Living in Carrollton, TX: The Pros and Cons

Carrollton is a little hard to put in one box.

I've lived there. I have friends who live there, and I've helped clients buy and sell there. Depending on which part of Carrollton you're in, the neighborhoods, homes and even the school district can change.

That's part of what makes it interesting.

Carrollton stretches across Dallas, Denton and Collin counties, with three primary ZIP codes: 75006, 75007 and 75010. So when someone tells me they're thinking about moving to Carrollton, my first thought is usually: Okay, which part?

Because it really does make a difference.

Carrollton Is Convenient to a Lot of DFW

One of the things I like about Carrollton is the location.

I-35E, President George Bush Turnpike and SH 121 make it fairly easy to head in different directions around DFW. Dallas is south, Lewisville is west, Plano and Frisco are nearby, and DFW Airport is relatively convenient.

Does that mean you won't have traffic?

Please. This is DFW.

But if work, family and everyday life take you in several directions around the Metroplex, Carrollton's location can make a lot of sense.

DART serves the Carrollton area. The Green Line runs through the city, while the Silver Line connects Carrollton with Richardson and Plano to the east and DFW Airport to the west. Both lines serve Downtown Carrollton.

The train connection is actually nothing new. More on that in a minute.

Carrollton Can Look Very Different Depending on Where You Are

This is one of the reasons I don't think you can look at one Carrollton neighborhood and decide you've seen Carrollton.

Some of the established neighborhoods have mature trees and homes that have been there for decades. Other areas developed much later and feel completely different. The housing mix includes single-family homes, townhomes, apartments and pockets of newer construction.

I've watched older homes come down and new homes go up in some of the older parts of Carrollton too.

So “I want to live in Carrollton” is really just the beginning of the conversation.

Do you like an established neighborhood or something newer? What kind of house are you looking for? Where do you need to go regularly?

Those answers help us figure out which part of Carrollton may work for you.

Downtown Carrollton Is Just Fun

Historic Downtown Carrollton has changed over the years, but the old Square and gazebo are still at the heart of it.

Restaurants, shops and apartments have expanded beyond the original Square, and different events bring people Downtown throughout the year.

Babe's Chicken Dinner House is one of my favorite places. Everything is served family style, and between the chicken, chicken-fried steak, corn, potatoes with plenty of butter and those rolls, you are not leaving hungry.

Or head down to Cane Rosso for some great pizza.

Sounds on the Square brings live music to the gazebo, and Paws on the Square gives the dog lovers a reason to come Downtown too.

The Festival at the Switchyard is typically held in the fall with live music, food, rides, games and thousands of people coming into Historic Downtown.

The reason for the name goes back to Carrollton's history. Three railroad lines once intersected just north of today's Downtown Square and played an important role in the city's early growth.

Today, DART runs right through Downtown.

Old rail. New rail. I think that's pretty cool.

School Districts Can Change With the Address

A Carrollton address doesn't necessarily mean Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD.

Depending on where the home is located, Carrollton is served by Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Lewisville ISD and Dallas ISD.

If schools are important to you, let's start with which schools you're interested in. From there, we can investigate the addresses and neighborhoods that feed into those schools.

Carrollton Is Known for Its Parks

Parks, trails and green space are a big part of Carrollton.

Neighborhood parks are scattered throughout the city, along with larger spots like Josey Ranch, McInnish Park and Elm Fork Nature Preserve. Trails, sports facilities and playgrounds give you plenty of ways to get outside, whether you're walking the dog, taking the kids to the park or just going for a walk.

For people who want parks and trails close to home, that's something worth considering when deciding which part of Carrollton to look at.

A Carrollton Connection That's Personal to Me

Metrocrest Services is based in Carrollton, and I volunteer there.

I have a route delivering meals to seniors, and sometimes I'm the only person they see that day. I also like to add a little something sweet to their delivery because, really, who doesn't want a cookie?

My route is only one small part of what Metrocrest does. The organization helps people with food assistance, senior services, employment resources, financial education, homeless outreach and programs focused on helping people become more self-sufficient.

Metrocrest also has a teaching garden, opportunities for individuals and local companies to volunteer, and a resale store where donated items help support the organization. I take things to the resale store myself.

It's an organization I care about, and I'm glad it's part of the Carrollton community.

So, Is Carrollton Right for You?

It depends on what you're looking for.

Maybe you love an established neighborhood with mature trees. Maybe you'd rather have something newer. You may want parks and trails nearby, or having access to DART may matter. If schools are important, that can help determine which part of Carrollton we look at.

And where you need to go regularly matters too.

Carrollton's location is a big plus for a lot of people. Does that mean you escape traffic? Again, please. This is DFW.

What I like about Carrollton is that you have choices. Different neighborhoods, different ages and styles of homes, a fun Historic Downtown, parks, rail access and a location that puts you within reach of a lot of the Metroplex.

But what works for one person may not matter at all to someone else.

So the question isn't really whether Carrollton has enough to offer.

It's what are you looking for?

Once we know that, we can figure out whether Carrollton—and which part of Carrollton—feels right for you.

Thinking about Carrollton? Let's chat.