Dallas Got Robbed

The richest small town in Texas is surprisingly not in Dallas

Houston neighbor Bellaire is the richest town in Texas.

Facebook / City of Bellaire, Texas

A survey of affluent small towns has found one town in Texas to be at the top of the list, but shockingly, it is not in Dallas. The town of Bellaire, a small enclave within the Houston metro area, has earned the top spot as the richest small town in Texas for 2025. Boo.

The report, "The Richest Small Town in Every State," from GoBankingRates, selected one city from each state, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey to determine the 50 richest small towns based on their median household income.

Describing Bellaire as a "small town" might be a misnomer. It's located less than 10 miles from downtown Houston and is fully surrounded by the City of Houston. It's really more of a wealthy enclave within Houston, with a population of just over 17,000 residents.

Those affluent citizens earn a median $236,311 in income every year, which GoBankingRates says is the 11th highest household median income out of all 50 cities included in the report.

The average home in this city is worth over $1.12 million, but Bellaire's lavish residential reputation often attracts properties with multi-million-dollar price tags.

Bellaire also earned a shining 81 livability score for its top quality schools, health and safety, commute times, with an abundance of exceptional local amenities.

Those include conveniently located grocery stores, coffee shops, diverse dining options, and spacious parks.

It's not the first time that Bellaire has caught the eye of GoBankingRates, which previously ranked it as the No. 23 wealthiest suburb in America, and it's been named on similar lists comparing the richest American cities.

Dallas can take comfort in the fact that a different survey found Lewisville to be of the cities attracting the most high-income households, meaning those that make more than $200,000. However, census data places the most recent median income in Lewisville at $85,002 — so it's nowhere close to catching up to Bellaire.

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Square Deal

Major $7.5 million development on tap for the heart of booming Celina

Renderings are courtesy of the City of Celina

Downtown project to serve up eateries, shops, offices in booming Celina

The downtown square in America's fastest-growing city, Celina, is set to undergo a $7.5 million glow up, complete with new restaurants, shops, and offices, thanks to a generous private investment.

At the revitalization project's core is the city's approved deal with Celina Real Estate LLC to construct a building at 102 N. Ohio St. and redevelop the historic Mayer Building at 313 W. Pecan St. No word yet on what tenants will occupy the two downtown Celina properties.

“Downtown is the heart and soul of Celina, and maintaining its vitality as our community grows remains one of our highest priorities,” Mayor Ryan Tubbs said in a news release. “This partnership represents an important investment in the future of downtown while building on the character and sense of place that make Celina special.”

Two developments to help transform downtown Celina
At 102 N. Ohio, the developer plans to build a two-story building incorporating a historic-style façade inspired by a former gas station at the site.

The 12,400-square-foot, $6 million building will include about 7,200 square feet of retail and restaurant space and 5,200 square feet of office space.

Downtown Celina development Two-story building incorporating a historic-style façade inspired by a former gas station planned for 102 N. Ohio. Rendering courtesy of City of Celina

At 313 W. Pecan, Celina Real Estate will renovate the Mayer Building at a cost of $1.5 million. The building will contain 5,000 square feet of restaurant space.

“Together, the projects will help bring some of the last remaining underutilized buildings around the [square] back into active commercial use,” according to the release.

The project will help downtown Celina “remain economically active, welcoming, and distinctive,” Anthony Satarino, president of the Celina Economic Development Corp. says. "Adding new dining, retail, and office opportunities creates additional reasons for people to spend time [downtown] while generating economic activity that supports the broader business community.”

Downtown Celina development Celina Real Estate to renovate the Mayer Building at 313 W. Pecan.Rendering courtesy of City of Celina

$15 million project on tap for downtown Celina
The $7.5 million project isn’t the only one planned for the historic downtown district.

In July, the city reached a deal with Nack Development to develop Trackside Junction. The $15 million project will add 15,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, office, event, and residential space.

“Downtown is where our story began, and it’s where we continue to invest in our future," Tubbs said during last summer's Trackside Junction announcement.

Celina becomes hotspot for developers
Celina has seen a flurry of real estate development lately, including at least three master-planned communities, according to Celina City Texas:

Ramble by Hillwood Communities, a 1,380-acre project with a projected 4,000-plus homes. The development includes commercial, retail, and multifamily components.
Serenade Texas, a development with more than 875 homes on more than 400 acres. The project includes a 16-acre lake, and more than 150 acres of open space.
Wildhorse, a 766-home development with parks and sports fields.

Drawn by its booming population, real estate developers have been flocking to Celina.

From 2024 to 2025, the Collin County suburb topped the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of the fastest-growing cities. In that one-year period, Celina’s population shot up by 24.6 percent to nearly 64,500.

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