Prosper, Texas
Origin & incorporation
• First settlers arrived in 1846, drawn by fertile blackland prairie soil.
• Two early settlements existed: Rock Hill (2 mi south) and Richland (1 mi north).
• The St. Louis–San Francisco Railroad arrived in March 1902, forcing the two towns to merge.
• The name "Prosper" came from a postmaster's suggestion after a good harvest year ("prosperous").
• Officially incorporated in 1914 (population ~500).
What it's known for
• One of the fastest-growing, most affluent suburbs in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
• Top-rated Prosper ISD schools.
• Master-planned communities (Windsong Ranch, Star Trail) and the Gates of Prosper retail center.
• Sits on Preston Ridge, the highest point in Collin County, along US 380 and the Dallas North Tollway.
National awards
• Niche "Best Places to Live" — overall A+ grade.
• SafeWise (2017) — ranked #12 safest city in Texas.
• Medium.com (2024) — ranked #10 safest city in Texas (announced by Prosper EDC).
• Prosper ISD (~3,850)
• Cook Children's (~510)
• Kroger (~500)
• Town of Prosper (~384)
• Walmart (~270)
• Chick-fil-A (~240)
• Home Depot (~185)
• Target (~160)
• Lowe's (~150)
• Texas Health Resources (~120)
Most prominent/prestigious employers
• Prosper ISD — largest employer; anchor for families.
• Cook Children's — respected pediatric healthcare network.
• Texas Health Resources — major North Texas health system (Texas Health Prosper hospital).
• American Leather — luxury furniture maker headquartered in Prosper.
• Celina Insurance Group — property/casualty insurer based in Prosper.
• Jerry Jones / Blue Star Land (Gates of Prosper) — landmark retail development that drew other investment.
Notable people
• Victor Glover — NASA astronaut; first Black man to orbit the Moon (Artemis II pilot).
• Tyler Toney — co-founder of Dude Perfect (global YouTube channel).
• Chris Buescher — NASCAR Cup Series driver.
• Diana Ordóñez — pro soccer forward (NWSL, Mexico national team).
• Ayden Ames — Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year (2023–24).
• Ann Ward — winner of America's Next Top Model (Cycle 15).
Size
• Population: 45,605 (Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025).
• Land area: ~25.2 sq mi ≈ 16,100 acres.
Distances from Prosper City Hall
• DFW Airport: ~33 miles
• Dallas Love Field: ~33 miles
• Dallas City Hall: ~34–35 miles
Lakes within or bordering the city
• Town Lake — 27-acre stocked lake inside Prosper (fishing, kayaking).
• Windsong Ranch Lagoon — private 5-acre man-made lagoon (resident-only).
• No large natural lakes lie within city limits. Nearest major lakes (outside city): Ray Roberts Lake and Lewisville Lake.
Highways & tollways (in Prosper)
• US 380 — runs east–west through Prosper.
• Dallas North Tollway (DNT) — runs north–south; currently ends at First Street in Prosper.
• Preston Road / SH 289 — runs north–south through Prosper.
Counties
• Prosper sits in Collin County (primary) and Denton County.
Bordering cities
• Celina (north), Frisco (south), Aubrey (west), McKinney (east)
Airports
• "There are no public or private airports within the city limits." (Nearest: Pleasure Field, a private strip ~4 mi northwest, outside city limits.)
Public transportation
• No passenger rail within the city.
• No DCTA GoZone service in Prosper.
• There are no public transportation options within the city limits except a subsidized Collin County Transit taxi voucher program for qualifying residents (seniors, disabled, low-income).
• Bachelor's degree — 39.9%
• Graduate or professional degree — 26.7%
• Some college, no degree — 14.7%
• High school graduate — 11.1%
• Associate's degree — 5.6%
• Less than high school — 2.0%
Independent school districts
• Main district: Prosper ISD, which also serves parts of Celina, Frisco, McKinney, Aubrey, and unincorporated Collin/Denton County.
• Other districts touching parts of Prosper: Celina ISD, Frisco ISD, McKinney ISD, Aubrey ISD.
• TEA rating: Prosper ISD — "A" (2024) (Student Achievement A, School Progress B, Closing the Gaps A).
High school UIL breakdown
• 1 in 5A (Richland HS), 3 in 6A (Prosper, Rock Hill, Walnut Grove). Note: Walnut Grove plays 5A in football/soccer; Richland plays 5A DII in football.
UIL state championships (verified)
• Prosper HS baseball — 1984 (Class A) and 2016 (Class 5A), team.
• Prosper HS volleyball — 2017 (5A) and 2023–24 (6A), team.
• Walnut Grove HS boys' soccer — 2025 and 2026 (5A D1), team.
• Rock Hill HS — no team titles; individuals: Skylynn Townsend (6A long jump, 2023) and Gavin Hecke (wrestling gold, 2022).
• DNT Phase 4A extension from US 380 to FM 428 (through Prosper into Celina) — opening fall 2027.
• The Marco ("Venetian Village") — Italian-themed mixed-use with a 15-acre lagoon, retail, hotels, homes, performing arts venue.
• Bella Prosper — $240M mixed-use (shopping, offices, hotel, townhomes); groundbreaking ~2027.
• Gates of Prosper Phase 3 & 4 — adding Barnes & Noble, Total Wine, REI, Carhartt; plus a town-center phase.
• Prosper ISD $2.7B bond — new schools, a 4th high school, and a $125M Performing Arts Center.
• TIRZ No. 3 — $193M funding district for roads, parks, and a new recreation center.
• Frontier Gateway — new office/retail/restaurant development.
• Sources: townofprosper.com, Prosper EDC, Census Bureau, UIL, NTTA, Community Impact.
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Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
KW North Country Realty
214-862-7212
dfwmark@KW.com
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