Frisco vs Plano

Frisco or Plano: a fair side by side

Plano is mostly established resale with rail access; Frisco still has land and new building. Here are the facts that separate them.

By Albert Angarita, REALTOR® · TREC Licensed · Updated Oct 2026

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Established streets or a city still filling in

Plano and Frisco sit next to each other along the Dallas North Tollway and SH 121, and many people who work in the Legacy area end up choosing between them. The biggest difference is age. Most of Plano is built out, so you are mostly buying resale homes on finished streets with a known school map. Frisco still has land being developed, so you see a mix of older neighborhoods, newer master plans and active builders.

Prices reflect that mix. MetroTex data reported by Community Impact put Plano's August 2026 median sold price at $494,500 across 188 sales, while Zillow put Frisco's August 2026 median sale price at about $637,000. Plano's citywide median hides a wide spread, though: by ZIP it ran from $349,500 in 75074 to $750,000 in 75093 that month.

So the useful question is not which city wins. It is which part of which city matches your budget, your commute and the kind of house you want. The tables below are built to help you answer that.

Side by side

Frisco and Plano at a glance

Median sale price

Frisco: about $637,000 (Aug 2026, Zillow). Plano: $494,500 (Aug 2026, MetroTex data via Community Impact). Plano ZIP medians ranged from $349,500 (75074) to $750,000 (75093).

Typical home value

Frisco: $640,131 (Sept 2026, Zillow, down 3.9% year over year). In Plano, ZIP 75093 was up 11.5% year over year in August 2026 while 75024 was down 10.4% (MetroTex via Community Impact), which shows how local the market is.

2025 combined tax rate

Collin County side, before exemptions. Frisco with Frisco ISD: about 1.68% (city 0.4255, Frisco ISD 1.0194, county 0.1493, Collin College 0.0812 per $100). Plano with Plano ISD: about 1.71% (city 0.4376, Plano ISD 1.0396, same county and college rates).

City homestead exemption

Both cities offer a 20% homestead exemption on the city portion (Collin Central Appraisal District, 2025). The $140,000 school homestead exemption is the same statewide.

School districts

Frisco: mostly Frisco ISD, which earned its fifth straight A from the TEA in 2026. Plano: mostly Plano ISD, which earned a B with 85 points for 2025-26; some west Plano addresses are in Frisco, Lewisville or Allen ISD. Campus ratings vary, so look up the exact address.

Housing stock

Frisco: a mix of 1990s and 2000s neighborhoods plus newer master plans still selling. Plano: mostly established resale, with infill new construction such as the Collin Creek redevelopment.

Daily life

Commutes, rail and new construction

Commute to Legacy West

Frisco: about 15 to 20 minutes via the Dallas North Tollway. Central Plano: about 10 to 15 minutes via the tollway or SH 121. Approximate off-peak.

Commute to downtown Dallas

Frisco: about 30 to 35 minutes via the tollway. Plano: about 25 to 30 minutes via US 75 or the tollway. Approximate off-peak.

Commute to DFW Airport

Frisco: about 25 to 30 minutes via SH 121. Plano: about 25 to 30 minutes via the President George Bush Turnpike and SH 121, approximate off-peak.

Rail

Plano has DART rail, including the Silver Line, which opened Oct. 25, 2025 with Plano stations at 12th Street and Shiloh Road and a direct ride to DFW Airport. Frisco does not have a rail station inside the city.

New construction and price floor

Frisco: First Texas Homes listed quick move-in homes at Villages of Creekwood from $564,950 (Oct 2026). Plano: Ashton Woods listed its Davis plan at Collin Creek from $531,990 for about 2,329 to 2,413 sq ft (Oct 2026). Plano has far less raw land, so new homes there are mostly infill.

HOA, MUD and PID

Frisco: HOAs are standard in master plans, for example $1,485 a year at Villages of Creekwood (builder, Oct 2026). Plano: dues vary widely, and newer infill can run higher; one 2026 Collin Creek listing showed $2,156 a year. Check each address on the appraisal district record for any special district.

