Is McKinney Safe for Travel RIGHT NOW? (2024 Safety Rating)

Safety Index:

* Based on Research & Crime Data

McKinney, Texas, located about 30 miles north of Dallas, offers a unique blend of historic charm and modern vibrancy that sets it apart within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Founded in 1848, McKinney has retained much of its 19th-century architecture, especially in its downtown area, which serves as the heart of the city.

Walking through the historic district feels like stepping back in time, with beautifully preserved buildings now housing boutiques, art galleries, and farm-to-table restaurants.

What makes McKinney truly special is its strong sense of community and the seamless integration of its past with the present.

The city regularly hosts festivals, farmers markets, and cultural events that bring residents and visitors together, fostering a welcoming atmosphere.

One of McKinney’s most treasured assets is its natural beauty, with the serene landscapes of parks like Towne Lake and the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary offering a respite from the urban hustle.

It’s not just visitors who like this city.

McKinney grew in population by 49% between 2010 and 2020.

The U.S. Census estimated it increased another 9% between 2020 and 2023.

That’s one of the fastest-growing cities I’ve ever researched!

The latest estimate puts it at 213,500 residents.

The city keeps growing with new development in a part of town known as McKinney East.

Despite the fast pace of growth, McKinney still offers a place where you can slow down and enjoy the sights, while still being close to the urban core of the Metroplex.

Warnings & Dangers in McKinney

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low risk in McKinney as it's about the safest city you'll find, especially with a population of nearly 213,000 people. Things to do here are even geared toward safer activities while still offering a collection of unique things to do.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Use the DART website in Dallas to search for the Collin County Transit options. Since the city is growing so fast, there might be additional options by the time you get there. This website has the latest updates. There's usually a route that connects to a DART stop. A free trolley runs throughout downtown from Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am–3 pm. Of course, rental cars offer the most flexibility and are readily available at the airports and in town.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

From 2018 through 2022, about six pickpockets or purse snatchings were reported each year. That's a low risk, but it's still higher than I would've expected. I've seen cities much more dangerous that have lower pickpocket counts. Use extra caution when you're attending a festival or when downtown is crowded.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

Severe weather can happen any time of year here, but spring brings "tornado season." Severe storms can cause damage on their own, but tornadoes can be powerful and destructive. Winter weather can cause problems, even if it's just slick and icy roads. Extreme heat in the summer should be taken seriously, especially with high humidity levels. The risk is medium.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

Robbery rates are 85% lower than the national average, with about six a year being classified as "highway robberies." That's the same category a mugging would fall into. The risk is low. In fact, robbery rates have been dropping since 2018 by 69%.

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

The emergency management section of the city's website addresses terrorism concerns and safety plans. We'll give this a medium risk because it's part of the Metroplex, but McKinney itself would unlikely be a target.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

Check local law enforcement social media sites for the latest scams. The local Better Business Bureau office and the state Attorney General’s office will have common scam tactics and protection advice. Most scams here are spoofed phone calls, which is quite common. That's why it's wise to never give your phone number when gathering travel materials. The risk is low, but knowing the signs of a scam keeps it that way.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Women visiting McKinney have a low risk, as most crimes that happen against women are domestic in nature. Don't let the safety ranting of the city cause you to let your guard down, however.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

The U.S. has strict standards for tap water per the Safe Water Drinking Act. Communities are required to provide a Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) once a year by July 1. The 2024 Water Quality Report shows full compliance and no violations.

Safest Places to Visit in McKinney

The tourism website is appropriately called “Visit McKinney.”

A free digital guide is available to download on the tourism site without having to give personal information.

You can sign up for weekend updates to find out what’s happening each weekend.

The city has a tourism section and I want to draw your attention there to get a downloadable downtown guide and map.

It has a list of all businesses (more than 170 total!) and parking locations.

The downtown cultural district offers fun day and night, with special events planned throughout the year.

The Collin County History Museum offers insightful exhibits about the region’s past, housed in a historic post office building on the edge of downtown.

Keep walking south of downtown to the Chestnut Square Historic Village, which is a collection of homes built between 1854 and 1930.

This district does have its own website to explore the tour options (chestnutsquare.org).

The farmer’s market is also held here on Saturdays year-round, which could be a great way to see if you like the area enough to spend money on a tour.

The Heard-Craig Center for the Arts is a beautifully preserved historic home dating back to 1900, now serving as a vibrant cultural hub offering art exhibitions, concerts, and educational programs.

