Living in Carrollton, Texas

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD serves most of the city and runs three Carrollton high schools (Newman Smith, R.L. Turner and Creekview). Lewisville ISD covers the northern sections, including Hebron High School, and served 6,151 Carrollton students in its 2023 count, while small areas fall in Dallas ISD, Coppell ISD and, in the Collin County portion, Plano ISD. School district changes by address, so verify the campuses for any home before you write an offer.

For tax year 2025 a Carrollton home in Dallas County and Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD paid about 2.02% combined (city 0.5375, CFB ISD 0.9481, plus 0.534075 for Dallas County, Parkland Hospital and Dallas College per $100). For 2026 the city held 0.5375 and CFB ISD held 0.9481, and the Dallas County side is estimated near 2.05% after a higher county estimate, while the Denton County and Lewisville ISD side is about 1.80% (Denton County 0.183394, Lewisville ISD 1.0778). On a $400,000 home that is roughly $600 to $685 a month before the city's 20% homestead exemption and the school exemptions.

Silver Line service began Oct. 25, 2025 at new platforms at Downtown Carrollton, creating a transfer between the Green Line and the 26-mile line to DFW Airport. An A-train extension from Trinity Mills to Downtown Carrollton has been proposed.^[6]

Carrollton created a transit-oriented development zone on a 25-acre site next to the Trinity Mills DART and A-train station, announced in 2020.^[7]

Carrollton City Council approved zoning on Jan. 6, 2026 for a proposed 120,000-square-foot H-E-B with a gas station, drive-thru pharmacy and a True Texas BBQ at the northeast corner of Josey Lane and Parker Road.^[8]

Phase 2 of the trail along the Silver Line corridor, from Addison to Plano, is under construction from June 2025 to May 2027 at a cost of $50 million.^[9]

Power to Choose lists Oncor as the delivery utility for Carrollton ZIPs 75006, 75007 and 75010, so you choose a retail electric plan on that site.^[15]

Once you own and live in the home, file the free residence homestead exemption with the appraisal district for the county your address sits in: Dallas Central Appraisal District or Denton Central Appraisal District or Collin Central Appraisal District. Neither charges a fee. DCAD states that filing is free of charge with the district. Denton CAD takes applications online through its website. Collin CAD accepts it online through its Taxpayer Portal, by mail or in person (not by email), with a copy of your Texas ID showing the home's address.^[16]

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD: new students enroll through the district's Enrollment page, and its School Locator System shows the campus for an address. Parts of the city are zoned to Lewisville ISD, Dallas ISD, Coppell ISD or Plano ISD, so check the address before you fall in love with a house.^[19]

Register your vehicle with the Dallas County Tax Office (500 Elm St., Dallas) or the Denton County Tax Assessor-Collector (main office 1505 E. McKinney St., Denton) or the Collin County Tax Assessor-Collector (main office 2300 Bloomdale Rd., McKinney), depending on your county. Texas DMV gives new residents 30 days to register, and this is an emissions county, so pass a state inspection first. For your license, the Carrollton Mega Center is at 4600 State Hwy. 121 (appointments required); DPS lets you drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days after moving.^[21]