Garland has plenty to offer, but the price of admission usually comes with traffic, sky-high rent, and a calendar that fills itself.
If you want the upside of Garland without the daily grind, the answer is almost always a good suburb. The catch: not every suburb is worth the move.
So we ranked them. Using Saturday Night Science, we pulled the numbers on every place within commuting distance of Garland: incomes, home prices, unemployment, schools, the works. The result is a no-nonsense ranking of where you actually want to live.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Garland for 2026:
What’s the best suburb of Garland? University Park ranks as the best suburb of Garland for 2026 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of University Park, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Garland ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about Texas:
The 10 Best Garland Suburbs To Live For 2026

/10
Population: 25,155
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 4.7%
More on University Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
University Park is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Garland area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome University Park.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $250,001 a year, which is the highest in the Garland region. And only 3.58% are out of work. Homes average more than $2,420,170 each.

/10
Population: 8,773
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%
Poverty Rate: 7.0%
More on Highland Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Highland Park is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Garland for 2026.
It ranks 1st for incomes in the area and only 2.61% of residents lack insurance, good for 3rd best.

/10
Population: 20,119
Median Income: $186,075
Unemployment Rate: 3.9%
Poverty Rate: 1.9%
More on Highland: Data | Movers
Here in Highland, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Garland metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Highland.
/10
Population: 8,351
Median Income: $221,364
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%
Poverty Rate: 1.3%
More on Lucas: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Lucas ranks as the 4th best suburb of Garland for 2026.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Lucas and the schools are some of the best around.

/10
Population: 42,154
Median Income: $146,235
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%
Poverty Rate: 5.4%
More on Coppell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Coming in as the fifth best is Coppell.
Coppell gets kudos for having the 14th most expensive homes in the Garland area, where houses sell for an average of $619,492. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
/10
Double Oak is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 2.64%.
According to online reports, Double Oak is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Garland area, meaning you need to get in soon.

/10
Population: 78,389
Median Income: $161,235
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%
Poverty Rate: 4.3%
More on Flower Mound: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Flower Mound.
Flower Mound schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 29.3 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.

/10
Population: 21,188
Median Income: $175,699
Unemployment Rate: 4.2%
Poverty Rate: 3.0%
More on Murphy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Murphy is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 6.97% of people lack insurance, good for 18th in the area.
/10
Population: 8,947
Median Income: $118,072
Unemployment Rate: 1.1%
Poverty Rate: 9.4%
More on Providence: Data | Movers
Is ‘Everything Better In Providence?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.

/10
Population: 219,304
Median Income: $150,212
Unemployment Rate: 4.6%
Poverty Rate: 3.6%
More on Frisco: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
And rounding out the top ten for 2026 is Frisco.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.





