McKinney National Airport opens its new passenger terminal for commercial flights on November 11, 2026. That date changes the map for relocating buyers, because Princeton sits about 20 minutes east of the new terminal on US 380, in the middle of one of the fastest growth stories in America. If you fly for work, visit family often, or want easy airport access from a town that still feels like a town, Princeton deserves a spot on your short list. Here is the full relocation picture, with sourced numbers and no builder spin.
Why Princeton Is on the Radar for Airport Area Buyers
The airport piece is the one most buyers miss. McKinney National Airport is opening a new 46,000 square foot passenger terminal with 4 gates, carrying the IATA code DTX for commercial flights. It becomes the first commercial airport in Collin County and the third commercial airport in the Dallas Fort Worth region. Avelo Airlines signed on as the first carrier, launching 9 nonstop destinations. Princeton sits about a 20 minute drive from the terminal via FM 546 and US 380.
That matters for more than convenience. Corporate travelers, consultants, and remote workers who fly weekly have started asking where to live near the airport. We told the full airport story, terminal timeline, routes, and what it means for nearby home values, in our guide to homes near McKinney National Airport. If you want the short version of what the November 11, 2026 opening means for home buyers, start with that timely airport update.
The Growth Story, With Real Numbers
Princeton is not growing fast by Texas standards. It is growing fast by national standards. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimates put Princeton’s growth at 18.1 percent from July 2024 to July 2025, ranking it the third fastest growing American city with more than 20,000 residents.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments puts the 2025 growth even higher, about 30 percent, which works out to roughly 10,000 new residents in a single year. Zoom out further and the arc is remarkable. Princeton counted 17,501 residents in 2020. World Population Review estimates 48,362 in 2026.
That kind of growth shapes everything below: the commute, the schools, the dining scene, and the tax picture. Buy in the path of growth and you get momentum. Buy without understanding it and you get surprised.
Where Princeton Sits
Princeton sits on US 380 east of McKinney. That one road is the story of the commute, and it is why the planned bypass matters. TxDOT’s US 380 Bypass is an 8 lane freeway that will wrap around north McKinney from near Coit Road to US 380 near FM 1827. The Blue Alternative route was selected in September 2023 with a final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision, the estimated cost is 3.27 billion dollars, and construction is not expected before 2026 or 2027 at the earliest, pending funding.
Read what the US 380 bypass means for your drive between Princeton and McKinney before you fall in love with an address on a map. Until that freeway exists, the only honest commute test is driving 380 yourself at your real commute hours. A Saturday afternoon test drive tells you nothing about Tuesday at 7:30 in the morning. McKinney sits just west on 380 and anchors the corridor, so our McKinney guide is worth your time too.
The Commute Reality
Princeton is largely a bedroom community. The average commute runs 33 minutes, and about 23.7 percent of residents work outside Collin County. Local employment is projected to grow, and the airport expansion is expected to create more than 150 local jobs, but most residents still drive out of town for work today.
If your office is in McKinney or along the 380 corridor, the commute is manageable and the bypass will only help. If your office is in downtown Dallas, budget for a long drive every day and be honest with yourself about whether that works for five years, not five weeks.
Schools
Princeton ISD has added nearly 1,000 students recently, which tells you how fast families are arriving. Growth pressure on schools is real in a town adding roughly 10,000 residents in a year. Always verify campus assignment by street address before you buy, and never shop by a rating you saw on a national website. The address determines the campus, not the city name on the mailbox.
Before You Buy: Taxes, HOA, and Special Districts
Texas property taxes surprise relocating buyers more than anything else on this list. For 2025 taxes, the Collin County Appraisal District lists the City of Princeton at 0.440226 per $100 of taxable value, Princeton ISD at 1.207200 per $100, and Collin County at 0.149343 per $100. Added together, that is roughly 1.80 dollars per $100 of appraised value, before any MUD or PID assessment.
Two things to know about that number. First, tax rates are set every year, and the city held budget and tax rate hearings in late September 2026 on the 2026 rate, so confirm the current adopted numbers when you buy. Second, Texas voters approved a 140,000 dollar school district homestead exemption in November 2025, and you file for it by April 30 of your first year in the home. It helps, but it does not make Texas taxes low.
HOA dues vary by community and builder phase, so ask for the current dues schedule and the HOA budget before you write an offer. Many Princeton new builds also sit inside MUDs or public improvement districts, which stack an assessment on top of your property tax. Look up any address you are serious about on the Collin County Appraisal District website, and read our plain English guide to how MUD and PID assessments work in Texas before you tour.
What We Would Do Moving Here Now
First, money first. Get pre approved and know your true numbers before you tour a single model home. The tax stack above is exactly why relocating buyers should run real numbers with a lender who knows Texas before they shop.
Second, map your real week. Drive the commute at 7:30 on a Tuesday morning. Spend a Friday evening in town. Eat somewhere local. If the lifestyle fits your actual week, the numbers usually follow.
Third, judge the address, not just the city. In Princeton, two homes five minutes apart can sit in different taxing units, different special districts, and different HOA structures. The campus, the tax picture, and the distance to the future bypass corridor matter more than the city name.
Ready to Talk Through Your Move
If Princeton is on your short list because of the airport, the growth, or the price gap with McKinney, the next step is a real conversation about your numbers and your timeline. Book a free strategy call with us, download our free Start Here guide for relocating families, or browse current McKinney area listings to see what the corridor looks like today.
Arlicia Jones, NMLS 1550570, Elite Lending Solutions, Inc., Company NMLS 1829246
Luke Jones, REALTOR, eXp Realty, Texas license #793146
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