What is being built

Frisco: Fields developers announced plans in October 2026 for about 11 million square feet of office space along the tollway, Panther Creek Parkway, US 380 and PGA Parkway. Plano: AT&T plans a $1.35 billion, 54-acre headquarters campus on Legacy Drive, with state filings pointing to a construction start around December 2026.

Same house, two cities

A $650,000 home: estimated monthly payment

$3,572

Principal and interest on a $520,000 loan (20% down) at 7.32%, the same in both cities

Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year average, Oct 22, 2026

$730

Frisco property tax per month, Collin County and Frisco ISD, after city, county, college and $140,000 school homestead exemptions (about $908 before exemptions)

Texava estimate from 2025 adopted rates, Collin CAD

$743

Plano property tax per month, Collin County and Plano ISD, after the same exemption types (about $925 before exemptions)

Texava estimate from 2025 adopted rates, Collin CAD

$13

Estimated monthly tax difference at the same price, owner-occupied, before HOA and insurance

Texava estimate, 2025 rates

Who each fits

How buyers tend to choose

Plano tends to fit buyers who want an established neighborhood with mature trees, a shorter drive to downtown Dallas, and the option of rail, including a direct Silver Line ride to DFW Airport. It also offers more homes under $500,000 in some ZIP codes, and the tax rate at the same price is close to Frisco's. Expect to compare older homes on condition: roof, HVAC, plumbing and foundation history matter more when a house has some age.

Frisco tends to fit buyers who want newer construction or a newer master plan, more amenity centers and trails inside the community, and quick access to SH 121, the tollway and the employers and venues around The Star and Fields. The trade-off is a higher typical price and, in some newer sections, higher HOA dues.

A practical way to decide: pick your two or three daily destinations, then tour one Plano home and one Frisco home at the same price on the same day. Seeing the difference in age, lot size and drive time side by side usually settles it fast. I am happy to set that up: 469-827-7672 or albert@texava.com.

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FAQ

Common questions

Is Frisco more expensive than Plano?

On a citywide median, yes: about $637,000 in Frisco versus $494,500 in Plano in August 2026. But Plano's ZIP 75093 median was $750,000 that month, so parts of Plano cost as much as Frisco. Compare the specific areas you would actually live in.

Are property taxes higher in Plano or Frisco?

They are close. On the Collin County side, the 2025 combined rate was about 1.71% in Plano ISD and about 1.68% in Frisco ISD. On a $650,000 owner-occupied home, our estimate shows about $13 a month more in Plano.

Which school district is rated higher?

In the latest TEA ratings, Frisco ISD earned an A (2026) and Plano ISD earned a B with 85 points (2025-26). District grades average many campuses, and individual campus ratings vary. Look up the exact zoned schools for any home.

Does Frisco have DART rail?

No rail station is inside Frisco. Plano has DART stations, including Silver Line stops at 12th Street and Shiloh Road that opened in October 2025 with service to DFW Airport. If rail matters to you, map the drive to the nearest station from each home.

Can I buy a new home in Plano?

Yes, but mostly as infill. In October 2026 Ashton Woods listed homes at Collin Creek from $531,990. Frisco has more active master plans, with Villages of Creekwood quick move-ins from $564,950.

More Frisco guides

Keep exploring Frisco

Homes in FriscoDated prices, how a Texas purchase works and which loans exist, written first in Spanish fOpen →First home in FriscoA $450,000 Frisco home with 3.5% down runs about $4,000 a month all in, and the right progOpen →Frisco downsizing guideIf you have owned your Frisco home for years, the tax freeze, the sale exclusion and singlOpen →Is it really Frisco?Two homes with Frisco addresses can sit in different cities, counties, school districts anOpen →Frisco commute guideWhere you live inside Frisco decides your drive and your toll bill. Here are the routes, tOpen →All Frisco guidesOpen →

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