Its Victorian architecture and antique furnishings provide a picturesque backdrop for a range of artistic and community events.

The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary is perfect for nature lovers, featuring trails, a butterfly garden, and educational exhibits about local flora and fauna.

Guided tours are available through the 290-acre sanctuary.

Not to be confused with the history museum listed above, the Collin County Farm Museum is on the northern fringe of the city at Myers Park.

The museum showcases the evolution of farming equipment in Texas.

Go on Wednesday afternoons to get free admission.

Adriatica Village is a charming European-style development, reminiscent of a Croatian village.

While there are a handful of restaurants and shops in the village, the stunning architecture is worth the trip.

This is a place to take family photos if you’re looking for one!

The city offers an interactive map to search for local parks, and you can choose the amenities that you want as the list whittles down to your perfect place!

For example, I love kayaking, and I looked for that feature.

The map showed me Towne Lake as the perfect spot to do that.

Places to Avoid in McKinney

As one of the safest places nationwide, you won’t have to worry about dangerous neighborhoods or bad parts of town.

While the city has a decent amount of space to explore, it’s a highly dense suburban area that gets a little more rural as you head north and east – but that will change as the city keeps growing.

At the same time, most hotels will be off the highway.

If you want to stay more engrained within the community, look for short-term rentals.

It’s also worth noting that McKinney is vibrant, but sleepy, which is a nice way to say the town isn’t ideal for 20-somethings looking to party their way through the Metroplex.

Nightlife here means a nice dinner and maybe a local festival or concert and going back home before 10.

It’s perfect for families or those over 40.

Safety Tips for Traveling to McKinney

McKinney has a local police department. You can follow them on Facebook @mckinneypolice to get ongoing updates. They are also on Instagram and X (Twitter) with that same handle. Feel free to call (972) 547-2700 to ask specific safety questions.
Here are two tools to help you track crime closer to your visit. First, use the Police 2 Citizen portal provided by the police department. You can search for any type of incident from a vehicle accident to an arrest to a “why were the police in front of my hotel last night?” incident. You can also use the Community Crime Map, which is an interactive map allowing you to set the search parameters and see where crimes have happened recently.
Since McKinney is prone to severe weather, you should review the Emergency Management section of the website. There is so much clear and easy to understand information here, I applaud them. You can find out how to get emergency alerts, how tornado sirens work, and learn how to stock an emergency supply kit.
I want to tell you a bit more about tornado sirens if you’re not used to hearing them. These sirens are located throughout a community and will sound when there is a tornado spotted on radar or by a person. The sirens are ONLY meant to be heard outdoors, and you should not rely on them as the sole source of emergency information.
When you get to your hotel, ask where the emergency shelter is located just in case a storm comes through in the middle of the night. You should know exactly where to go, even if you can’t get to the shelter in time. The best guidance says to get as many walls as possible between you and the nearest window. The bathroom or closest is usually a safer bet than going under a bed. You also want to get to the lowest level possible.
Golf carts are allowed in certain parts of the city, but I strongly recommend you read the rules and review the interactive map before you consider that form of transportation. In any event, be aware that you will be sharing the road with golf carts.
Anglers need a license from the Texas Park & Wildlife Department, and you should review the rules and restrictions before making a purchase. While you’re there, review the rules for dove hunting in McKinney. There’s also a section on the city’s website about it. It’s good to know what kinds of hunting could be happening in outdoor spaces you visit while you’re here.
McKinney is located near at least one of the toll roads in the Dallas area. Visit the NTTA (North Texas Transportation Authority) website to find out how much the tolls would cost, how to pay a toll, and how to sign up for an account. Your rental car might come with a toll meter, so check that option out, too.
Downtown McKinney has free parking and a free shuttle to get around, so you should easily be able to avoid a parking ticket. The main risk is parking in a three-hour lot and staying too long. If there are storms in the forecast, I highly recommend using a covered parking garage to avoid wind and hail damage.
The city of McKinney has a Notify Me option on its website where you can sign up for local alerts. This is important, but you don’t need to sign up for everything. I’m looking at the list and I think the Alert Center is the only one that could provide pressing information, like road closures or emergency information. You might want to opt-in for the Parks & Recreation section, too, if you plan on spending time at local recreation options.

So... How Safe Is McKinney Really?

Violent crime rates are 71% lower than the national average and 73% lower than the state average as of 2023.

That’s punctuated by the fact that just 12% of violent crimes were against strangers over the past five years.

