Allen and Dallas differ most on home type: detached houses in Allen cost less per square foot than attached townhouses there, which reverses the usual pricing order. Where your money goes further depends on whether you want a detached house or an attached home.
Allen sits just north of Dallas, offering a different pace and housing mix. Over the 90 days ending September 30, 2026, the pricing dynamic in Allen flipped the usual script: single-family homes sold for less per square foot than townhouses.
Key Takeaway
If you are weighing Allen against Dallas for more house per dollar, buy a detached home in Allen. Single-family homes there came in at the lower end of Allen’s per-square-foot range in the 90 days ending September 30, 2026, costing less than Allen’s own townhouses. If you would rather live inside Dallas city limits close to downtown, Dallas wins on location, while Allen’s slow-selling townhouses offer a middle ground worth negotiating on.
Who This Guide Is For
You are deciding whether to buy in Allen or stay in Dallas, and you need to know what kind of home each budget gets you and what the move costs in taxes and driving.
How Allen and Dallas Compare for Homebuyers
For a buyer weighing Allen against Dallas, the deciding question is detached versus attached, not suburb versus city. Over the 90 days ending September 30, 2026, Allen single-family homes sold at a median $212 per square foot, below townhouses at a higher figure. Townhouses also took longer to sell than houses.
Allen pays off most for buyers who want a detached house. Townhouse buyers get negotiating room rather than a straight bargain. Allen operates as a distinct suburb north of Dallas, trading immediate city access for a different housing inventory.
Dallas offers living inside a major city closer to downtown, which Allen cannot match. Use the price and property tax sections below to see how your budget translates, and check the commuting section to weigh the daily drive.
Allen, TX Housing Market at a Glance
Dallas figures appear in the price section below with their source, but here is exactly how Allen’s market breaks down by property type. You can check our Allen housing market page for more trend detail.
- All homes, median sale price: $492,515, down 1.5% year over year (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- All homes, active inventory: 363 listings (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- Single-family homes, median sale price: $505,299, down 1.8% year over year (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- Single-family homes, median price per square foot: $212 (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- Single-family homes, median days on market: 46; months of supply: 3.4 (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- Single-family homes, sale-to-list ratio: 97.4%; share sold above list: 11.3% (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- Townhouses, median sale price: $435,005, down 4.6% year over year, based on 19 sales (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- Townhouses, median price per square foot: $224, based on 19 sales (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
- Townhouses, median days on market: 137; months of supply: 8.5, based on 19 sales (90 days ending Sept. 30, 2026)
Home Prices in Allen vs Dallas
The choice between these two cities comes down to the type of home you want. Check a real estate feed like Redfin for the latest Dallas single-family and condo median prices to see exactly how they stack up against Allen’s figures this season.
In Allen, a detached house costs less per square foot than a townhouse. That is the opposite of the typical pattern in many markets.
Single-Family Homes in Allen
This is where Allen’s value case is strongest for someone leaving Dallas. Detached homes are the cheaper way to buy space here, costing less per square foot even than Allen’s own townhouses.
With a median 46 days on market, you have time to look at a few houses rather than offering on the first one you tour. The typical single-family sale closed at 97.4% of list price, so a modest below-list offer is reasonable on a house that has sat for a few weeks. The room to negotiate is thin, though. More than one in ten houses still sold above list, meaning the best-priced homes draw competition. You also trade city proximity for a drive toward Dallas. See our best neighborhoods in Allen page to narrow down your search areas.
Townhouses in Allen
Allen townhouses are priced above houses on a per-square-foot basis and are the slowest-moving homes in town. That makes them a negotiation play rather than a straight value play.
Townhouses took a median 137 days to sell this summer at $224 per square foot, based on 19 sales. A listing that has been sitting for months gives you room to ask for price cuts or seller-paid closing costs. Before you compare the monthly cost with a detached house, ask the HOA for current dues, what they cover (exterior, roof, insurance, landscaping), and any planned special assessments.
What you give up is market speed. The same slow market that helps you buy will work against you when you sell, and HOA dues add a monthly cost a detached house may not carry. Treat these figures as a direction rather than a rule, since they rest on a small 19-sale sample.
