If you fly a lot for work, the airport you live near shapes your whole week. Commercial passenger service begins at McKinney National Airport on November 11, 2026, and we are already hearing from corporate travelers and remote workers who want to be close to the terminal. Here is how we would narrow the map: three areas worth a real look.
The airport in 60 seconds
McKinney National Airport is opening a brand new 46,000 square foot passenger terminal with 4 gates, expandable to 6. Avelo Airlines signed on as the first carrier and launches 9 nonstop destinations, starting with Fort Myers on November 11 and adding Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Denver, Nashville, and New Orleans through December. It becomes the first commercial airport in Collin County and the third commercial airport in the Dallas Fort Worth region. Parking opens with 980 spaces, and the airport projects about 200,000 passengers in its first year of commercial service. The address is 1910 FM 546 in McKinney, about 30 miles north of downtown Dallas. For the full rundown, read our full McKinney airport relocation overview.
East McKinney: closest to the terminal
If your priority is the shortest possible trip to the gate, east McKinney is the obvious first look. You are minutes from the terminal instead of counting highway time. East McKinney also puts you near historic downtown and the parts of McKinney that feel established, with older neighborhoods and tree lined streets mixing with new construction on the edges. The tradeoff is that homes closest to the airport run older and smaller in some pockets, while newer communities price higher. School assignment varies by address here, so verify the district for any home you like. Start with our McKinney area guide to get a feel for the different sides of town.
Princeton: about a 20 minute drive on US 380
Princeton sits on US 380 east of McKinney, about a 20 minute drive from the terminal, and it carries the fastest growth story in the corridor. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Princeton grew 18.1 percent from July 2024 to July 2025, making it the third fastest growing US city with more than 20,000 residents. The North Central Texas Council of Governments estimates Princeton grew about 30 percent in 2025, adding roughly 10,000 residents. Population climbed from 17,501 in 2020 to an estimated 48,362 in 2026. It is largely a bedroom community, with an average commute of 33 minutes and about 23.7 percent of residents working outside Collin County, while local employment is projected to grow. Princeton ISD added nearly 1,000 students recently, so check campus assignment per address. On taxes, Collin County Appraisal District 2025 rates work out to roughly 1.80 per 100 of value before MUD or PID assessments, combining the city, the school district, and the county. We wrote a deep dive on this town, so read our Princeton relocation guide before you tour.
Farther east along US 380: Farmersville and Greenville
East of Princeton, US 380 keeps running through smaller towns that some airport area buyers love for the extra space and lower price points. Two are worth knowing by name.
Farmersville sits where US 380 meets State Highway 78 in east Collin County, between Princeton and Greenville. The terminal is about 17 miles west of town, roughly a 25 to 30 minute drive. Kids attend Farmersville ISD. It is a genuine small town with a historic downtown and Lake Lavon next door for weekends, and the median home value sits around $289,400. The honest pro: space and small town life on the 380 corridor without leaving Collin County. The honest con: plan on driving west for the terminal, for big errands, and for most date nights.
Greenville is the next town east on US 380, in Hunt County, and the largest town farther east on the corridor. The terminal is roughly 45 minutes west. Kids attend Greenville ISD. It has the hospital, the shopping, and the most housing variety of the farther east towns. The honest pro: the most town for the money out here. The honest con: the longest drive to the terminal of the four, and anything in Collin County is a hike.
On taxes out east: Farmersville runs about 2.17 per 100 of value for 2025 (city 0.725 plus Farmersville ISD 1.2150 plus Collin County 0.149343 plus Collin College 0.08122), before any MUD or PID assessments. Greenville runs about 2.08 per 100 for 2025 (city 0.5680 plus Greenville ISD 0.9669 plus Hunt County 0.3332 plus the Hunt Memorial Hospital District 0.2072), before any MUD or PID assessments. Verify the exact taxing entities for any address before you offer.
Side by side: the four areas
| Princeton | East McKinney | Farmersville | Greenville | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drive time to the terminal | About 20 minutes | Minutes; closest to the terminal | About 25 to 30 minutes | Roughly 45 minutes |
| School district | Princeton ISD; check campus per address | Varies by address; verify before you offer | Farmersville ISD | Greenville ISD |
| Tax picture | Roughly 1.80 per 100 before MUD or PID (CCAD 2025) | About 1.75 per 100 in McKinney ISD (2025), before MUD or PID | About 2.17 per 100 (2025), before MUD or PID | About 2.08 per 100 (2025), before MUD or PID |
| HOA and special districts | Check per community before you buy | Varies by neighborhood; verify per address | Often none outside newer subdivisions; verify per address | Often none outside newer subdivisions; verify per address |
| Distance to the planned bypass corridor | East of where the planned corridor ends, at US 380 near FM 1827 | The corridor wraps north McKinney; northern neighborhoods sit closest | East of where the planned corridor ends | East of where the planned corridor ends |
A note on the bypass: TxDOT selected the Blue Alternative route for the US 380 bypass, an 8 lane freeway wrapping around north McKinney at an estimated cost of 3.27 billion dollars. It matters for this decision because it will reshape commute patterns along the whole corridor. Read the US 380 bypass explained in plain English and test drive 380 at real commute hours before you commit to an area.
How we would choose
Match the area to your actual life. Fly weekly and want the terminal in your rearview mirror? Lean east McKinney. Fly a few times a month and want newer construction with room to grow? Princeton earns the look. Working from home most days and chasing space? Start with Farmersville to stay in Collin County, or look at Greenville for the most town for the money if you can live with the drive. Map your real week first: office location, school priorities, and how often you will actually be at that terminal.
Ready to talk it through? Book a free strategy call with us at https://calendly.com/loansbyarlicia/movetontx, download our Start Here guide, and search McKinney homes here. If you are still comparing towns, our Prosper area guide covers the suburb we call home, about 30 minutes northwest of the airport.
Luke Jones, REALTOR, eXp Realty, Texas license #793146. Texas Real Estate Commission Information About Brokerage Services (IABS)
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