Home / Areas / Collin County
Working as an Agent in McKinney, TX: The County Seat That Kept Growing
Short answer. McKinney is the county seat of Collin County, and it kept growing while its larger neighbor Plano leveled off. Agents here work two markets at once: new construction on the edges and an older, historic core.
The growth in three numbers
McKinney counted 54,369 people in 2000, 131,117 in 2010 and 195,308 in 2020. The Census Bureau ranked it the nation's fourth fastest-growing large city from 2010 to 2019. In the year to July 2025, the Census Bureau estimated it added about 8,500 residents.
Growth at that pace means many buyers are new to the area and have never done a Texas closing.
The historic core
McKinney's downtown is built around the Old Collin County Courthouse, finished in 1874 and remodeled in 1927. It now holds the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Downtown hosts events such as Arts in Bloom and Oktoberfest.
Older streets near downtown sell differently from a new subdivision on the edge. Learn the difference early. Inspections, age of systems and lot size matter more there.
Two markets, one city
New construction brings special-district notices and builder contracts. The older core brings resale and inspection issues. An agent who can do both has more options. A new agent can start with one and add the other.
For the notice rules on newer neighborhoods, read our Prosper and Celina page.
What the Census says about the homes in McKinney
| McKinney | |
|---|---|
| Population (5-year estimate) | 210,600 |
| Housing units | 77,617 |
| Homes built since 2010 | 40% |
| Homes built before 1990 | 8% |
| Median year built | 2007 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 64% |
| Vacant housing units | 4.6% |
| Median home value | $471,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,901 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024. These are estimates with margins of error, and 5-year figures lag the newer city estimates quoted elsewhere on this page.
What this suggests
- 40% of homes were built since 2010, and the median home dates to 2007. It is a mix of newer neighborhoods and older streets, so you will work both kinds of file.
This is our reading of the numbers, not a Census statement. Every neighborhood differs.
Home sales snapshot, July 2026
These are closed sales of single-family homes in the month, from the multiple listing service, with the same month a year earlier for comparison.
| McKinney | |
|---|---|
| Closed sales | 218 |
| Closed sales, year earlier | 257 |
| Median price | $518,000 |
| Median price, year earlier | $495,000 |
| Average days on market | 42 |
| Sold price as share of list price | 95.9% |
| Active listings | 886 |
| Months of inventory | 3.9 |
- Median price was $518,000, up 5% from a year earlier. Homes sold for 95.9% of list price on average after 42 days on market, and 886 homes were listed, about 3.9 months of supply. As a rough rule of thumb, that is a pace that tends to favor sellers.
Source: North Texas Real Estate Information System (NTREIS) single-family MLS data for July 2026, prepared by the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University. One month of data. Small cities have few sales, so figures can swing a lot from month to month. Sales by builders and sales not listed in the NTREIS MLS are not counted. Treat this as background, not a price for any particular home, and check current figures before you quote them.
Look-up list for McKinney files
Search the property address on the appraisal district site to see which county tax roll it sits on. Check it on every file.
- Collin Central Appraisal District
- School district: use the district's own address lookup for the exact address
- Special district: ask whether the address sits in a PID or MUD before the contract
Common questions
Is McKinney the county seat of Collin County?
Yes.
How fast has McKinney grown?
From 131,117 people in 2010 to 195,308 in 2020, per the Census. The Census Bureau estimated about 8,500 more in the year to July 2025.
Is McKinney only new construction?
No. It has a historic downtown and older neighborhoods as well as new subdivisions.
Sources
- McKinney, Texas (Wikipedia, citing the U.S. Census Bureau)
- Collin County, Texas (Wikipedia, citing the U.S. Census Bureau)
- Texas Tribune: Census Bureau 2025 city population estimates (May 14, 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (via Census Reporter)
- North Texas Real Estate Information System (NTREIS) single-family MLS data for July 2026, prepared by the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University
Education only. Not legal, tax or financial advice. Population figures are U.S. Census Bureau counts or estimates as reported by the sources above. Confirm licensing and disclosure rules with the Texas Real Estate Commission and your broker.