Property Taxes in Allen vs Dallas
Your property tax bill stacks city, county, school district, and other entity rates. The City of Allen’s adopted property tax rate for tax year 2027 is $0.4147 per $100 of taxable value, while the City of Dallas adopted a rate of $0.6978.
County and school taxes add to this base. Collin County adopted a combined rate of $0.151414 for tax year 2026, whereas Dallas County adopted a rate of $0.248650. For schools, Allen ISD’s most recently confirmed adopted tax rate is $1.1258, compared to Dallas ISD’s total rate of $0.985735.
For illustration only: on a home with a $500,000 taxable value, the combined rate in Allen (roughly 1.69%) yields an annual bill of about $8,450, or $704 a month. A comparable combined rate in Dallas (roughly 1.93%) yields about $9,650 annually, or $804 a month. A few tenths of a percent in a combined rate can offset part of a price difference between the two cities.
Always look up the exact address on the Collin Central Appraisal District or Dallas Central Appraisal District site for the full list of taxing entities and current rates. Ask whether the property sits in a special district that adds to the tax rate, and remember to file the residence homestead exemption after closing, which provides a $140,000 school district exemption for the 2026 tax year.
Commuting and Daily Life in Allen vs Dallas
Allen’s lower price per square foot is partly paid back in drive time toward Dallas along US-75. Drive the route to your workplace at your actual commute hours before shortlisting a property.
For transit options and specific routes, check our getting around Allen guide. You can also explore things to do in Allen for daily amenities and review our pros and cons of living in Allen page to weigh the lifestyle differences.
How to Choose Between Allen and Dallas
The right call depends on your timeline, budget, and daily routine.
Do you need a detached house with a yard, or would a townhouse do? Detached points to Allen’s single-family market, while Dallas is the stronger fit if you want attached living inside the city. Can your timeline absorb a longer search in exchange for a better price? Allen townhouses saw prices fall 4.6% year over year based on 19 sales, giving buyers room to negotiate. How often will you drive to downtown Dallas, and do you need rail? Frequent downtown trips or reliance on transit point to checking commute routes before you shortlist Allen. Finally, how much does the property tax bill change your monthly payment? Review the tax example above, then check the rate for the specific address.
If you want a Collin County suburb but are still choosing between Allen and Frisco, read our Allen vs Frisco comparison. When you are ready to start looking, we can help you compare listings and run the numbers.
Allen, TX vs Dallas FAQs
Is Allen, TX Part of Dallas?
No. Allen is its own city with its own government, incorporated in 1953. It sits in Collin County rather than Dallas County, operating as a distinct municipality within the Dallas-Fort Worth metro.
How Far Is Allen, TX from Downtown Dallas?
Allen is approximately 25 to 26 miles from downtown Dallas via US-75. TxDOT defines weekday peak hours on the US-75 corridor as 7 to 9 a.m. southbound and 4 to 6 p.m. northbound, so drive the route at your own commute hours to gauge the trip.
Does DART Go to Allen, TX?
No, Allen is not a DART member city. The closest DART light rail stop to Allen is located on Parker Road in Plano, so confirm current service on DART.org if you plan to use transit.
Is It More Expensive to Live in Allen, TX or Dallas?
In Allen, the all-homes median sale price was $492,515 over the 90 days ending September 30, 2026. You can compare this to current Dallas medians on a real estate feed to see the difference, though property taxes and commuting costs change the full picture.
Is Allen, TX a Wealthy Area?
Allen single-family homes sold at a median of $505,299 over the 90 days ending September 30, 2026, which was down 1.8% year over year. Prices vary widely depending on the neighborhood.
Is Allen, Texas a Safe City to Live In?
Per the Allen Police Department’s annual report, the city recorded 885 total crimes in 2025, giving it a crime rate of 7.59 offenses per 1,000 residents. This represented a 22.6% drop from 2024, though city-wide rates do not describe the conditions on a specific street.
What Is Allen High School’s Rating in Texas?
Allen High School received an overall Accountability Rating of A for the 2024-2025 school year from the Texas Education Agency. Always confirm school assignment for any specific address with the district’s attendance lookup tool, as boundaries can change.
How Far Is Allen, TX from DFW Airport?
Check a routing map for the exact road distance and drive time from Allen to DFW International Airport or Dallas Love Field. Test the drive at your usual travel times to get an accurate estimate.
