Safe Cities

7 affordable Dallas neighbors rank among America's list of safest cities

McKinney is the 15th safest and most affordable city to live in.

Photo courtesy of City of McKinney

Crime may be a concern for some Texans, but the Dallas-Fort Worth area has it pretty good: Seven cities across North Texas – McKinney, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Plano, Carrollton, Richardson, and Denton – were named the safest and most affordable cities to live in the U.S., as declared in a new report by GoBankingRates.

The study, "50 Safest and Most Affordable US Cities To Live In," ranked the largest U.S. cities by population based on their cost of living and crime rate averages. Crime rates were determined based on the number of crimes per 1,000 city residents from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer in 2022, the year with the most recent available data.

McKinney and Frisco landed in the No. 15 and No. 16 spots nationally, thanks to their low property and violent crime rates as well as a high median household income.

Grand Prairie (No. 21), Plano (No. 22), and Carrollton (No. 23) all ranked within the top 25, with Richardson (No. 26) and Denton (No. 31) landing in the bottom half of the study.

The report emphasized these suburbs all offer "vibrant cultural scenes" and strong job markets for adults, along with great schools and abundant recreational activities for families to enjoy.

A McKinney household makes a median income of $113,286 annually, with an average mortgage cost of $3,153 per month, the report found. The total monthly cost of living in the family friendly city adds up to $5,129.

There were a total of 2,163 property crimes reported in the city in 2022, and 238 total violent crimes. For context, the City of McKinney estimated the population spanned more than 206,000 residents in 2022. That means the city's rate for violent crimes is 1.14 per 1,000 residents, and the property crime rate is 10.38 per 1,000 residents, according to the findings.

Frisco's median household income is much higher than McKinney's, at $144,567 per year. However, so were the average mortgage costs ($4,137 per month) and total monthly cost of living ($6,128).

There were 2,928 property crimes and 225 violent crimes reported in Frisco in 2022. That would place Frisco's property crime rate at 13.37 per 1,000 city residents, and 1.03 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

Here's how the report breaks down Grand Prairie's cost of living and crime rate statistics:

Median household income: $76,626
Household average mortgage cost: $1,961
Total monthly cost of living: $3,996
Property crimes (reported in 2022): 3,770
Property crime per 1,000 residents: 18.88
Violent crimes (reported in 2022): 405
Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.03

Large Texas cities, such as Houston proper, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio, were all noticeably absent in the ranking. This is likely because – as most Texans are aware – bigger cities often have higher crime rates and higher costs of living than their outlying suburbs.

"Choosing a family-friendly place to live is a significant decision that involves a balancing act between safety and affordability in any big city," the report said. "Whether you’re a young professional, a growing family or a retiree, finding real estate where you feel comfortable — both physically and financially — is crucial for a high quality of life."

Other Texas cities that were ranked in the top 25 safest and most affordable places to live include League City (No. 4), Sugar Land (No. 6), Pearland (No. 7), El Paso (No. 11), Laredo (No. 18), and McAllen (No. 24).

The top 10 safest and most affordable U.S. cities to live in are:

No. 1 – Elgin, Illinois
No. 2 – Cary, North Carolina
No. 3 – Gilbert, Arizona
No. 4 – League City, Texas
No. 5 – Rochester, Minnesota
No. 6 – Sugar Land, Texas
No. 7 – Pearland, Texas
No. 8 – Meridian, Idaho
No. 9 – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
No. 10 – Olathe, Kansas

The full report and its methodology can be found on gobankingrates.com.

reports families dallas mckinney frisco grand prairie plano carrollton richardson denton

DPD News

Dallas signs off on lease on UNT campus for police training academy

DPD

undefined

The Dallas City Council approved a lease with the University of North Texas Dallas campus for a proposed Dallas Police Training Academy. The lease paves the way for the development of a new Law Enforcement Training Center and Criminal Justice Center on a 20-acre site at UNT-Dallas, part of the City’s efforts to modernize police training and deepen academic partnerships.

The new facility, which was first proposed in 2021, will house the Dallas Police Department’s Basic and In-Service Training Academy, along with a Criminal Justice Center, creating a centralized, state-of-the-art campus for officer development.

Training spaces will include modern classrooms, indoor simulation labs, and areas for defensive tactics instruction.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to preparing officers through modern, state of the art, community-connected training,” said Dominique Artis, Dallas Chief of Public Safety. “The combination of a police academy and Criminal Justice Center at a university campus enhances recruitment, education, and public trust.”

Benefits of the Law Enforcement Training Center and Criminal Justice Center include

Academic Partnership: Collaboration with UNT-Dallas opens doors for research, continuing education, and career pathways for both officers and students alike - creating a pipeline to future cadets and expanding opportunities for local talent
.Modern Training Facilities: The campus will feature simulation environments, flexible classroom space, and the latest instructional technology.
Strategic Location: As the first police training academy in southern Dallas, the project brings long-term public investment to the area.
Dual-Campus Model: This site complements a planned Public Safety Complex elsewhere in Dallas that will serve as a field training location for both DPD and Dallas Fire-Rescue.

According to KERA, the training academy is estimated to cost $185 million, plus $90 million for the public safety complex, for a total of $275 million. There is currently $96.5 million committed including $50 million from the 2024 Bond Program passed by the voters in May 2024, along with state grants, money from the Caruth Fund at Communities Foundation of Texas, and private fundraising commitments. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

schools openings