More than 61% of violent crimes happen in private homes.

While violent crimes peaked between 2017 and 2019, the number still stayed below 300 violent crimes.

That works out to one violent crime per every 651 people.

Even at the peak, violent crime rates were still 61% lower than the national average.

I’ve done this enough to know that usually when there are low violent crime rates, there’s a good chance that property crimes might not follow the trend.

That doesn’t hold here, either, as the property crime rates are 43% lower than the national average.

Theft rates are 43% lower than the national average.

One consistency I did see was that 37% of all thefts were related to car break-ins or car accessory thefts.

However, most car break-ins are due to an owner leaving a car unlocked or personal property left in plain sight.

Heck, in some cases, people leave the keys in the car!

You dramatically lower this risk by taking simple precautions.

Among cities with more than 100,000 residents, McKinney ranks as one of the safest in the country – not just Texas, but the WHOLE country.

You should have no qualms about visiting McKinney, Texas.

The convenient proximity to Dallas and Forth Worth mixed with the bounty of things to do in the fast-growing city make it one of the best options when considering a trip to the Metroplex.

How Does McKinney Compare?

City	Safety Index
McKinney	84
Philadelphia	60
Houston	59
Atlanta	58
St. Louis	58
Los Angeles	56
Oakland	57
La Paz (Bolivia)	52
Sao Paulo (Brazil)	45
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)	43
Sofia (Bulgaria)	73
Siem Reap (Cambodia)	63
Phnom Penh (Cambodia)	61

Useful Information

Visas

All international visitors need either a visa defining the purpose of the trip (tourist, work, school, etc.) or a visa waiver. Start the process using the Visa Wizard module on the U.S. State Department website. You’ll quickly find out which one you need. Also, keep in mind that your passport must be valid for at least six months after our trip, or you’ll need to apply for a new one.

Currency

Only the U.S. Dollar (USD) is accepted in the United States. International airports usually have a currency exchange desk on site, while regional airports won’t. The Dallas area offers several places to exchange currency, but your home bank offers the lowest fees. For those using credit cards, check to see if there’s a foreign transaction fee before you start racking up charges.

Weather

This area gets four robust seasons, with winter being on the mild side except for a few cold spells. Spring and fall can have large fluctuations in temperatures, with warm, humid days on a Monday and storms with much cooler air on a Tuesday. You almost need to pack for three seasons, with plenty of layers. Bring bug spray and sunscreen. Expect oppressive humidity in the summer, which will cause you to sweat a lot.

Airports

You have easy access to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field from McKinney. One thing you can never do is gauge a distance by time due to the onslaught of Dallas traffic. The airports are about 35 miles away, which can take anywhere from 35 minutes to 90 minutes.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance should cover weather delays, cancelations, theft, emergency healthcare, and rental car insurance. Purchase it as soon as possible after booking your trip since it goes into effect immediately.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

McKinney Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 7° C

Feb 10° C

Mar 14° C

Apr 18° C

May 22° C

Jun 26° C

Jul 29° C

Aug 29° C

Sep 25° C

Oct 19° C

Nov 13° C

Dec 8° C

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	13	16	20	25	28	32	35	35	31	26	19	14
Low °C	1	3	7	11	16	20	22	22	18	12	7	2
High °F	55	61	68	77	82	90	95	95	88	79	66	57
Low °F	34	37	45	52	61	68	72	72	64	54	45	36

Texas - Safety by City

City	Safety Index
Abilene	67
Amarillo	65
Austin	65
Beaumont	51
Brownsville	68
Carrollton	72
Corpus Christi	71
Dallas	64
Del Rio	68
Dell City	81
Denton	72
El Paso	77
Fort Davis	80
Fort Worth	77
Fredericksburg	85
Frisco	84
Garland	83
Granbury	74
Grand Prairie	72
Gruene	82
Harlingen	75
Houston	59
Irving	79
Laredo	68
Lewisville	80
Llano	83
Lubbock	38
Luckenbach	77
Marathon	78
Marfa	80
McAllen	74
McKinney	84
Mesquite	52
Midland	78
Nacogdoches	78
New Braunfels	83
Plano	86
Port Aransas	83
Richardson	81
San Angelo	83
San Antonio	53
Schulenburg	83
Sherman	73
Smithville	84
South Padre Island	70
Tyler	70
Waco	61
Waxahachie	83
Weslaco	68
Wichita Falls	68
Wimberley	81

Is McKinney Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Texas : Safety by City