The Boom Continues

Booming DFW ZIPs among 10 fastest-growing new neighborhoods in U.S.

Overhead view of a neighborhood in Keller, Texas

Dallas keeps on growing.

As Texas' ever-growing population generates more demand among regional housing markets, two Dallas-area ZIP codes have seen more growth than nearly all other ZIPs in the state — and in the country.

75078 in Prosper and 75454 in Melissa respectfully ranked as the ninth and 10th in RentCafe's new study that analyzed the 50 fastest-growing "new neighborhoods" in America "that barely existed a decade ago." One more North Texas ZIP in Fort Worth also made the top 10.

The study reviewed housing inventory and population growth across 32,000 U.S. ZIP codes and narrowed down the search to the top 50 locales that experienced a 51 percent minimum surge in new housing units from 2014-2023.

Overall, Texas dominated the list with 17 of the nation's 50 booming new neighborhoods.

The report's findings revealed Prosper has more than tripled its housing inventory to 14,409 units, up from about 4,200 units in 2014. The area's population has also more than tripled, from 13,229 to 46,857 residents as of 2023.

Melissa's population has surged 211.2 percent over the last decade, from 6,471 to 20,137 residents, and housing inventory soared 222 percent to keep pace with the growth. A recent boom in apartment construction is a major factor that contributed to the suburb's expansion, the report said, which has showed no signs of slowing as more than 1,300 new apartments were built in Melissa in 2024.

"Here again, proximity to Dallas and accelerated development activity are driving growth," the report said. "Looking ahead, Melissa is slated for more housing projects to accommodate new residents."

Dallas suburbs like Prosper and Melissa also "offer easy access to Dallas jobs and provide newly built schools and quality urban services," according to the report.

RentCafe's separate ranking of the best "up-and-coming" communities ranked Prosper and Celina, another rapidly growing Dallas suburb, among the top three in the U.S.

Fast-growing ZIPs in Dallas-Fort Worth
North Fort Worth's 76177 ZIP code ranked as the seventh fastest-growing ZIPs in the U.S. over the last decade. RentCafe determined this northern region saw a 266 percent surge in housing inventory in the last decade to keep up with the area's 302.1 percent population growth over the same period.

In 2014, there were just 6,003 residents living within the bounds of 76177, which stretches as far north as the area surrounding Texas Motor Speedway and as far south as the Chisholm Ridge neighborhood. During that same year, there were only 2,774 housing units in the area, which has since spiked to 10,140 units as of 2023. The ZIP code now boasts a population of more than 24,000 residents, the study found.

"[ZIP code] 76177’s growth was stimulated by the overall economic expansion of the Dallas-Fort Worth area," the report said. "Like many places in Texas, this enclave attracts residents due to a mix of accessibility, community and opportunities."

Celina's 75009 ZIP ranked just outside the top 10 as the 11th "newest" neighborhood in the U.S. Celina experienced a 229 percent increase in population over the 10-year span, and a 211 percent increase in housing inventory. In 2023, the suburb had a population of more than 30,000 residents, up from about 9,200 in 2014.

The top 10 "newest" neighborhoods in the U.S., says RentCafe, are:

No. 1 – Chino, California (91708)
No. 2 – Timnath, Colorado (80547)
No. 3 – Colorado Springs (80927)
No. 4 – Fulshear, Texas (77441)
No. 5 – Ponte Vedra, Florida (32081)
No. 6 – Jersey City, New Jersey (07311)
No. 7 – Fort Worth (76177)
No. 8 – Colorado Springs (80924)
No. 9 – Prosper, Texas (75078)
No. 10 – Melissa, Texas (75454)

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Bang for Buck

Surprising Dallas neighbor unlocks biggest apartments in DFW for $1,500

Photo courtesy of RentCafe

Mesquite has the biggest apartments on a budget in DFW.

Budget-conscious renters searching for the roomiest apartments in the region should look no further than Mesquite. According to a new study, the Dallas suburb boasts the most bang for your buck in terms of space in North Texas.

In 2026, Mesquite residents can rent just shy of 1,000 square feet (a 988-square-foot apartment) for $1,500 per month. That's eight square feet more than what they could get with the same budget last year.

RentCafe's annual report analyzes the places where renters can find the largest apartment sizes across 200 of the most populous U.S. cities for a monthly budget of $1,500. The price per square foot was calculated using the average apartment rent and size per city based on "multifamily properties" containing 50 or more units.

Mesquite offers the most spacious apartment size in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for $1,500, and the city boasts the 10th biggest apartments in Texas on that budget.

Elsewhere in the area, Denton saw the second biggest leap in apartment size nationwide since 2025, the report found. Renters there could lease an 835-square-foot apartment for $1,500 last year, and that has jumped to 862 square feet in 2026.

Dallas renters, on the other hand, will only net an 803-square-foot apartment for the same monthly cost, which is down 11 square feet from last year. Dallas ranks third from the bottom in the statewide list of cities that offer the largest apartments for the $1,500 price tag, with Frisco and Austin ranking even lower. Apartment hunters in Frisco will get only 798 square feet for $1,500.

Here's how much space you can get for $1,500 elsewhere in Dallas-Fort Worth this year, from largest to smallest:

Arlington – 927 square feet
Garland – 924 square feet
Fort Worth – 913 square feet
McKinney – 885 square feet
Grand Prairie – 873 square feet
Irving – 859 square feet
Plano – 820 square feet

Apartment sizes across Texas
For the second year in a row, South Texas is the region that has the most spacious apartments for a $1,500 monthly budget, RentCafe found.

McAllen leads the nation with the biggest apartment size – at 1,378 square feet – which is large enough for a three- or four-bedroom unit.

"With rents averaging just $993 and the typical apartment measuring 912 square feet, McAllen renters get a lot more space for their money than most Americans do within that monthly budget," the report said. "Still, that figure is down slightly from last year’s 1,393 square feet — a sign that even the most affordable markets are starting to tighten."

McAllen neighbor Brownsville ranks fourth statewide with apartments spanning 1,213 square feet for the same budget.

These are the top 10 Texas cities that offer the biggest apartments for $1,500 in 2026:

No. 1 – McAllen (1,378 square feet)
No. 2 – Amarillo (1,237 square feet)
No. 3 – Lubbock (1,217 square feet)
No. 4 – Brownsville (1,213 square feet)
No. 5 – El Paso (1,128 square feet)
No. 6 – Pasadena (1,125 square feet)
No. 7 – Corpus Christi (1,115 square feet)
No. 8 – Killeen (1,058 square feet)
No. 9 – San Antonio (1,023 square feet)
No. 10 – Mesquite (988 square feet)

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