A town northeast of Dallas has become the fastest-growing city in the United States.
The Collin County town of Princeton grew by more than 30 percent from July 2023 to July 2024, bringing its population to just over 37,000 — more than double what it was at the start of the decade, the Texas Tribune reported citing Census estimates.
The growth has transformed Princeton into a leading symbol of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro’s northward expansion.
Mayor Eugene Escobar attributed the surge to one key factor: affordability. The median home price in Princeton is about $325,000, compared with over $500,000 in neighboring McKinney and nearly $700,000 in Frisco. Prices for some new homes start at about $200,000.
Princeton added twice as many homes between 2020 and 2023 as it did in the entire previous decade, and more than 10,000 are in the pipeline. Lennar recently nabbed 75 acres of land, where infrastructure upgrades are underway.
The pace has overwhelmed city infrastructure. Last year, officials issued a temporary moratorium on residential construction to ease pressure on water and sewer systems, as well as fire and police departments. City leaders are expected to revisit the pause later this summer.
Princeton is one of five DFW cities that landed on the Census Bureau’s list of the 15 fastest-growing cities and towns in the country. Fulshear, near Houston, as well as Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs Celina, Anna, Fate and Melissa also made the cut, reinforcing North Texas’ reputation as the fastest-growing region in the state.
As sprawling subdivisions and commercial development overtake former farmland, Princeton officials say they’re trying to balance growth with quality of life.
The city recently passed a $109 million bond program to expand public amenities, including new parks. City Manager Michael Mashburn said the goal is to proactively shape the city’s long-term identity while it’s still emerging as a bedroom community.
DFW is transforming into a mega-metro: Fort Worth surpassed 1 million residents last year, overtaking Austin’s population growth and joining Dallas at the top of the metro’s population ladder.
— Judah Duke
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