Updated on: October 29, 2026

Plano is a large Collin County city with direct Dallas highway and DART rail access. The Colony is a smaller Denton County city next door on Lewisville Lake.

Key takeaway

Plano suits buyers who want:

direct US 75 and Dallas North Tollway access
DART rail
established tree-lined neighborhoods, at a higher typical price

The Colony suits buyers who want Lewisville Lake access, Grandscape and a lower typical price, and who accept a longer drive to downtown Dallas. The two cities are a short drive apart, so working in one and living in the other is practical.

Who this guide is for

Buyers and renters deciding between Plano and The Colony for their next North Dallas home.

Plano vs The Colony at a glance

Distance: The Colony and Plano share a city border, so the drive is short.
Price: The Colony typically has the lower home price of the two.
Property tax: Plano’s 2025 rate was about $1.63 per $100. In The Colony, check for MUD or PID assessments.
Schools: Plano ISD in Plano; Lewisville ISD or Little Elm ISD in The Colony.
Off-peak drive to downtown Dallas: about 30 minutes from Plano, 25 to 32 minutes from The Colony.

How far is The Colony from Plano?

The Colony’s southern city limits meet Plano’s. Rush hour on SH 121 can stretch even this short trip.

How far you drive depends on which part of Plano you mean. Areas near the shared border are close. Destinations farther east toward US 75 add more of Plano’s width to the trip. Driving time to downtown Plano or to Legacy West depends on where you start, so check a mapping app from the specific address at the hour you would usually leave.

On a map, The Colony sits on the eastern side of Lewisville Lake. Lewisville lies to the west, Frisco to the north and east, and Carrollton to the south alongside Plano.

The main link between them is State Highway 121, also called the Sam Rayburn Tollway. Its main lanes are tolled. The SH 121 frontage roads and FM 423 run alongside as toll-free surface routes. The President George Bush Turnpike is another option for reaching southern Plano.

Plano vs The Colony home prices: which one is cheaper?

The Colony is the cheaper of the two on typical home price. Pulling same-month sales for both is the fairest way to measure the gap. Plano’s market trends shift block by block, so compare recent sales near the specific home you are considering.

The price difference follows the housing stock. The Colony began as a planned single-family community. The City of The Colony’s history page records that the Dallas developer Fox and Jacobs bought the land in 1973. The first 27 families moved into its single-family homes in the fall of 1974. Those original subdivisions still make up much of the city, alongside newer lakeside master-planned areas. Whether The Colony counts as a wealthy area depends on the street, because price depends on which part of the city you shop.

Plano’s housing is mostly established subdivisions with mature trees, plus custom homes and infill builds on existing lots.

New construction vs established neighborhoods

The Colony features rapid new construction growth near Lewisville Lake, especially in master-planned communities like The Tribute. These developments offer shared community amenities and modern floor plans that are harder to find in older suburbs. When browsing The Colony homes for sale, the year built usually tells you whether a listing belongs to the original subdivisions or the newer lakeside communities.

Plano’s footprint is already developed. Buyers seeking brand-new builds with lake access will find better opportunities in The Colony, while those wanting classic suburban architecture should focus on homes for sale in Plano.

Renting vs buying dynamics

Renting first lets you try a neighborhood before committing to a purchase. Average apartment rent in The Colony is often slightly lower than in Plano. Plano maintains a large rental market, with luxury mid-rise apartments concentrated around its major commercial centers.

Property taxes: Collin County vs Denton County

Texas does not collect a state income tax. That makes the combined local property tax rate (city, county and school district, plus any MUD or PID) a major part of your monthly payment and your overall cost of living.

Plano sits mostly in Collin County, though its city limits also extend into Denton County. For tax year 2025, a typical Plano ISD home in Collin County carried these rates per $100 of value:

City of Plano: $0.4376
Plano ISD: $1.03955
Collin County: $0.149343

That comes to about $1.626 combined before any Collin College rate.

For The Colony, Lewisville ISD’s tax year 2024 rate was $1.1178 and Denton County’s was $0.187869, before the city’s own rate is added. Newer developments in Texas can also carry a Municipal Utility District (MUD) or Public Improvement District (PID) assessment, which can erase the savings of a lower purchase price.

Look up the exact taxing units for any address on the county appraisal district site before making an offer. Plano homeowners can lower their bill through property tax exemptions and an annual appraisal protest.

Transportation arteries and commute times

Plano provides direct access to US 75 and the Dallas North Tollway. The Dallas Morning News puts the Tollway trip from Plano to downtown Dallas at about 30 minutes on a good day. Rush hour on either route commonly stretches it to 45 to 60 minutes or more. The city is also part of the Telecom Corridor, which keeps local employment within reach.

