Prices, new communities, schools, commute and property taxes for 2026
Celina was the fastest-growing city in the United States with 20,000 or more residents from July 2024 to July 2025, growing 24.6% to about 64,400 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Most of that growth is new master-planned communities north of Prosper. Melissa Avara Realty Group helps buyers and sellers across Celina. Numbers below are current as of fall 2026.
The median sale price in Celina was about $499,000 in August 2026, down roughly 9% from a year earlier, according to Redfin. Most homes sell between the mid $400,000s and $700,000, with estate lots and Prosper ISD sections reaching $1 million and up.
Sales are up sharply while prices soften. Redfin counted 287 Celina sales in August 2026, up 46% from a year earlier, with a median of 86 days on market. Only about 6% of homes sold above list price. New-home builders are a big part of the market, and many are offering incentives to move inventory.
Light Farms, Mustang Lakes and Cambridge Crossing are the best-known master plans. Ten Mile Creek and Bluewood offer lower entry prices. Del Webb at Legacy Hills is 55+. Lilyana and Light Farms sit on the Prosper border, and parts of both are zoned to Prosper ISD.
Celina fits buyers who want a newer home for less than Prosper or Frisco and do not mind a longer drive. It works well for relocating buyers who want new construction, 55+ buyers comparing Del Webb communities, and buyers who want builder incentives in a soft market.
The tradeoff is distance and taxes. Celina is the farthest north of the five cities Melissa covers, and many communities carry MUD or PID assessments. Every rental home in Celina must be registered with the city, which matters for investors.
Celina is about 41 miles from Dallas and 38 miles from DFW Airport, and the average resident's commute is about 33 minutes, per Census data. Preston Road and US 380 are the main routes. The Dallas North Tollway extension to FM 428 is scheduled to open in late 2027.
Our estimate: roughly 25 to 35 minutes to Legacy West without traffic, and an hour or more to downtown Dallas or DFW Airport at rush hour. Methodist Celina Medical Center, the city's first full-service hospital, opened in March 2025 on the Dallas North Tollway corridor.
Expect a combined rate of about 2% of taxable value for 2026 at a typical Celina ISD address, before MUD or PID assessments, which are common in newer Celina communities. Homeowners subtract a $140,000 school homestead exemption, so the effective rate on a primary home is lower.
That figure combines the City of Celina (about $0.57 per $100), Celina ISD ($1.2088), Collin County ($0.151) and Collin College ($0.081). Prosper ISD sections run about the same. Always pull the MUD or PID rate for the exact subdivision. Compare all five cities in the property tax guide.
Celina ISD serves most of the city and earned a B from the Texas Education Agency for 2025-26. Southern Celina, including much of Light Farms, Lilyana and parts of Mustang Lakes, is in Prosper ISD, which earned an A. Confirm by address.
A few communities near McKinney, such as Century Farms, are in McKinney ISD.
Celina is where I'm finding some of the best values on newer homes right now. Builders want to close, and that can mean real help with closing costs or your interest rate. Before you fall in love with a model home, let's get the MUD or PID rate in writing and look at the full monthly payment together. That number is what really tells you whether Celina is the right fit for your budget.
Thinking about Celina? Call or text Melissa at (214) 280-4317 or send her a message.
Last updated October 2026. Data: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates and ACS 2020-2024; Redfin Celina housing market, August 2026; Celina EDC; City of Celina, Celina ISD and Collin County 2026 tax rate actions; Texas Education Agency 2025-26 ratings; NTTA Dallas North Tollway Phase 4 report, May 2026.