Celina Is the Fastest-Growing U.S. City in the Latest Census Rankings

The U.S. Census Bureau ranked Celina No. 1 nationally among cities and towns with populations of 20,000 or more for percentage growth from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025. Celina grew 24.6% in a single year to an estimated 64,427 residents. The city also led the same Census ranking one year earlier, when its 2023 population increased 26.6%.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 city estimates; U.S. Census Bureau 2023 fastest-growing cities release.

Celina at a Glance

Celina sits primarily in Collin County with portions extending into Denton County, north of Frisco and Prosper. Its 2020 Census land area was 32.26 square miles, while the City’s ultimate planning boundary approaches 80 square miles. The City says its long-range buildout could support roughly 378,000 residents, illustrating how much developable land and infrastructure work remain ahead.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts – Celina; City of Celina Annexations and long-range growth.

Population, Housing & Demographic Benchmarks

Data caution: ACS values are multi-year survey estimates for 2020-2024. They should not be presented as a live September 2026 city count.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts.

Celina Real Estate Market: 2026

Celina is unusual within DFW because the resale market and an enormous new-construction pipeline operate side by side. Buyers may compare an existing home against builder inventory, quick move-ins, incentives and financing promotions. Sellers therefore compete not only with neighboring resale listings, but also with nearby communities where builders can adjust incentives faster than individual homeowners typically can.

Market-trend source: HAR.com Celina market trends (Houston Association of REALTORS). Public-record context: Texas Comptroller – property valuation.

Homes Sold in Celina This Year & This Month

As of September 29, 2026, September is still an incomplete reporting month. Rather than label a partial month as a final result, the table below uses August 2026 as the latest completed month. The January-August total is 1,140 transactions when the monthly counts are summed.

What the monthly swings mean

Monthly median prices moved materially during 2026 even as sales volume remained substantial. In a city with heavy new construction, the monthly mix can shift between builder inventory, resale homes, luxury product, smaller lots, larger lots and different master-planned communities. A change in citywide median price is therefore not the same thing as appreciation or depreciation for a specific home.

New Construction, Master-Planned Communities & Permit Activity

The City’s Five-Year Capital Improvement Program says approximately 2,400 single-family permits are projected in FY 2026, following 2,643 permits the previous year. That level of construction affects resale competition, school planning, road capacity, water demand and neighborhood amenity investment.

Sources: City of Celina Five-Year CIP; City of Celina Planned Developments; City of Celina Public Improvement Districts.

What Celina Buyers Should Check Before Signing a Contract

• Builder incentives versus resale economics: compare price, rate buydowns, closing-cost incentives, upgrades, lot premium, taxes and future resale competition – not just sticker price.
• PID assessment: Celina has many Public Improvement Districts. PID assessments are separate from ordinary property tax and can materially change annual ownership cost.
• MUD/WCID or other district charges: verify all taxing and assessment entities for the exact parcel.
• School district and attendance zone: a Celina mailing address does not automatically mean Celina ISD. Growth can also cause future boundary changes.
• Road construction and future corridors: review Dallas North Tollway extension, Collin County Outer Loop and City road projects if commute, noise or future access matters.
• Water and irrigation: rapid growth has required conservation measures; review current watering rules and utility costs.
• Future zoning: use the City’s planned-development registry, zoning resources and long-range maps for nearby vacant land.
• HOA and amenity buildout: confirm which amenities are complete, which are planned, and whether the buyer’s phase has different dues or rules.

Celina Seller Strategy in a Builder-Heavy Market

Celina Property Taxes, PIDs & Special Assessments

For tax year 2026 / fiscal year 2026-27, the City of Celina adopted a municipal ad valorem rate of $0.571677 per $100 of taxable value. The ordinance divides that into $0.263260 for maintenance and operations and $0.308417 for debt service.

PIDs are a major Celina due-diligence item

The City maintains annual service plans for numerous Public Improvement Districts, including Legacy Hills, Mosaic, Cambridge Crossing, Creeks of Legacy, North Sky, Ownsby Farms, Parks at Wilson Creek, Sutton Fields, Ten Mile Creek and others. The City explains that PID assessments are collected annually and are separate from property taxes.