From The Colony, drivers heading south take SH 121 to the Dallas North Tollway or Interstate 35E. The Colony’s economic development corporation says the Tollway route reaches downtown Dallas in about 25 minutes. Rome2rio estimates the 26-mile drive at about 32 minutes in typical traffic. Neither figure is given as a rush-hour time.

Corporate hub access

The Legacy business park in Plano is a major corporate hub within reach of both cities. Residents of The Colony get there on the short cross-border drive, without a long highway trip.

Public transportation and airport access

Plano residents have access to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system, known as DART, which provides light rail service directly into the Dallas city center.

DCTA, DART and Trinity Metro connect near The Colony, but their loading locations are outside city limits. The nearest rail option is the DCTA A-Train at Old Town Station in Lewisville, which links to DART’s Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton. Both cities rely on highway routes to DFW International Airport.

Schools: which district serves each city

The city name does not decide the school district. Lewisville ISD covers The Colony, and Little Elm ISD also serves students living in The Colony, including The Tribute. In Plano, Plano ISD is the main district, though the city’s Denton County portion means the address matters there too.

The Plano Independent School District has used a multi-tier secondary setup. Ninth and tenth graders attend separate campuses from eleventh and twelfth graders, who attend dedicated senior high schools. Lewisville ISD groups grades nine through twelve in its high schools.

Both Plano ISD and Lewisville ISD have reviewed campus consolidations, so the school assigned to an address can change after you buy. Each district also offers specialized STEM academies. Check the district’s own school-finder tool for any address before making an offer. Moving to Plano goes more smoothly when you time it around the school calendar.

Lake living vs parks and shopping: what each city is known for

The Colony is known for two things: its Lewisville Lake shoreline inside city limits and Grandscape. Public lake parks and boat ramps give residents direct access for boating and fishing, and many local parks connect straight to the water.

Plano has no Lewisville Lake shoreline. Instead it offers:

a large city park and trail system
Legacy West and The Shops at Legacy for retail and dining
historic downtown Plano

In 2022, Plano Parks and Recreation described the system as 85 parks with about 4,300 acres of park land and nearly 100 miles of trail. Paved walking and biking trails connect the parks. Totals vary by year, so check planoparks.org for current figures. Reviewing the pros and cons of living in Plano adds context to these community features.

Regional entertainment districts

Grandscape covers more than 400 acres along SH 121, with over 3.9 million square feet of retail, entertainment, residential, dining and attractions. The district draws visitors from neighboring Frisco and Dallas.

Weighing Plano and The Colony? Work with Bale Real Estate Group

The Bale Real Estate Group helps clients understand pricing, competition, and how to position a home so it stands out immediately.

For buyers comparing both cities, that means:

same-month sales in Plano and The Colony
the taxing units and school district for a specific address
tours of lakeside and established homes

For sellers, that includes strategic pricing, professional staging, targeted marketing, Zillow listing exposure, and our Certified Pre-Owned Home Listing Program. The goal is simple: maximize exposure and drive stronger offers.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Colony its own city, or part of Dallas or Lewisville?

The Colony is its own city in Denton County, with its own mayor, city council and city services. It is a Dallas suburb, not part of Dallas, and it is separate from Lewisville even though the two share Lewisville Lake and Lewisville ISD.

How much do tolls add to a daily drive between The Colony and Plano?

NTTA charges by trip on the Sam Rayburn Tollway, and TollTag customers pay less than drivers billed without one. A workweek of round trips means ten tolled trips, so price your entry and exit points in NTTA’s toll calculator, or use the toll-free frontage routes.

Which city is quicker to DFW International Airport?

Neither has a fixed advantage, because drive time depends on where in each city you start and on traffic. Time the trip the same way as the cross-city drive: from the specific address at your usual departure hour.

Does The Colony have its own DART rail stop?

The Colony operates outside the DART rail network. Commuters who prefer public transit typically drive to the nearby DCTA A-Train in Lewisville to connect into the broader Dallas system.

Which city has lower property taxes overall?

The answer depends on the specific address and any MUD or PID assessments. A Colony address in Lewisville ISD adds the Denton County rate of $0.187869 plus the city rate, and newer developments may carry additional MUD or PID charges. The Plano ISD combined rate shown above applies only if no Collin College or other district rate is added.

Planning to sell? Learn how Bale Real Estate Group helps sellers prepare, price, and market their homes. Why Sellers Hire Bale Real Estate Group.

Planning to buy? Learn how Bale Real Estate Group helps buyers evaluate homes and complete their purchase. Why Buyers Choose Bale Real Estate Group.