Real Estate Investing in McKinney, TX: 2026 Market Guide

Real estate investing in McKinney, TX means buying into a fast-growing county seat north of Dallas. The typical McKinney home is worth about $465,000, and houses rent for around $2,550 a month.^1,2 That's a gross rent-to-price ratio of about 6.6%. Prices are higher than in many Texas cities, so rent covers a smaller share of the price.

McKinney grew from about 195,300 residents in 2020 to about 236,000 in 2025, a gain of about 21%.³ Most new homes are going up in master-planned communities on the north side of the city, so single-family rental homes are a big part of the market.

Why investors are watching McKinney in 2026

• Fast population growth. McKinney added about 41,000 residents from 2020 to 2025.³
• A large new factory. LITEON plans a $919 million North American headquarters and manufacturing site in McKinney with at least 600 jobs over several years.⁴
• Its own passenger airport. McKinney National Airport opened a new terminal in November 2026, with Avelo Airlines flights to Florida and Las Vegas.⁵
• Rising rents. The average McKinney house rents for about $2,550 a month, up about $55 from a year ago.²

McKinney housing and rental market in 2026

McKinney prices have come down. Zillow's typical home value of about $465,000 is down 4.8% from a year ago, and homes take around 53 days to go under contract.¹

Rents are still edging up. The average house rents for about $2,550 a month, up about $55 from a year ago, with about 526 houses listed for rent and an average of about 68 days on the market.² Across all rentals, including apartments, the average is about $2,495, up about $95.²

• Typical home value: ~$465,000, down 4.8% year over year.¹
• House rent: ~$2,550 a month, up ~$55 year over year.²
• All rentals: ~$2,495 a month, up ~$95 year over year.²
• Days to pending: ~53 days.¹
• Gross rent-to-price: ~6.6% a year. Annual house rent ($2,550 × 12) ÷ typical home value ($464,774), before taxes, insurance, repairs and vacancy.

Gross rent-to-price is only a first screen. Before you invest in rental property, run the net numbers too, such as cap rate and cash-on-cash return, which account for taxes, insurance, repairs and vacancy. Texas has no state income tax and relies heavily on property taxes, so check each property's full tax bill before you buy, including any MUD assessments in newer north McKinney communities such as Trinity Falls.

Jobs, growth and population: what's driving demand

McKinney's economy mixes corporate offices, manufacturing and local government as the Collin County seat. In July 2026, Taiwan-based LITEON said it would buy industrial space at the Core5 Logistics Center to build AI power and infrastructure products. The $919 million project is expected to create at least 600 jobs, hired in phases as the space is renovated, with the goal of opening in 2027.⁴ Insurer Globe Life, already based in McKinney, bought a six-story, 200,000-square-foot building in the city for its new headquarters and says it keeps more than 2,000 jobs there.⁶

The airport is the other big change. McKinney National Airport opened a four-gate passenger terminal in November 2026, with Avelo Airlines flying to five cities and more routes set to start in December.⁵ Not everyone is happy about it: some residents in nearby Fairview oppose the extra air traffic, and a local group has challenged the airport in court since 2025.⁵

McKinney neighborhoods and areas to know

North McKinney

The center of new-home building, in communities such as Painted Tree, Trinity Falls and Hidden Lakes. The city issued 1,639 single-family permits in 2025, down from 2,310 in 2024.⁷ Good demand, but plenty of new-home competition, and Trinity Falls homes sit in a MUD.

Craig Ranch

A master-planned area in southwest McKinney. Palladium Craig Ranch, a 327-unit apartment building, started construction in March 2026, with the first units expected in summer 2027.⁸

Historic Downtown McKinney

The old courthouse square, with shops, restaurants and older homes nearby. The city planned to tear down its former City Hall starting in April 2026, and street and utility work is set to run from late 2026 into 2028.⁹ Inspect older homes carefully.

East McKinney

The area east of SH 5, where six small businesses opened shops in converted grain silos at Tupps Brewery in March 2026.¹⁰ The new airport terminal is also on the east side, which may draw workers but also brings more air traffic.⁵

Comparing Texas markets? See our 2026 market guides to Abilene, Amarillo, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Frisco, Garland, Grand Prairie, Houston, Killeen, Laredo, Mesquite, Midland, Odessa, Pearland, Round Rock, San Antonio, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Tyler, Waco and Wichita Falls, or browse all of our real estate market guides by city.

Risks to weigh before investing in McKinney

• New supply. McKinney still issued more than 1,600 single-family permits in 2025, new apartments are coming to Craig Ranch, and Dallas-Fort Worth led the nation in apartment completions in early 2026, with area apartment rents down about 3% from a year ago.^7,8,11 McKinney houses for rent sit about 68 days on the market.² Understand real estate market cycles before you buy.
• Falling prices and school closures. The typical McKinney home value is down 4.8% from a year ago.¹ McKinney ISD closed three elementary schools before the 2026-27 school year because enrollment is slipping in the southwest part of the district.¹²
• Property taxes and special districts. Texas's 20% cap on yearly appraisal increases for non-homestead property is scheduled to expire after 2026, and many newer subdivisions add MUD or PID taxes on top of regular rates.^13,14
• Insurance and hail. The average Texas homeowners premium was about $3,500 in 2025, and hail was the largest source of paid homeowners insurance losses in Texas in 2024.¹⁵ Get quotes and have the roof checked before you buy. Our guide to real estate market analysis walks through what else to check.

3 ways to invest in McKinney rental property, including fractional real estate investing

There are three common ways to invest in rental properties in a market like McKinney. They differ mainly in how much money you need up front and how much work you take on.

Buy a rental home yourself

Investment property loans typically require 20% to 25% down. On a $465,000 home, that's roughly $93,000 to $116,000 before closing costs and repairs. You also find tenants and handle maintenance, or pay a property manager. Our guide to choosing the right rental property covers what to check before you buy.

Buy a REIT or real estate fund

A REIT lets you invest with less money, but you own a slice of a large national portfolio rather than specific McKinney homes. See more ways to invest in real estate without buying property.

Invest in fractional real estate online

Fractional real estate lets you buy shares of individual rental homes instead of the whole property. With a real estate investment platform like Tirios, you can invest in real estate online starting at $100 per share, through the website or the Tirios app. Our guide to investing in rental property online explains how it works. The team handles tenants and maintenance, and rent is paid out as quarterly dividends, which makes it a hands-off way to earn passive income from real estate.