The Best Celina, TX, Neighborhoods: Where Small-Town Living Meets The Big City Lifestyle

As one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, living in Celina, TX, provides residents with the perks of small-town heritage combined with modern suburban amenities. Celina, TX, neighborhoods are home to tight-knit communities with a variety of annual community events, boutique shopping, and local dining options. What are the best options, though? We’re here to give you the lowdown.

Thanks to its strategic placement near the Dallas North Tollway, Celina offers an easy commute to major employment centers in Frisco, Plano, and McKinney. Local corporate headquarters include Toyota, JPMorgan Chase, and Liberty Mutual. Families are also served by the Celina Independent School District and Proper Independent School District, both highly-rated by Niche.

Celina at a Glance

• With a high growth rate, Celina has a population of around 51,700.
• Families, young professionals, and retirees are all drawn to the city’s environment.
• The average home value in Celina is $568,300 compared to $294,400 in the state and $357,300 nationally.
• Since Celina has experienced such rapid growth, average rental data isn’t readily available for each neighborhood. The average rent for apartments of all sizes in Celina is $1,775, compared to $1,450 in the state and $1,750 nationally.
• Celina’s main draws include its small-town charm, strong community feel, local job opportunities, and extensive new housing.

Best Neighborhoods in Celina

Celina offers fantastic neighborhoods, from family-friendly master-planned communities to luxurious options. Considering a move to Texas or to Celina? Here are the neighborhoods you should consider.

Light Farms offers families a tight-knit community with an abundance of local events and outdoor activities.
(Source: Light Farms via Facebook)

1. Light Farms

Median home sale price: $675,000

Great for: Families, local events, outdoor activities

Commute to downtown: 10 minutes

Situated west of State Highway 289 and just five miles from Downtown Celina, the rural community of Light Farms is one of the best Celina, TX, neighborhoods overall. It’s a great neighborhood for families on the hunt for a tight-knit community with an abundance of local events and outdoor activities.

Community events in Light Farms are frequent, and you can expect things like seasonal markets with local vendors and music, themed park days like Alice in Wonderland, and holiday celebrations like an Easter egg hunt. There’s always an opportunity to connect with and meet new neighbors at these events, with many being held in the heart of the community at The Barn Yard.

Nearby Constellation Park offers catch-and-release fishing, a playground, and a climbing wall. It’s also a pet-friendly area where Fido can run off some steam at the dog park and even take a swim.

2. Mustang Lakes

• Average home value: $783,800
• Great for: Families, retirees, schools, recreation, dining
• Commute to downtown: 15 minutes

Is Celina, TX, safe? Yes, the city is considered safer than most other Texas neighborhoods with low crime rates. The thriving and safe master-planned community of Mustang Lakes offers an active way of life with top-notch amenities well-suited for retirees and families. Situated between the cities of Celina and Prosper, most families send their kids to the Prosper Independent School District, which is highly regarded and has an A-grade on Niche.

Residents can head to The Club at Mustang Lakes for recreation opportunities, featuring a fitness center overlooking a beautiful lake with a private island. Besides the fitness center, residents can enjoy tennis and basketball courts, a playground, and a swimming pool, along with lounges and meeting rooms.

Mustang Lakes is located close to some of the best dining options in Celina, including Heyday, a modern eatery known for its delicious burgers and creative drinks.

Lilyana is popular among young professionals (and everyone else) thanks to its beautiful homes and close proximity to all Celina has to offer.
(Source: Lilyana by Hillwood via Facebook)

3. Lilyana

• Average home value: $593,400
• Great for: Young professionals, families, retirees, golfing, shopping, dining
• Commute to downtown: 13 minutes

Found on the west side of Mustang Lakes, the growing community of Lilyana is popular among young professionals and known for its new construction homes and close proximity to the best attractions and activities throughout Celina.

Lilyana’s location near the historic downtown area of McKinney allows residents to enjoy the Oak Hollow Golf Course, which hosts golf leagues, tournaments, and charity events. For those with a sweet tooth, head over to Best Donuts to curb your sweet tooth for breakfast, and check out Cadillac Pizza Pub for dinner. Unique shopping experiences in Downtown McKinney can be found at destinations like Sharla’s and SOHO McKinney.

