Van Alstyne, Texas
Van Alstyne is a small city in North Texas, about 16 miles north of McKinney along the U.S. Highway 75 corridor. It lies in the Blackland Prairie, a belt of rich farmland north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area that has increasingly drawn suburban and exurban growth. The town developed as a stop on the railroad running north toward the Red River.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 8,012
- Change from 2020 base
- +82.2%
- Land area
- 5.6 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Collin County and Grayson County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Van Alstyne crosses county lines, so the appraisal district and tax office depend on the parcel address. School, city-limit, MUD, PID, and other special-district lines can be different too. Start with the full county list below instead of treating one county as the answer.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around Van Alstyne
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Van Alstyne.
County Origins
Collin County Was Named for a Signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence
Collin County was created in 1846 and named for Collin McKinney, who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Property Tax Relief
How the Homestead Exemption Lowers Your Property Tax Bill
If you own and live in your home in Collin County, you can apply for a homestead exemption that removes part of your home's value from the tax calculation.
County History
Grayson County Was Created in 1846 from Fannin County
Grayson County was established by the Texas legislature in 1846 and named for Peter W. Grayson, an attorney general of the Republic of Texas.
Nearby
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Next steps for Van Alstyne
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