Carrollton is a landlocked suburb executing a "suburban retrofit." Unlike Frisco or Celina chasing horizontal expansion, Carrollton has reached geographic maturity. It can't annex new land, so it's doing something smarter: intensifying the value of the land it has.

The strategy is working. The city is building Dallas's largest transit-oriented development at Trinity Mills, landing H-E-B and Life Time on the Parker Road corridor, and spending $133M+ on infrastructure to modernize aging neighborhoods. For families who want DART access, ethnic diversity, and entry-level pricing without sacrificing school quality, Carrollton is the quiet play.