4. Glen Crossing

• Average home value: N/A
• Great for: Families, outdoor recreation, shopping
• Commute to downtown: 5 minutes

The charming community of Glen Crossing is one of the best Celina, TX, neighborhoods located in the booming North Dallas Metroplex region. The neighborhood is known for its spacious and thoughtful design with beautiful single-family homes, similar to many Celina, TX, homes for sale in other communities.

Along with a community pool, the family-friendly atmosphere of this community is also close to a number of trails and parks, including Old Celina Park, with sports fields, playgrounds, and pet-friendly areas for the dogs to roam. Frontier Park is another popular park near this neighborhood, which offers an abundance of play areas, sports fields, and a seasonal splash pad.

Glen Crossing’s proximity to Celina allows residents to find some of the best shopping boutiques located close to the neighborhood, including Apricot Lane Boutique and Willow House. 

The luxury homes in Twelve Oaks feature expansive lots designed to support a range of backyard enhancements, from pools to courts and private ponds.
(Source: Stephanie Denlar Lopez via Facebook)

5. Twelve Oaks

• Average home value: $1.6M
• Great for: Families, luxurious amenities, spacious homes, dining
• Commute to downtown: 15 minutes

Twelve Oaks is one of the most luxurious Celina, TX, neighborhoods located in the southeast corner of the city. The luxury homes in this community feature expansive lots designed to support a range of backyard enhancements, from pools to courts and private ponds. Inside, these homes have open floor plans with elegant architecture.

The dining scene in Twelve Oaks offers plenty of favorites, including LaLa’s Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant serving traditional Mexican street tacos. For freshly crafted sweets, home bakeries in the area like Fusion Treats offer delicious cakes with a variety of beautiful decorations, and Love + Frosting Bakery serves custom-decorated sugar cookies.

6. The Columns

• Average home value: N/A
• Great for: Families, new homes, local attractions
• Commute to downtown: 10 minutes

As one of Celina’s newest master-planned communities, The Columns is located off the Dallas North Tollway and includes homes that are surrounded by a beautiful private lake. Houses in this community are known for their rear-entry garages and variety of floor plans catering to households of all sizes.

Residents living in The Columns have close access to some of the best attractions throughout Celina, including The Greens at Little Wooden Penguin, a mini golf course with an extensive bar menu, along with various workshops and classes. Prosper Playhouse is another popular spot, which is an indoor playground that’s great for birthday parties.

7. Creeks of Legacy

• Average rent (one-bedroom): $1,900
• Average home value: N/A
• Great for: Families, new homes, recreation, shopping, dining
• Commute to downtown: 15 minutes

The family-friendly community of Creeks of Legacy is known for its newer single-family homes, which have a tight-knit and small-town feel that still offers the perks of being close to the city. If you’re looking to move to an area that has a rural feel while offering modern amenities, this community might be the right fit.

With plenty of open spaces, the Creeks of Legacy offer residents a family pool, tennis and basketball courts, fishing ponds, and a playground, which can be found at the Community Center Playground. Shopping and dining options are easily accessible at The Gates of Prosper, as well as nearby destinations like Stonebriar Centre and Shops at Legacy.

Have a PODS container delivered right to your driveway for convenient loading on your own schedule.

Moving to Celina, Texas, With PODS

Once you’ve found the perfect Celina neighborhood, make your move to Texas a flexible one with the help of PODS. Have a container delivered right to your driveway, where you’ll be able to load on your own schedule. Need help with the heavy lifting? PODS can refer you to local packing and loading assistance. Once everything’s ready, have your container picked up and delivered to your new home, or kept in a PODS Storage Center until you’re ready for it.

Visit PODS online for a free local moving quote or call 877-350-7637 for long-distance moving.

Editor’s note: Average rent prices were obtained from RentCafe; average home values were obtained from Zillow; and median home sale prices were obtained from Redfin. For ease of reading, monthly rental prices were rounded to the nearest $25 and home values were rounded to the nearest $100. Home values in the millions were rounded to the nearest $100,000.

(Source for image featured at top: City Government of Celina, Texas via Facebook)

_{*This article was written on behalf of PODS Enterprises, LLC (“PODS”). PODS does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of any information contained in this article and disclaims any liability for reliance upon the content herein.}