools and a PID. I cover it in up and coming areas in McKinney.
Want Help Comparing Suburbs?
Tell me your budget, your work address, and which school districts you care about, and I'll narrow this list to two or three cities and a handful of neighborhoods. Because I'm also a loan officer, I can show you the real monthly payment with each area's taxes, PID, MUD, and HOA included. Reach out through the contact form on this site.
Sources: Redfin McKinney; Redfin Allen; Redfin Lucas; Redfin Frisco; Redfin Prosper; Redfin Celina; Redfin Princeton; Redfin Wylie; Zillow Fairview; Zillow Melissa; Houzeo Anna; NCTCOG 2025 Population Estimates; Texas Tribune, fastest growing cities; Town of Fairview school districts; City of Lucas school districts; City of Princeton FY 2026 to 2027 budget; Collin County Tax Assessor; Community Impact, US 380 bypass; NTREIS MLS data for Eastridge (12 months to October 28, 2026); Google Maps drive times checked October 28, 2026.
