Allen or McKinney? (Dallas, Plano, Richardson: crime rates, house, neighborhood) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

lukeache · 08-08-2007, 05:09 PM

We are from MN and we are considering a move to Dallas. So far, it seems like Allen is the kind of place we are looking for. We like the parks, the distance from Dallas and the outlet mall. Is McKinney similar to Allen in income, demographics and crime rates? Also, how is traffic on highway 75 in the morning? Thanks a bunch!

onrway2clt · 08-08-2007, 05:30 PM

FYI you can go to city-data.com and get demographics for each place.

scyogi · 08-08-2007, 06:11 PM

Traffic on 75 is very thick during the commute times. I live in Mckinney and travel to Allen 3x a week for my daughters gymnastics with a average commute time of about 15-20 minutes. I personally like both areas and considered both when we were looking for homes. Mckinney won out due to the best house with great pricing. I can not imagine that you would be unhappy in either place. Good luck with your search.

Lakewooder · 08-08-2007, 07:02 PM

What is the deal with McKinney schools where there are no 'neighborhood' high schools (because you are assigned)?

scyogi · 08-08-2007, 08:36 PM

I think they are neighborhood high schools......all the teens go to the same high in my neighborhood. I did read something on the MISD web site yesterday that did freak me out a bit for people moving in to MISD. (that would be me) Something about if the grade you are enrolling in is full they will put you in a diferent school. (I am ASSuming if you go enroll you 9th grader in one school and they have reached capacity they may try to send you to the next school?) Not really sure how that works being new to TX. That being said go visit any school your child will attend. Do not just look at them on paper. Visit and chat with the locals--realtors do not always have the best interest IMO when it comes to schooling. Best info anywhere comes from those who walk the halls and send their kids there!

bricor · 08-09-2007, 07:34 AM

I'm moving to Allen from Mckinney so Allen is my pick.

USA_Mom · 08-09-2007, 11:10 AM

Bricor can I ask why?

Long story short: We lived in McKinney, but went to Frisco schools. It was fine, I mean nothing dramatic or anything. Well, last year we moved to Georgia (worst mistake EVER) and are planning to move back this year. My husband will probably rehire where he worked in Plano and it's weird because Allen has been calling my name. That is if he works in Plano, if he goes another direction...we'll see. Just curious. My realtor is a huge Allen fan and a great guy who was trying to get us to consider Allen back in 2001. He feels it has a smaller town feel than McKinney or Frisco.

DFWMike · 08-09-2007, 11:26 AM

The only problem with Allen in my opinion is the huge high school. They've decided to keep it a one school town, so their high school has around 4k kids in it. What affect this has on school environment I'm not certain, some people don't mind big schools some do.

McKinney is pretty good at building their schools ahead of need so I would anticipate that forced relocation to another school would be the exception rather than the rule, I don't know anyone that has happened to as of yet.

Other than that, you'll barely notice leaving McKinney and entering Allen, so six in one half, half dozen in other from what I can tell. O yea, Mckinney tends to have a greater inventory of cheaper housing.

USA_Mom · 08-09-2007, 12:04 PM

And to be honest the high school situation kind of worries me, not so much with the younger two--but my oldest is in 10th grade. Right now he moved back early to live with my mom in Frisco, because where we live they do block schedule and they don't in Frisco. That means 4 classes one semester and 4 another, so if we moved back in say November...he'd be ahead in 4 classes and NOT AT ALL in the other 4.

My worry is that (1) he's in 10th already and I don't really know if we want him to change again, but then again he can stay at my mom's during the week and come home on weekends worst case scenario and (2) he's small and short, and I dunno I guess I'm a mom worried about more people. But then again he has made it to 10th without issues or being picked on.

Well first things first, DH has to see if he goes back to the original place he worked in Plano or decides to move on.

bricor · 08-09-2007, 12:36 PM

We moved to Mckinney to get our first house, partly because it was more affordable and partly because we liked the idea of a smaller town feel.
Our neighborhood ended up not being what we had hoped for, the commute to Richardson stinks and I didn't feel the city govt. does all that great of a job. Taxes are high and there isn't alot of big business to help in that regard. Then there is the question of the airport. I do not want another love field within 30 miles of where ever I live. Ok, 30 miles might be a bit of a stretch.

Allen is in a great location and we like that they have lots of parks and even more planned. We just like the feel a bit more and are hoping the area we are buying in continues to maintain it's appeal for us. I'm betting that by the time my little one is in high school, that there will be another so that doesn't concern me right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by USA_Mom

Bricor can I ask why?

Long story short: We lived in McKinney, but went to Frisco schools. It was fine, I mean nothing dramatic or anything. Well, last year we moved to Georgia (worst mistake EVER) and are planning to move back this year. My husband will probably rehire where he worked in Plano and it's weird because Allen has been calling my name. That is if he works in Plano, if he goes another direction...we'll see. Just curious. My realtor is a huge Allen fan and a great guy who was trying to get us to consider Allen back in 2001. He feels it has a smaller town feel than McKinney or Frisco.