Movers and shakers

2 Dallas-Fort Worth counties capture top spots for population growth in U.S.

Denton and Collin Counties are expected to keep growing.

Photo courtesy of Denton Main St Association

We’ve now got more proof of how much of a draw Dallas-Fort Worth is for newcomers. From 2012 to 2017, both Denton County and Collin County were among the top 10 counties in the U.S. for the number of new arrivals, according to a new study by RentCafé.

During the five-year period, Denton County experienced net migration — the number of people who moved away subtracted by the number of people who arrived — of 96,000 people, putting it at No. 3 in the country for that measurement of population growth. At No. 5 was Collin County, with a net gain of 86,000 residents.

For the sake of comparison, Denton County’s net migration from 2012 to 2017 was roughly double the size of Cedar Hill’s 2017 population (46,145). In the case of Collin County, the equivalent is The Colony (2017 population of 42,721).

As of July 2017, Denton County’s population stood at 836,210. In Collin County, the population as of July 2017 was nearly 1 million (969,603, to be precise).

A forecast from the North Central Texas Council of Governments says that through at least 2030, Denton and Collin counties “will continue to capture an increasing share of the region’s growth.”

So, why is Denton County attracting so many new residents? The Denton Chamber of Commerce cites several reasons:

More than 800 acres available for corporate development.
Close proximity to the region’s three major airports.
Two universities (University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University).
Nationally recognition as a high-tech hotspot.

In addition, Denton has been hailed as the country’s best small town, one of the country’s best college towns, and one of the country’s best cities for music.

From 2017 to 2021, “Denton County is forecast to experience the strongest economic growth” among U.S. counties, at 4.1 percent, according to an Oxford Economics study cited by CBS News.

As for Collin County, McKinney and Plano exemplify some of its attributes:

McKinney has been ranked as the second best real estate market in the U.S.
McKinney been rated the second best place in the U.S. to start a family.
McKinney has been crowned the fifth most successful city in the U.S.
Plano has been named the best place to live in the U.S.
Plano has been rated the best place in Texas to raise a family.
Plano has been declared the best place in the South for relocating a corporate headquarters.

A 2017 study by The Perryman Group, a Waco-based economic research firm, predicted Collin County would keep growing “at a rate outpacing the state and nation.”

Denton and Collin counties have contributed to what Pearson Partners International, a Dallas-based executive search and leadership consulting firm, calls “a business climate admired by many.”

“North Texas is the business epicenter of a state where the recession’s impact was minimal, the population is rapidly expanding, educational opportunities are abundant and growing, and major business relocations and startups continue to prosper,” Pearson Partners says.

It just so happens that Denton and Collin counties also are two of the best counties on the RentCafé list when it comes to housing affordability. Both boast attractive home-price-to-income ratios and rent-as-a-percentage-of-income ratios.

In Denton County, the ratio for home prices was 3.8 (meaning home prices are 3.8 times the median income), compared with 3.7 in Collin County, according to RentCafé. By comparison, the ratio for Los Angeles was 9.5.

For apartment dwellers, the rent-to-income ratio was 15 percent in Denton County and 14 percent in Collin County. In Los Angeles, the ratio was 38 percent.

Denton and Collin weren’t the only Texas counties that showed up in the RentCafé ranking.

At No. 4 on RentCafé’s list was Fort Bend County (suburban Houston), which saw a net gain of 92,000 residents from 2012 to 2017. Meanwhile, Bexar County (anchored by San Antonio) posted a net increase of 81,000 residents and held the No. 8 spot. Williamson County (suburban Austin) had a net pickup of 74,000 residents, placing it at No. 9 on the RentCafé list.

rankings lists

Public transportation news

DART to trim bus routes and change light-rail frequency in Dallas

Photo courtesy of DART

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is implementing service changes that include discontinuing several low-performing bus routes and adjusting weekday rail and bus frequencies. The changes take effect Monday February 2.

"These changes reflect what our riders and communities told us last year: 'Minimize disruption while maintaining access'," says Jeamy Molina, DART’s EVP and Chief Communications Officer in a release. “By focusing service where it’s used most and keeping strong connections to rail, GoLink and key bus corridors, we’re helping move North Texas forward."

Directly from the release, here are the changes being made:

Weekday light-rail frequency: DART’s Red, Blue, Green and Orange lines will operate every 20 minutes during weekday peak periods (previously 15 minutes). Off-peak weekday and weekend frequency will not change.

Convention Center Station: The station closed to riders January 5, 2026, due to construction at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Trains will continue to pass through, but riders cannot board or exit there. Bus bays also closed Jan. 5, and stops have been relocated to nearby streets. Updates are available at DART.org/ConventionCenter.

Discontinued bus routes (7): 209 McKinney/Cole; 225 Nursery; 254 Legacy; 255 Story; 305 Addison Express; 378 Red Bird Express; 383 Lake Ray Hubbard Express. Nearby alternatives include rail, GoLink and connecting bus routes.

Bus frequency reductions: Routes 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 30, 38 and 57 move to 20-minute peak service. Routes 28, 41 and 47 move to 20-minute peak and 30-minute off-peak service and will be renumbered to 128, 141 and 147. Routes 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 108, 109, 114, and 122 move to 20-minute peak and 30-minute off-peak service. Express Route 306 shifts to 20-minute frequency.

Schedule updates: Minor timing adjustments will be made on Routes 1, 218, 233, 235, 237, and 241 to improve connections. Route 883 UTD Comet Cruiser will operate about every 12 minutes on weekdays and 20 minutes on weekends, with no change to destinations.

Bus bay reassignments: Riders should watch for updated boarding locations at Addison Station; CBD West Transfer Center; Dallas College North Lake Campus Station; Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station; Forest Lane Station; Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center; Market Center Station; Northwest Plano Park & Ride; Parker Road Station; Red Bird Transit Center; SMU/Mockingbird Station; Southwestern Medical District/Parkland Station; and University of Dallas Station.

Riders can review new schedules and route details on DART’s service change landing page at www.DART.org/ServiceChange. Updated timetables will also be available through DART’s trip-planning tools and at select locations, and riders can contact DART Customer Service for help planning trips, finding alternate service, and confirming updated boarding locations.

"The changes were informed by a series of public hearings last summer and feedback from member cities and approved by the DART Board of Directors in September 2025," DART says. "In addition to the services scheduled to change on February 2nd, the DART Board also approved fare changes, GoLink expansion, and two potential site-specific shuttle partnerships. Those changes are set to take effect later this year."