Frisco has overtaken neighboring McKinney for the top position in WalletHub’s 2026 U.S. real estate market rankings. The North Texas housing market placed four Dallas-Fort Worth cities in the national top 10, with Denton and Allen joining Frisco and McKinney in a study covering 300 U.S. cities.
Key Takeaways
- Frisco ranked No. 1 and McKinney No. 2 among 300 U.S. cities in WalletHub’s 2026 real estate study.
- Denton ranked No. 5 and Allen No. 8, giving Dallas-Fort Worth four cities in the national top 10.
- Nearly 47% of Frisco homes and about 40% of McKinney homes were built between 2010 and 2024.
- McKinney ranked No. 10 nationally for building permits per capita, while Frisco posted the seventh-highest job growth rate.
- Collin County had nearly 1.3 million residents in 2025 as continued growth added pressure on housing and infrastructure.
WalletHub’s 2026 rankings put the North Texas housing market near the top of a national comparison of housing conditions, affordability and economic strength.
Frisco moved into the No. 1 position after McKinney had led the annual ranking for the previous three years. McKinney finished second, while Denton and Allen extended North Texas’ presence in the top 10.
The rankings reflect more than home prices. WalletHub evaluated 17 metrics covering real estate market conditions and affordability and the economic environment, including housing affordability, newer housing stock, building activity, population growth and employment.
Frisco Moves Into the No. 1 Spot
Frisco ranked first overall, second nationally for its real estate market and first for affordability and economic environment.
One of the city’s most notable figures was its housing stock. Nearly 47% of Frisco homes were built between 2010 and 2024, the highest share among the 300 cities evaluated.
That newer supply stands out as housing availability changes across the state. Broader Texas housing inventory trends have also shown how additional listings can expand buyer choice, although conditions vary substantially by region.
Frisco ranked 95th among the 300 cities for home prices as a percentage of income. It also ranked 11th for phone service costs and 11th for maintenance and energy expenses.
Employment conditions added another factor. Frisco recorded the seventh-highest job growth rate in the study.
Together, those measures helped the city move ahead of McKinney after ranking below its neighbor in recent annual studies.
McKinney Holds Second After Three Years at No. 1
McKinney ranked No. 2 nationally after holding the top position for the previous three annual WalletHub rankings.
Like Frisco, McKinney scored strongly on newer housing and construction activity. About 40% of its housing stock was built between 2010 and 2024, the second-highest share among the cities studied.
The city also ranked No. 10 nationally for building permits per capita, a measure of residential construction activity relative to population.
Affordability was more mixed. WalletHub reported that McKinney’s median home price was about 380% of median income, placing the city 73rd among the 300 markets on that measure.
McKinney also ranked among the 35 least expensive cities for maintenance, telephone and energy costs.
Its labor market was another contributor. McKinney recorded annual job growth of more than 17%, ranking sixth nationally in the study.
Those figures show why affordability rankings cannot be read solely through home prices. National buyer affordability pressures continue to reflect the combined effects of property prices, household income and financing costs.
Four North Texas Cities Reach the National Top 10
Dallas-Fort Worth accounted for four of the country’s 10 highest-ranked real estate markets.
Frisco ranked No. 1, followed by McKinney at No. 2. Denton placed fifth and Allen ranked eighth.
North Texas also had several cities just outside the top 10. Richardson ranked No. 16 nationally, Carrollton No. 21 and Fort Worth No. 22.
Irving followed at No. 40, Plano at No. 61 and Dallas at No. 71. Garland ranked No. 103, Arlington No. 111, Grand Prairie No. 126 and Mesquite No. 195.
The city-size rankings provided another view of the region’s performance.
Frisco ranked first among midsize cities, followed by McKinney in second and Denton in fifth. Irving ranked 21st, Plano 32nd, Garland 49th and Grand Prairie 57th in the same category.
Among small cities, Allen ranked first, Richardson second and Carrollton fourth. Mesquite ranked 82nd.
