Living in McKinney, Texas

McKinney ISD serves most of the city, but McKinney and its ETJ are zoned into seven districts: McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Melissa and Lovejoy ISDs, so boundaries vary by address. McKinney ISD received a B rating from TEA for the fifth straight year, and all three of its high schools earned an A (Aug 2026). On Nov. 3, 2026, voters decide a roughly $500 million McKinney ISD bond that includes two new elementary schools.

For tax year 2025, a home inside McKinney city limits pays the city (0.412284), Collin County (0.149343) and Collin College (0.08122), plus its school district. That puts the combined rate at about 1.66% with Frisco ISD up to about 1.90% with Lovejoy ISD, and about 1.75% with McKinney ISD. On a $500,000 home in McKinney ISD that is roughly $728 a month before exemptions; Texas voters raised the school homestead exemption to $140,000 in Nov 2025, which cuts that noticeably for owner-occupants. MUD areas such as Trinity Falls (McKinney MUD No. 1) run higher, about 2.32% combined.

The new 46,000 sq ft passenger terminal opens Nov. 11, 2026, with Avelo Airlines starting service to Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, then Atlanta, Denver, Nashville and New Orleans in December.^[5]

The 20,000-seat venue at US 75 and SH 121 was about 70% complete in Oct 2026, with investment at about $334 million and opening expected in 2027.^[6]

LITEON chose McKinney for a $919 million campus in the Core5 Logistics Center with at least 600 jobs expected; ground broke Aug. 18, 2026.^[5]

TxDOT is widening Spur 399 from four to six lanes between US 75 and Stewart Road; construction began June 2025 with completion expected in early 2029.^[7]

TxDOT selected an eight-lane freeway alignment through north McKinney in Sept 2023, and the McKinney section was scheduled to be ready to bid in 2027.^[8]

On Nov. 3, 2026, voters decide about $500 million in bonds, including two new elementary schools, plus a tax rate election.^[9]

Power to Choose lists Oncor as the delivery utility for McKinney's ZIP codes 75069 through 75072, so you choose a retail electric plan on that site. Enter your own ZIP there to confirm before you sign.^[23]

The City of McKinney bills water and sewer, plus trash and drainage inside city limits. Apply with the online Service Application (renters upload the lease); the regular deposit is $200 and the connection fee is $50. Trash and recycling are collected by Frontier Waste Solutions.^[24]

Once you own and live in the home, file the residence homestead exemption with the Collin Central Appraisal District. It is free and you never need to pay a company to do it. Collin CAD accepts it online through its Taxpayer Portal, by mail or in person (not by email), with a copy of your Texas ID showing the home's address.^[26]

McKinney ISD: new students enroll through the district's Enrollment page. McKinney is split among several districts, so confirm the district and campus for the exact address. Parts of the city are zoned to Frisco ISD, Prosper ISD, Allen ISD, Celina ISD, Melissa ISD or Lovejoy ISD, so check the address before you fall in love with a house.^[27]

Register your vehicle with the Collin County Tax Assessor-Collector (main office 2300 Bloomdale Rd., McKinney). Texas DMV gives new residents 30 days to register, and this is an emissions county, so pass a state inspection first. For your license, the McKinney DPS office is at 400 Power House St. (appointments required); DPS lets you drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days after moving.^[28]