Fairways West at Westridge

Located just north of Dallas, McKinney is all about Texas history. McKinney was established in 1848 and was named for Collin McKinney, one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Historic districts have been carefully preserved, and the city of 100,000 boasts 1,700 historic buildings.

One such building is the Old Collin County Prison, which was built in 1880. This prison housed such notorious criminals as Frank James, members of Bonnie and Clyde's gang, and Charles "Tex" Watson of the Manson family.

Chestnut Square Historic Village includes nine historic buildings dating as far back at the 1850's, including a general store, chapel, schoolhouse, and the oldest house in McKinney. One Sunday a month, history comes alive here as actors dress in period costumes and demonstrate what life was like on the frontier.

Pecan Grove Cemetery pays homage to Texas history as the final resting place of many pioneers, veterans of the Mexican and Civil Wars, governors, and others.

The Collin County Courthouse was built in 1875 and remodeled in 1927. Today it has come to life anew as the McKinney Performing Arts Center, with a 480-seat Courtroom Theatre, multi-purpose space for classrooms, rehearsals, reception, art gallery, and offices. The courtroom still includes the original judge's bench, jury box, witness stand, and seating.

Texas history is nothing without nature, and the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary offers the chance to experience 289 acres of trails, native plants, live animals, indoor and outdoor exhibits, education programs, and laboratories.

In addition to its historic flavor, McKinney has plenty to keep residents busy. The McKinney Marshals, a Texas Collegiate League baseball team, play at the new Ballfields at Craig Ranch, where the city hosts the Mickey Mantle baseball tournament each year. The Ballfields has 14 fields for softball, baseball, and physical training on 75 acres. Also at Craig Ranch is the McKinney Soccer Complex, with 13 tournament-ready soccer fields. Craig Ranch is not just for competitive sports; it is also the home of X-Stream Thrills water park.

The median age in McKinney is 31 years old. Young professionals might find work at some of McKinney's larger employers, such as Raytheon, Blockbuster, Lattimore Materials, Encore Wire, the McKinney Medical Center, United American Insurance, Timber Blind Manufacturing, Orthofix, and Simpson Strong-Tie. The city is also home to Wal-Mart's "McKinney Experiment," through which the retail giant is testing environmentally sustainable materials, technologies, and processes. The median income for a household in McKinney is $63,366, and the median income for a family is $72,133.