Fort Worth ranked fifth among large U.S. cities, while Dallas placed 14th and Arlington 22nd.
Housing and Economic Metrics Shape the Rankings
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WalletHub evaluated 300 cities using 17 metrics divided between two categories: real estate market conditions and affordability and economic environment.
The real estate measures include home-value forecasts, median home-price appreciation, median days on market, foreclosure rates, mortgage delinquency, vacancy rates, newer housing stock and building-permit activity.
The affordability and economic measures include housing affordability, maintenance costs, population growth, job growth, unemployment, underemployment and median credit scores.
The methodology means the overall ranking is not a list of the country’s cheapest housing markets.
Frisco, for example, ranked 95th for home prices as a percentage of income but still finished first overall because of its performance across the broader set of housing and economic measures.
McKinney ranked 73rd on the same home-price-to-income measure but reached No. 2 overall through a combination of newer construction, permitting activity, employment growth and other factors.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo summarized the broader approach by noting, “Current home prices are extremely important, but there’s much more that you need to look at.”
The rankings therefore provide a comparison of market conditions rather than a prediction that every buyer or investor will experience the same outcome in a particular city.
Collin County Growth Adds Regional Context
Frisco and McKinney are both located in Collin County, where continued population growth is increasing demand for housing, roads and public facilities.
U.S. Census estimates put Collin County’s population at roughly 1.3 million in 2025. The county added nearly 43,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025.
That growth extends beyond Frisco and McKinney. Plano, Allen and communities farther north and east have also contributed to the county’s expanding population.
Infrastructure planning has followed that growth.
Collin County voters are scheduled to decide on an $817.5 million bond package on Nov. 3, 2026. The package includes funding for road improvements, court and detention facilities, parks and open space, and an elections and records storage facility.
Road improvements represent the largest portion of the package, with $475 million proposed for transportation projects. Court and detention projects account for $296.5 million, followed by $40 million for an elections and records facility and $6 million for parks and open space.
Long-range projections cited by the county indicate that Collin County could surpass 2.2 million residents by 2060, more than twice its 2020 Census population.
North Texas Rankings Reflect Growth, Supply and Affordability
WalletHub’s 2026 results place several Dallas-Fort Worth communities near the top of its national real estate comparison, but the individual metrics show different strengths within each city.
Frisco’s newer housing stock, job growth and household costs helped move it into first place. McKinney combined substantial newer construction, building permits and employment growth to finish second, while Denton and Allen gave the region four cities in the top 10.
For the North Texas housing market, the rankings also arrive as Collin County continues adding residents and preparing infrastructure for further growth. Housing availability, purchasing costs, employment and construction activity will remain separate factors for buyers evaluating individual communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which North Texas cities ranked highest in the 2026 U.S. real estate rankings?
Frisco ranked No. 1 among the 300 cities evaluated by WalletHub, followed by McKinney at No. 2. Denton ranked fifth and Allen eighth, giving the North Texas housing market four cities in the national top 10.
Why did Frisco rank No. 1 in 2026?
Frisco performed strongly across both real estate and economic measures. Nearly 47% of its homes were built between 2010 and 2024, and the city also ranked seventh nationally for job growth while scoring well on several household-cost measures.
How did McKinney perform in the ranking?
McKinney finished No. 2 nationally after ranking first for the previous three years. About 40% of its homes were built between 2010 and 2024, and the city ranked No. 10 for building permits per capita and sixth for job growth.
What factors did WalletHub use to compare the cities?
WalletHub used 17 metrics covering real estate market conditions, affordability and the economic environment. Measures included home-price trends, housing affordability, building activity, newer housing stock, population growth and employment conditions.
Where did other Dallas-Fort Worth cities rank?
Richardson ranked No. 16 overall, Carrollton No. 21 and Fort Worth No. 22. Dallas ranked No. 71 nationally, while Irving, Plano, Garland, Arlington, Grand Prairie and Mesquite also appeared among the 300 cities evaluated.
