What was once a quiet rural place in Texas is now one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and is to fight to keep up with the influx of residents.
In just one year, Princeton, TX, about 40 kilometers from Dallas, has seen their population fir, cause a rise in construction, and push local leaders in Overdrive to manage the rapid growth rate.
“Although the cities of Texas have been leading the population growth, Princeton’s rapid ascension was mainly unexpected,” says city mayor, Eugene Escobar, at Realtor.com®.
Princeton population grew 30.6% July 2023 to July 2024, according to the latest data from the United States Census Office. This makes it the city of fastest growth in the country with a population of less than 37,000.
To put this growth in perspective, by 2020, the city had only 17,000 residents. In 2013, the area had only two traffic lights, added Escobar.
Location makes Princeton a magnet
For new residents, Princeton’s location is added to his appeal.
“Princeton of fast growth offers large -home buyers at home at a lower price than North Dallas North Dallas and Dallas suburbs,” says Hannah Jones, a senior financial research analyst at Realtor.com.
“Buyers who expect to be on the north side of the Dallas subway can take advantage of the low prices of the home in Princeton, without sacrificing access to the amenities and employment opportunities in the expansion plan area.”
With an average house price of $ 337,000, Princeton is more affordable than the closest large metro in Dallas ($ 437,000), but also reaches a lower price than the neighboring populations of Allen ($ 549,700), MCKINNEY ($ 550,000), Plano ($ 556,000) and Frisco ($ 727,000).
Most houses for sale (96.1%) are single -family. There were 330 houses on sale in Princeton in April, 72.9% year -on -year and up to only 88 homes on sale in April 2019.
Many of the listings are new constructions with builders such as KB Home, Dr Horton and Starlight Men (a Aston Woods subsidiary) that create new developments in recent years.
Escobar credits Princeton’s popularity to his relative affordability, combined with his proximity to larger cities with better job opportunities; Present Lavon Lavon Lake, where many come on vacation; high quality schools; and the “feeling of the small town of the area despite its growth”.
The mayor says that those who move are mainly well -connected professionals. The city has a median income of the home of about $ 90,809, with an average age of 33.2 years, “indicating a youth and economically active population”.
“Princeton is drawing a wide range of buyers,” says Harrison Polsky, by Dallas, by Douglas Elliman, at Realtor.com. “From young families with a price of the urban nucleus of Dallas to professionals who seek a lower life cost without sacrificing access to labor markets. We are also seeing that buyers come from California, Illinois and parts of the East Coast, where accessibility and taxes are accessible.”
KB Home is one of the many builders who have descended to the city he occupied. He opened his 10 Princeton Status Plans there in 2024 and still built houses on the site.
“Princeton is quickly found as one of the most desirable areas of Collin County, thanks to his highly valued schools, access to new jobs and a family atmosphere,” says Martia Dillon, president of the Dallas Dallas Division of KB Home, at Realtor.com.
Local real estate agent Jennifer Vokolek, of Re/Max DFW associates, indicates other reasons for the growth of the area: USDA funding (rural development); Access to the new epic Muslim community of 402 hectares in the counties of Collin and Hunt not incorporated (which is opposed by Governor Greg Abbott); And the large amount of new construction that can offer prices incentives that older houses cannot compete with.
In fact, so many builders -and new residents -fall in love with Princeton who last year paused the new residential development to give time to the infrastructure to catch up.
“The city works on updating the water and wastewater plans, improving road conditions, increasing public safety and addressing development standards,” said the mayor’s office of the construction break (which does not affect the commercial building). He also raised a $ 109 million bonus program to benefit the city’s parks.
Despite the pause in the construction of the Casa Nova, the mayor said that about 10,000 houses are in the conduit.
A slowdown comes?
However, there are signs that things slow down. The average price of the home of April of 2025 dropped by 6.2% year -on -year, and the houses remain in the market longer: 45 days, an increase of 44% compared to last year.
For example, a new house of 2.5 four bedroom baths (96% of the listings are single -family) in Princeton States built by KB Home has had its reduced price four times since February, from 387,259 to $ 357,444. (The four active princeton listings have seen price cuts.)
Vokolek says the moratorium on the residential building pushed housing buyers in nearby cities, Anna, Celina and Melissa.
Everything is Texas
Princeton is not the only town in Texas to see incredible growth. Other populations in the first 15 places include Fullshear (increase of 26.9% of the population); Celine (18.2%); Anna (14.6%); Destination (11.4%); Melissa (10%); and Hutto (9.4%).
It is not only the rural areas that experienced growth. Large cities such as Houston, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Georgetown and San Angelo also increased the population. In fact, almost all Texas cities with populations of 20,000 or more increased from the population from 2023 to 2024.
Only nine areas of the state of Lone Star lost their residents and the loss was less than 0.3% of their population.
Other meters with increased population
But it is not just the cities of Texas that experience a momentum of growth. The Census Office lists many other cities that experienced significant growth in a year.
The urban centers that had residents fleeing the start of the Covid-19 pandemic now see an investment: New York City again places the list of large cities that add residents, an increase of 87,184 from 2023 to 2024.
Rounding the first five winners were: Houston (43.217), Los Angeles (31,276), San Antonio (23,945) and Fort Worth (23,442).
Florida and Texas continue their great gains that began with the pandemic.
Seven cities crossed the threshold of 100,000 towns, with five of them in these two states: Deltona, FL (population 100,513); Plantation, fl (100,694); Sorrise, FL (100.128); Georgetown, TX (101,344); and San Angelo, TX (100.159).
Two others are in the West: Tracy, Ca (100.136) and Federal Way, WA (100,252).
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Image Source : nypost.com