I love Frisco, specifically Frisco Square, with its cozy vibe. It’s a small area, but it has great restaurants, a library, movie theater, and senior center to keep it alive. In the winter, the whole place is alive with lights that create a very picturesque scene.
The people and restaurants stand out. The people are nice wherever you go, and there is a diversity of delicious restaurants, whether you’re looking for casual or formal dining.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Garland for 2026
Figuring out the best suburbs around Garland was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2020-2024 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Garland.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 71 suburbs to evaluate around Garland.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 71 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Garland.” We’re lookin’ at you, University Park.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best Garland suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Garland ‘Burbs of 2026
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Garland are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Garland but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more Texas reading, check out:
Table: Best Garland Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Park, TX | 25,155 | $250,001 | $2,420,170 |
| 2 | Highland Park, TX | 8,773 | $250,001 | $2,891,618 |
| 3 | Highland, TX | 20,119 | $186,075 | $971,049 |
| 4 | Lucas, TX | 8,351 | $221,364 | $1,074,130 |
| 5 | Coppell, TX | 42,154 | $146,235 | $619,492 |
| 6 | Double Oak, TX | 3,071 | $172,321 | $845,919 |
| 7 | Flower Mound, TX | 78,389 | $161,235 | $609,719 |
| 8 | Murphy, TX | 21,188 | $175,699 | $571,960 |
| 9 | Providence, TX | 8,947 | $118,072 | $527,895 |
| 10 | Frisco, TX | 219,304 | $150,212 | $656,757 |
| 11 | Shady Shores, TX | 2,922 | $159,375 | $522,062 |
| 12 | Heath, TX | 10,777 | $220,828 | $708,330 |
| 13 | Talty, TX | 2,881 | $154,732 | $512,518 |
| 14 | Copper Canyon, TX | 2,514 | $155,625 | $1,073,390 |
| 15 | Lavon, TX | 6,498 | $131,303 | $349,797 |
| 16 | Parker, TX | 5,999 | $229,080 | $1,088,169 |
| 17 | Mclendon-Chisholm, TX | 4,511 | $204,773 | $667,451 |
| 18 | Allen, TX | 110,265 | $130,901 | $493,531 |
| 19 | Hickory Creek, TX | 5,611 | $148,852 | $494,276 |
| 20 | Celina, TX | 34,268 | $170,894 | $546,742 |
| 21 | Oak Point, TX | 5,887 | $126,290 | $419,834 |
| 22 | Mckinney, TX | 210,600 | $124,215 | $481,963 |
| 23 | Prosper, TX | 37,869 | $195,281 | $784,350 |
| 24 | Melissa, TX | 20,136 | $138,763 | $434,769 |
| 25 | Rockwall, TX | 51,168 | $115,580 | $480,553 |
| 26 | Sachse, TX | 30,491 | $131,808 | $433,036 |
| 27 | Plano, TX | 290,594 | $112,253 | $498,989 |
| 28 | The Colony, TX | 45,454 | $114,511 | $406,282 |
| 29 | Sunnyvale, TX | 8,336 | $170,348 | $631,290 |
| 30 | Ovilla, TX | 4,375 | $131,434 | $495,092 |
| 31 | Fairview, TX | 10,783 | $109,347 | $660,165 |
| 32 | Rowlett, TX | 65,463 | $112,081 | $371,473 |
| 33 | Fate, TX | 22,884 | $132,752 | $361,761 |
| 34 | Addison, TX | 17,290 | $73,854 | $490,587 |
| 35 | Wylie, TX | 60,334 | $119,522 | $421,547 |
| 36 | Grapevine, TX | 51,139 | $111,376 | $552,148 |
| 37 | Bedford, TX | 49,085 | $83,971 | $374,676 |
| 38 | Carrollton, TX | 133,740 | $101,396 | $406,039 |
| 39 | Lake Dallas, TX | 7,822 | $76,879 | $347,096 |
| 40 | Richardson, TX | 118,731 | $98,111 | $440,400 |
| 41 | Princeton, TX | 25,229 | $105,200 | $294,071 |
| 42 | Little Elm, TX | 54,820 | $119,219 | $403,396 |
| 43 | Red Oak, TX | 17,077 | $104,561 | $344,821 |
| 44 | Lewisville, TX | 131,080 | $89,233 | $393,895 |
| 45 | Farmers Branch, TX | 36,645 | $91,186 | $377,733 |
| 46 | Lakewood, TX | 62,937 | $74,720 | $521,148 |
| 47 | Hackberry, TX | 2,979 | $109,769 | $441,786 |
| 48 | Caddo Mills, TX | 3,340 | $107,067 | $315,940 |
| 49 | Euless, TX | 60,421 | $82,167 | $357,017 |
| 50 | Josephine, TX | 5,842 | $91,000 | $287,282 |
| 51 | Forney, TX | 31,532 | $104,112 | $311,401 |
| 52 | Desoto, TX | 56,211 | $82,782 | $338,709 |
| 53 | Irving, TX | 256,492 | $81,830 | $341,503 |
| 54 | Cedar Hill, TX | 48,879 | $101,909 | $314,930 |
| 55 | Ferris, TX | 3,238 | $89,722 | $292,616 |
| 56 | Grand Prairie, TX | 201,883 | $81,619 | $316,526 |
| 57 | Glenn Heights, TX | 18,096 | $81,718 | $330,035 |
| 58 | Dallas, TX | 1,307,930 | $70,518 | $309,420 |
| 59 | Duncanville, TX | 39,683 | $76,457 | $277,367 |
| 60 | Kaufman, TX | 8,538 | $62,931 | $291,010 |
| 61 | Mesquite, TX | 149,299 | $72,537 | $262,121 |
| 62 | Combine, TX | 2,785 | $94,756 | $404,771 |
| 63 | Crandall, TX | 4,763 | $88,997 | $269,919 |
| 64 | Lancaster, TX | 40,820 | $68,302 | $272,337 |
| 65 | Balch Springs, TX | 27,255 | $66,942 | $224,768 |
| 66 | Hutchins, TX | 7,496 | $47,829 | $249,516 |
| 67 | Farmersville, TX | 4,018 | $81,036 | $338,460 |
| 68 | Cockrell Hill, TX | 3,703 | $52,292 | $216,650 |
| 69 | Seagoville, TX | 19,352 | $66,743 | $272,216 |
| 70 | Terrell, TX | 20,366 | $65,842 | $281,526 |
| 71 | Wilmer, TX | 6,391 | $59,626 | $226,032 |