Updated on: October 29, 2026

Plano and Carrollton are neighboring North Dallas suburbs about 14 to 17 miles apart by car, and choosing between them for a home comes down to price, property tax setup, school district and commute. Each city also has its own mix of home ages, transit stations and parks, which can matter as much as the sticker price.

Key takeaway

Plano and Carrollton are a short drive apart, roughly 15 to 23 minutes when traffic is light. Carrollton generally has the lower median price and the quicker run to DFW Airport, while Plano offers a broader range of higher-priced homes along the US-75 and Tollway corridors. In both cities the real tax bill and school district depend on the exact address, because Carrollton spans three counties and city lines don’t match district lines.

Who this guide is for

Buyers and relocating households deciding between a home in Plano and a home in Carrollton, Texas.

Plano vs Carrollton at a glance

Drive: 14 to 17 miles, 25 to 35-plus minutes at rush hour.
Median: Plano $494,500 sale price; Carrollton $353,600 Census value.
Carrollton city rate: $0.537 per $100; Plano combined: about $1.69.
Homestead: $140,000 off school taxes; file by April 30.
DFW drive: Carrollton 15 to 25 minutes, Plano 30 to 35.

How far is Plano from Carrollton? Distance and drive time

Central Plano and central Carrollton are about 14 to 17 miles apart by road, depending on the mapping tool and the exact start and end points. With no traffic, the drive takes about 15 to 23 minutes. During weekday rush hours, congestion on the connecting turnpike stretches it to roughly 25 to 35 minutes or more. The route and distance are the same in either direction.

The main route is the President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT), a toll road operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). Tolling is all electronic and based on distance, with no cash option. Since NTTA’s July 1, 2025 rate adjustment, the PGBT charges about $0.22 a mile with a TollTag and double that, about $0.44 a mile, through ZipCash pay-by-mail. For the trip between the two cities, that comes to roughly $3.00 to $3.25 one way with a TollTag, or $6.00 to $6.50 by mail. A daily round-trip commuter pays about $6.00 to $6.50 a day with a TollTag, or $12.00 to $13.00 by mail. To avoid the toll, use the free frontage roads that run alongside the turnpike, signed as State Highway 190.

Rail is the other option. DART’s Silver Line opened on October 25, 2025, as a 26-mile, 10-station line from Shiloh Road Station in Plano to DFW International Airport Terminal B. It stops at Shiloh Road and 12th Street/Downtown Plano in Plano and at Downtown Carrollton in Carrollton, so the two cities are connected on a single line. Check DART’s schedule for the Carrollton-to-Plano ride time before counting on the train for a commute.

Home prices and home types: Plano vs Carrollton

Plano’s median home sale price was $494,500 in August 2026, down 1.3 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled from the MetroTex Association of Realtors and Collin County Area Realtors. For Carrollton, U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2019 to 2023 put the median home value at $353,600. A Census home value is a different measure from a sale price and draws on older data, so read the gap as a direction rather than an exact difference. To compare how much space a budget buys, work out the price per square foot on the specific listings you are weighing.

Home age differs too. Census American Community Survey estimates put the median year built at 1993 for Plano homes and 1987 for Carrollton homes. Some Carrollton ZIP codes, such as 75006 and 75007, date to the early and mid-1980s.

Plano’s housing runs from older established homes to newer master-planned subdivisions with homeowners associations. Carrollton has a large stock of late-20th-century single-family homes plus newer townhome developments clustered near transit centers. Renters and first-time buyers who want a smaller, lower-cost home close to DART should look at that townhome and apartment inventory near the rail stations.

HOAs are common in newer subdivisions in both cities, so check the dues on each listing before comparing monthly costs.

The average home cost in Plano varies widely by neighborhood and home size. Base a Plano budget on recent housing market trends in the area you want rather than on the citywide median.

Property taxes and tax districts: Plano vs Carrollton

Texas does not levy a state income tax, so local services are funded largely through property taxes. A home’s yearly bill is the sum of the rates of every taxing unit at that address: the city, the county, the school district and, depending on the county, a college or hospital district.

Carrollton

Carrollton lies in Dallas, Denton and Collin counties, so its total rate depends on the address. The county decides which appraisal district values the home: Dallas Central Appraisal District, Denton Central Appraisal District or Collin Central Appraisal District. The Dallas and Denton County tax offices bill and collect for Carrollton properties under contract with the city.

The City of Carrollton’s adopted rate for fiscal year 2027, effective October 1, 2026, is $0.537 per $100 of assessed value. It is the city’s 13th straight year of rate cuts and its lowest rate since 1989. The school district portion depends on which school district serves the home.

To price a specific Carrollton home, search the address on the matching appraisal district’s property search, which lists every taxing unit for that parcel. Then add those units’ current rates.

Plano

For a typical Plano home in Collin County and Plano ISD, the fiscal year 2025 rates were $0.149343 for Collin County, $0.4176 for the City of Plano, $1.04245 for Plano ISD and $0.08122 for Collin College, measured on the same basis as Carrollton’s. Together they come to about $1.69 combined. Plano ISD made up 61.7 percent of that bill. School district taxes are usually the largest share of the bill in both cities. A small part of Plano lies in Denton County, so confirm the county for any Plano address as well.