Sources: City of Celina Ordinance 2026-087; Celina PID service plans; Collin County tax lookup; Collin Central Appraisal District.

Major Development & Downtown Investment to Watch

Approved planned developments are not all at the same construction stage

The City’s Planned Developments registry is the best official index for entitlement status. It includes long-established communities as well as newer items such as Legacy Hills Remainder, Legacy Townhomes, Estates on Legacy, Serenade, Silo Crossing, Millen Farms, Glen at Uptown, Creekbend Legacy Branch, Wildhorse, NextGen Celina Senior Community, Serenade East, Mesa Verde and Robinson.

Official Celina Planned Developments registry.

Roads, Dallas North Tollway Extension & Infrastructure

Celina 2027 Growth & Housing Outlook

Celina-specific outcomes will depend heavily on builder supply, mortgage rates, local infrastructure delivery and the pace of household formation. The City’s own FY 2025-26 adopted budget used a planning population of 66,671 for FY 2025-26 and projected 79,098 for FY 2026-27 and 92,375 for FY 2027-28. These are municipal planning assumptions, not Census estimates.

At the statewide level, the Texas Real Estate Research Center’s September 2026 forecast through summer 2027 anticipates approximately 2.5% growth in Texas single-family sales, about 1.8% growth in the statewide median price, approximately 149,000 single-family permits in 2027 and a roughly 6%-7% 30-year fixed mortgage-rate range around August 2027. Those figures are statewide assumptions, not a Celina price forecast.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ September 18, 2026 employment forecast projects Texas payroll employment to rise 1.2% during 2026, adding about 173,600 jobs. Regional job creation remains relevant because many Celina households commute to employment centers across North Dallas, Frisco, Plano, McKinney and the wider DFW economy.

Sources: City of Celina FY 2025-26 adopted budget; Texas Real Estate Research Center forecast; Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas employment forecast.

Celina ISD: Enrollment Growth, New Campuses & Buyer Research

Celina ISD is also expanding rapidly. In September 2026 the district reported enrollment had nearly doubled from 3,359 students in 2022 to 7,159 students in 2026. The district also said it added more than 1,000 students from the prior year.

Construction planning is aggressive: Scott Elementary, Grumbles Elementary and Calvert Elementary are expected to open for the 2027-28 school year. Celina ISD’s 2025 bond planning also contemplated future high school, middle-school and elementary capacity.

Parks, Trails & Recreation

The City’s Parks & Recreation department reports 707 park acres and 86.55 miles of trails across its current and planned system. Continued park investment is part of Celina’s strategy for keeping pace with residential growth.

Sources: Celina Parks & Recreation; Ousley Park project.

Downtown Celina, Events & Visiting the Area

Downtown Celina’s historic square remains the city’s cultural and civic center while large-scale growth spreads outward. Celina has participated in the Texas Main Street program since 1996, and its Main Street program earned 2026 National Accreditation from Main Street America.

Downtown Celina / Main Street • 2026 Main Street accreditation • City calendar and current notices

Utilities, Water Demand & New-Resident Setup

Celina’s Utility Billing department manages water, wastewater and refuse billing. The City’s FY 2026 proposed budget reported roughly 18,020 utility accounts, illustrating how quickly the customer base has expanded.

On July 2, 2026, Celina implemented Stage 2 Water Conservation measures with once-per-week irrigation scheduling as North Texas summer demand increased. Buyers and homeowners should review the current conservation stage before setting irrigation schedules.

Official & Institutional Celina / North Texas Resource Directory

Guide disclaimer: This city guide is for general informational and marketing purposes and is not legal, tax, appraisal, lending, inspection or investment advice. Market data changes frequently. September 2026 is incomplete at the time of publication. Development plans can change. Tax rates, special assessments, school assignments, zoning, utilities, HOA terms and municipal projects should be independently verified for the specific property and decision date. Fair-housing laws apply to real-estate marketing and client guidance.