The Dos and Don'ts of Moving to Highland Village, Texas

Every time I take a family through Highland Village for the first time, I watch the same thing happen. They've been looking in Frisco, in Allen, maybe Flower Mound. Then we turn into one of the established neighborhoods off FM 407, the trees close in overhead, the streets go quiet, and I hear some version of: "Wait, this exists? Why didn't anyone tell us about this place?"

That's Highland Village. A city of just 16,004 people tucked along the northern shore of Lake Lewisville, where the median household income runs around $160K, homeownership sits at 92%, and every single address feeds into Lewisville ISD, the same district, no matter which street you buy on. No juggling which side of a boundary line you land on. No agonizing over whether you got the right part of the ISD.

But like any suburb with this combination of income, schools, and small-town feel, it isn't without trade-offs, and there are some genuine mistakes I see families make when they decide to move here. So let me give you the full picture: the things you absolutely should do when considering Highland Village, and the things that can cost you time, money, and serious frustration if you don't know about them going in.

Watch: Highland Village Texas Tour, neighborhoods, Lake Lewisville, and what makes this small DFW suburb stand apart for families.

The Dos: What to Do Right When Moving to Highland Village

These aren't generic relocation tips. These are the specific moves that consistently separate families who land well in Highland Village from those who either miss the city entirely or stumble into avoidable problems once they're here.

1. Do get pre-approved before you even look at a single home

Highland Village runs one of the tightest seller's markets in North DFW, 2.8 months of inventory and an average of just 25 days on market. That's not a market where you casually browse and then decide. I've watched families fall in love with a home, rush to get financing in order, and come back to find it's already under contract. Pre-approval isn't a formality here; it's your entry ticket to the table.

2. Do understand that this is a small, established city: and plan accordingly

Highland Village has about 16,000 people and it isn't growing dramatically. The streets are mature, the trees are tall, and most of the desirable neighborhoods were built out in the 1990s and 2000s. That's a feature, not a bug, but it means your home search is going to look different than it would in a fast-growing city like Prosper or Celina where new builds keep hitting the market. You're shopping a finite inventory. When something good comes up, move.

3. Do lean into the Lewisville ISD school assignment

Here's what makes Highland Village genuinely unusual among DFW suburbs at this price point: every address in the city feeds into Lewisville ISD. No ISD split, no "did I get the right side of the road" anxiety that families in Frisco, McKinney, and Allen deal with. That said, campus assignments within LISD do vary by neighborhood, Highland Village students generally feed to either Marcus High School or Flower Mound High School depending on where in the city you land, so it's worth confirming the specific feeder pattern for any address you're serious about. LISD overall earns an 'A' from Niche with an A+ for college prep. Flower Mound High rates 9/10 on GreatSchools; Marcus High rates 7/10. Both are strong high schools, and you're in LISD either way.

4. Do check the specific neighborhood before assuming lake access

Lake Lewisville borders the north edge of Highland Village and it's a genuine lifestyle amenity. But "near the lake" doesn't automatically mean "walk to the lake." Some neighborhoods genuinely back up to Corps of Engineers land with beautiful sunset views. Others are a 5-minute drive from the nearest public access. If lake proximity matters to your family, ask specifically, don't assume it's implied by Highland Village's location.

5. Do bring your car: and plan every errand around driving

Highland Village is one of the most car-dependent communities in North DFW, by design and by geography. There is no rail, no real bus system, no light rail in the near-term pipeline. If you're moving from a city or a neighborhood where you walked to coffee or took the train to work, you need to recalibrate your lifestyle expectations before you get here. That said, the tradeoff is quiet residential streets, no pedestrian congestion, and one of the most peaceful suburb environments in the metro.

6. Do take the 121 corridor seriously as your primary commute route

Most Highland Village residents commute via SH-121, which connects them to DFW Airport in 25–35 minutes, Frisco's employment corridor in 25–35 minutes, and Las Colinas / Irving in 30–45 minutes. The 121 is generally more reliable than I-35E during peak hours and opens up a wide range of North Texas employment hubs. If your job is along the 121 corridor or you travel frequently from DFW Airport, Highland Village's location is genuinely excellent for you.

The Don'ts: Mistakes That Catch Families Off Guard

1. Don't assume you'll have time to think it over once you find the right home

At 25 days on market, Highland Village homes don't sit. If you're touring and you know in your gut that a house checks the boxes, the conversation about offer terms needs to happen that day, not that weekend. I've seen families in this market take two days to "sleep on it" and then have to start over. Come in with your financing solid and a clear sense of what you need, so when the right home appears, you're not scrambling.

2. Don't confuse the city's size with limited options

Some buyers look at 16,000 people and assume there won't be enough homes available or that the choice will be sparse. But the city is dense with established single-family neighborhoods, mature landscaping, custom builds, price ranges from the upper $400Ks all the way through $1M+ on the lakeside. You'll find variety. You just won't find it at the volume you might in a higher-inventory market.

3. Don't skip the commute test drive before you commit

Downtown Dallas is about 32 miles from Highland Village, 35 to 50 minutes in normal conditions, but I-35E at 8 a.m. heading south is a different story. If you're commuting to Downtown Dallas every day, drive the route during actual rush hour before you sign anything. Highland Village is exceptional for people along the 121 / FM 407 corridor. It's a heavier lift if your daily commute is straight into the Dallas CBD.

4. Don't expect the walkable restaurant and nightlife scene that bigger suburbs have

There is no "Highland Village Town Square" with a walkable main street. The commercial activity is spread along FM 407 and FM 2499, strip-style retail centers, solid local restaurants, a handful of national chains. It's convenient without being destination dining. If a walkable, vibrant retail core is part of your vision for life in DFW, you'll be happier in Flower Mound's FM 2499 corridor, Frisco's Legacy corridor, or The Colony's Grandscape area. None of those are far away, but the vibe inside Highland Village itself is residential, not commercial.