Homestead exemption

Filing a residence homestead exemption lowers the bill in either city. School districts must exempt $140,000 of a qualifying homestead’s appraised value from school taxes, starting with the 2025 tax year. Homeowners who are 65 or older or disabled receive an additional $60,000. Once the exemption is in place, the home’s appraised value can rise no more than 10 percent a year over the prior year, plus the value of new improvements, starting the January 1 after the first exemption year. File Form 50-114 with the county appraisal district by April 30 of the tax year. Late filing is allowed up to two years after the delinquency date.

Plano homeowners who believe their appraisal is too high can file a property tax protest with the appraisal district.

Commuting from Plano and Carrollton: highways, rail and airports

Plano relies on US-75 and the Dallas North Tollway for north-south travel, with the Sam Rayburn Tollway (SH 121) and the President George Bush Turnpike crossing east to west. The US-75 and Tollway corridors lead to Plano’s own office areas and south into Dallas. DART’s Red Line, and the peak-hour Orange Line, serve Downtown Plano and Parker Road stations and run along the North Central Expressway corridor through Richardson into downtown Dallas. Highway access and transit options are central to the pros and cons of living in Plano.

Carrollton sits farther west, with I-35E, the President George Bush Turnpike and SH 121 on the west side toward the airport. DART’s Green Line serves Downtown Carrollton, Trinity Mills and North Carrollton/Frankford stations and runs through downtown Dallas. The Silver Line heads to DFW Airport instead.

Airports

DFW International Airport is the closer major airport for both cities. The drive from Carrollton takes about 15 to 25 minutes. From Plano it takes about 30 to 35 minutes under normal traffic, usually by the Sam Rayburn Tollway or the President George Bush Turnpike. On the Silver Line, a full ride from Shiloh Road in Plano to DFW Terminal B takes just under an hour. Dallas Love Field is the region’s other airport. Rush hour lengthens every airport drive, so frequent flyers should test the trip at the times they would travel.

School districts serving Plano and Carrollton

City limits and school district lines do not match. Plano is served primarily by Plano ISD, but small portions of the city fall in Frisco ISD and Lewisville ISD. Three districts operate inside Carrollton’s city limits: Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Lewisville ISD and Dallas ISD. Before making an offer, confirm the district for the address with that district’s own school-locator or boundary tool.

Plano Independent School District uses a senior high model: students attend a high school for ninth and tenth grades, then a senior high campus for eleventh and twelfth. Plano ISD’s latest Texas Education Agency (TEA) overall rating is a B, 85 out of 100.

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD runs specialized academies that let students focus on career paths, and these programs draw students from across the district. Its latest TEA rating is a C, with a score of 78, for the 2023-24 school year, released on August 15, 2025. That matched its score the year before.

Ratings for individual Plano schools vary by campus, so check the specific elementary, middle and high school zoned to an address.

Local amenities, parks, and recreational facilities

Plano’s amenities center on large mixed-use hubs such as Legacy West and the Shops at Legacy, which combine high-end dining, luxury retail, offices and residential lofts, and on nature parks such as Arbor Hills Nature Preserve and Oak Point Park, with hiking trails and off-road cycling paths inside city limits.

Carrollton is anchored by its historic downtown square, a revitalized district with independent restaurants, boutique shopping and seasonal community events. Its architecture preserves the mid-century look of the original town. The Green Trail system connects neighborhoods, so residents can get around without relying entirely on major roadways. The Elm Fork Nature Preserve offers wooded hiking and wildlife watching along the Trinity River corridor.

Which city fits your move?

Housing budget: Carrollton’s lower price level stretches a tighter budget further. Plano has more inventory at higher price points.
Home style and age: Plano’s housing skews newer, with more master-planned subdivisions. Carrollton leans toward late-20th-century single-family homes and townhomes near rail.
Commute destination: Jobs along US-75, the Tollway or in Plano’s office areas favor Plano. Frequent flyers and west-side commuters gain time in Carrollton.
Amenities: Large mixed-use retail centers point to Plano. A historic downtown square and greenbelt trails point to Carrollton.

First-time buyers in either city should check the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs homebuyer programs for down payment and mortgage help.

Moving to Plano also means filing the homestead exemption soon after closing to meet the deadline above. The best neighborhoods in Plano differ in home age, HOA rules and school assignment, so compare them street by street.

Your advantage with Bale Real Estate Group

Bale Real Estate Group helps buyers compare homes across Plano and Carrollton. For sellers, that includes professional staging, targeted marketing, Zillow featured listing exposure, and the Certified Pre-Owned Home Listing Program. The goal is simple: create demand and deliver stronger results.

Frequently asked questions

Are housing costs lower in Carrollton or Plano?

Carrollton is generally cheaper. Its Census median home value (2019 to 2023 estimates) is well below Plano’s median sale price recorded in August 2026. The two measures differ, so treat the gap as a direction rather than an exact difference.

Which city offers a shorter commute to DFW Airport?

Carrollton, which sits west of Plano and closer to the airport. The drive takes about 15 to 25 minutes from Carrollton and about 30 to 35 minutes from Plano.

Is Carrollton, Texas a nice place to live?

For buyers, Carrollton offers a lower price level than Plano, a short drive to DFW Airport, a historic downtown square and wooded greenbelt trails close to home.