Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the best U.S. city for families, according to Fortune Magazine, but it’s the No. 2 spot — Collin County’s Wylie, Texas — that caught our eye and maybe even had us asking, “You sure about that?”
People across the country have been conducting online searches of “Wylie, Texas” lately, in part because it’s the site of the infamous 1980 ax murder on Dogwood Drive perpetrated by Candy Montgomery. The saga was recently memorialized in a Hulu miniseries and is the subject of an HBO Max show set for release next year.
But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that Wylie has one of the best school districts in the state, a Collin College campus, Lake Lavon, and a reasonable property tax rate of 56 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
So why not Wylie?
After all, a town’s liveability shouldn’t be judged by one isolated event, right?
Fortune Magazine apparently doesn’t think so. Their No. 3 best place for families to live is Olathe, Kansas, where the Clutter family was murdered in 1959. Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, one of the first true crime books ever written, tells that story.
Rounding out the top 10 best places to live are:
- Mason, Ohio
- Morrisville, N.C.
- Clearfield, Utah
- Gaithersburg, Md.
- Leesburg, Va.
- West Chicago, Ill.
- Novi, Mich.
Livability
The Fortune methodology included more than 215,000 data points across five broad categories: education, aging resources, general wellness, financial health, and livability.
It is, actually, easy to live in Wylie. No matter where one lives within the city limits, they can drive on pothole-free roads to downtown events, festivals, and unique mom-and-pop coffee shops, boutiques, and restaurants.
There’s a local theater company, A-rated public and private schools, senior living communities, and a healthy stock of single-family homes in the $300,000 to $600,000 range.
For those who have a taste for the finer things in life, there also are some mega-mansions under construction in the 600-acre master-planned Inspiration development.
JPAR Realtor Lacy Rushin said Wylie has a hometown vibe while being surrounded by “massive growth and expansion.”
“Wylie has many housing options from income-based townhouses to single-family homes and apartments,” she said. “The schools are highly-rated and offer a wide range of programs including character-building, culinary arts, and television production. Wylie also has a charming downtown area with great shops and restaurants.”
With a population of about 56,000, it serves as a bedroom community for the workforce in larger cities like Plano, Allen, and Frisco. And Wylie residents can always drive to Dallas — but why would they?
“It is an honor to be named the No. 2 Best Place to Live for Families in the U.S.,” said Wylie Mayor Matthew Porter. “For all of us who call Wylie home, our well-kept secret is now out. Wylie is an amazing city to live in and raise a family.”
Wylie Real Estate
Wylie has been a tourist town since it was a stop on the Santa Fe Railway in the 1880s, according to the Fortune article.
The tracks still run through town, but visitors are more likely to get stopped behind a school bus than waiting for a train these days.
Homes don’t stay on the market long in Wylie, but there’s always good inventory from which to choose.
A four-bedroom home at 1801 Eastfork Lane in the gated Bluffs community tops our list of must-see Wylie real estate.
The 2,600-square-foot abode sits on a 0.25-acre lot. A split floor plan features a spacious entry, formal living and dining rooms, and custom eat-in kitchen downstairs. All the bedrooms are upstairs, including an oversized primary suite with adjoining bath. A large covered patio is great for family time in the backyard.
Realtor William Clark with OmniKey Realty is listing the home for $480,000.
Over in Newport Harbor is a four-bedroom on a 7,800-square-foot lot at 1508 Coral Reef Lane.
Built in 1998, this $410,000 home has updates galore including new carpets, new paint, replaced flooring, and updated lighting. The master bedroom has a jetted garden tub, double sinks, and a huge walk-in closet.
Realtor Fahri Olgundeney with Rogers Healy and Associates has the listing.
A third must-see is a five-bedroom gem at 527 Windcrest Drive.
This stunner was built this year by Bloomfield Homes and has never been occupied.
It has a game room, a media room, and stunning vaulted ceilings. The kitchen boasts castled cabinetry, quartz countertops, and a designer herringbone backsplash. The backyard features a covered patio with a gas connector for the grill. Money-saving features include a tankless water heater and radiant-barrier attic.
Realtor Jessica Hargis with Coldwell Banker Realty is listing the home for $625,000.