5. Don't overlook property taxes in your monthly payment calculation

The standard combined city + Denton County + Lewisville ISD tax rate in Highland Village is approximately 1.80% for FY 2025–26. On a $618K home, that's roughly $11,100 per year before your homestead exemption, real money that needs to be in your monthly payment math. If you're moving from California, where Prop 13 has you paying 1% or less on assessed value, the Texas property tax line will stand out. The counterpoint is that Texas has no state income tax. Whether the total picture works in your favor depends on your income, your price point, and your insurance costs, run the full comparison for your household rather than assuming it always tips one way.

6. Don't expect Pilot Knoll to be a full-amenity waterfront resort

Pilot Knoll Park is one of Highland Village's most beloved spots, and it has more to offer than some visitors expect, a boat ramp, a courtesy dock, camping, picnic areas, and day-use access that make it a genuine outdoor recreation destination. What it isn't: a marina district, a restaurant-lined waterfront, or a resort-style lake facility. It's managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, which intentionally keeps it low-density and natural. Come for a boat launch, a sunset, a camping trip, or a quiet morning on the water. Don't come expecting a full-service nautical scene. Families who want that vibe typically head to Twin Coves or some of the larger facilities elsewhere on Lake Lewisville. Copperas Branch Park inside Highland Village also has boat ramp access and a courtesy dock.

The Market You're Walking Into

I want to give you the actual numbers, not glossy real estate spin. Highland Village is a seller's market, full stop. Here's what the data shows as of May 2026:

What does this mean practically? Clean offers with strong financing win. Contingency-laden, low-ball offers don't. If you're coming from a market like California or New York where you're accustomed to negotiating down from list price, Highland Village will recalibrate your expectations quickly. Well-priced homes here routinely close at or above asking.

Schools: The Lewisville ISD Advantage

One of the most underrated things about Highland Village is how clean the school situation is. In a metro where families agonize over ISD splits, Frisco alone feeds into four different ISDs depending on which street you buy on, every Highland Village address feeds into Lewisville ISD. No ambiguity about which district you're in. Campus assignments within LISD do vary by neighborhood (Marcus or Flower Mound High, depending on where you land), so it's worth confirming the feeder pattern for any specific address, but you're in a strong ISD either way.

LISD runs 67 campuses across Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village, and surrounding communities. The district has invested heavily in STEM programs, fine arts, and dual-enrollment pathways. Flower Mound High holds a 9/10 on GreatSchools; Marcus High holds a 7/10, both are competitive schools with strong college-prep track records. Elementary and middle school assignments also vary by neighborhood, so I can run the specific feeder chain for any address you're considering. Just ask.

Life on Lake Lewisville

Lake Lewisville is one of the reasons Highland Village has the personality it does. The lake forms the entire northern boundary of the city, and even if your house isn't lakefront, you can feel the proximity in the way people here spend their weekends. Boats are not unusual in driveways. SUPs and kayaks are in garages. Friday afternoon "leaving early to get to the lake" energy is real.

Lake Lewisville is one of the larger reservoirs in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, covering roughly 29,000 acres. It supports serious water sports, sailing, wakeboarding, bass fishing, and the surrounding Corps land keeps development away from the shoreline, meaning the views stay clean and the access points don't feel like parking lots.

For families who want that lake lifestyle as a backdrop, kids fishing in summer, holiday boat parades, evening walks to watch the sunset, Highland Village delivers it genuinely and without hype. For families who want a private dock at the end of their backyard, this isn't the right market. Most lakefront land around Lewisville is Corps-managed and can't be built on.

Commute Realities: The Honest Version

Where Highland Village shines commute-wise depends entirely on where you're going. Here's the real breakdown:

The story here is clear: Highland Village works best for people whose professional life is oriented toward the 121 corridor, the Lewisville–Denton–Flower Mound employment zone, or DFW Airport. If you're a frequent flyer, being 25 minutes from DFW with an easy SH-121 run is genuinely excellent. If you're commuting south on I-35E every morning, build that reality into your decision, it's manageable, but it's not effortless.

"Over 27% of Highland Village residents work from home, the highest remote-work rate of any suburb I track regularly in North DFW. That's not a coincidence. This is the kind of community people move to when they have location flexibility and are optimizing for quality of life over commute proximity."

Highland Village vs Flower Mound: Which Fits Your Family?

This is the comparison I get asked most often, and it makes sense. Both cities are in the northwest DFW corridor, both are in Lewisville ISD, both have strong schools and high household incomes. The differences are real but subtle, and they matter a lot for certain family types.

Is Highland Village Right for Your Family?

Here's the honest answer: Highland Village is a very specific fit. Not better or worse than Frisco or Plano, but different in ways that matter. Get this right and you'll feel like you found a DFW secret. Get it wrong and you'll find yourself driving 45 minutes for dinner and feeling disconnected from the energy of the bigger suburbs.

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Highland Village doesn't advertise itself. It doesn't need to. The families who find it tend to stay, 92% homeownership rates don't happen in places where people want to leave. If the small-city feel, the Lewisville ISD clarity, and the Lake Lewisville backdrop sound like the right life for your family, I'd love to show you around. I know these neighborhoods well, and I can help you move quickly in a market that doesn't give you time to hesitate.

And if you're still comparing Highland Village against Flower Mound, or want the full deep dive on the suburb itself, those resources are ready for you too. Browse the full DFW suburb guides here →

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Kristen Carpentier · Licensed Texas Realtor® · TREC #760457 · eXp Realty · 15950 Dallas Pkwy #400, Dallas, TX 75248 · Consumer Protection Notice · Information About Brokerage Services