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Park Cities

Highland Park homes and real estate

A separate town surrounded by Dallas, with older homes, tree-lined streets along Turtle Creek and its own rules for building and taxes.

Lakeside Park in the Town of Highland Park, Texas: the tree-lined pond on Turtle Creek with its round spillway, on a sunny summer day.
Lakeside Park in the Town of Highland Park, Texas: the tree-lined pond on Turtle Creek with its round spillway, on a sunny summer day. Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What makes it distinctive

Highland Park in short

Highland Park is a separate town, not part of the City of Dallas, even though many homes use a Dallas mailing address. It has its own government, its own police and fire services, its own building rules and its own property tax rate. Most of the town is served by Highland Park ISD, which it shares with University Park. Homes range from early twentieth century houses to new construction, on streets along Turtle Creek and around Highland Park Village.

Where Highland Park is

Highland Park lies north of Uptown and Oak Lawn, with University Park directly to its north. It is surrounded by the City of Dallas and University Park. Highland Park Village, the shopping center at Preston Road and Mockingbird Lane, is in the town.

Highland Park and University Park are often called the Park Cities together, but they are two towns with separate city halls, permits and tax rates.

Houses and streets

Turtle Creek runs through the town, with Lakeside Drive following it past ponds and parkland. Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway are among its well-known streets. Many houses date from the 1910s through the 1930s, in period styles, while newer homes have replaced older ones on many lots.

Land is scarce because the town is small and fully built out, so much of a home's value is often in the lot. The DCAD record shows land and improvement values separately. My dad built custom homes and ranches, and from the 1970s through the 1990s he specialized in Preston Hollow and the Park Cities, so I look at construction quality closely.

Planning to renovate or rebuild?

The town has its own permit process and building rules. Check them with the Town of Highland Park before you count on an addition, a new house or a pool.

Schools: which district and how to check

Most of Highland Park is served by Highland Park ISD. A small western part of the town, west of the Dallas North Tollway, has been reported to fall in Dallas ISD, so always confirm a specific address with Highland Park ISD's own attendance information and the property's DCAD record. Ask the district what proof of residency it requires.

Getting around

The Dallas North Tollway runs through the western part of the town, Central Expressway, US 75, is to the east, and downtown is a short drive south through Uptown. Love Field is close by to the northwest. Drive times depend on the hour and your route.

Highland Park: questions people ask

Is Highland Park different from University Park?

Yes. They are separate towns with separate governments, building rules and property tax rates. Both are served by Highland Park ISD and are known together as the Park Cities.

What should I know before buying in Highland Park?

Check the town's building rules if you plan changes, confirm the school district for the exact address, and look up the taxing units on DCAD. Plan inspections around the age of the house. A conversation with the town's permit office before closing is worth it if you plan to build.

Why are houses in Park Cities so expensive?

Mostly land scarcity: two small, fully built towns close to downtown and Love Field, with their own services and Highland Park ISD. Much of the value is often in the lot itself.

Are property taxes different in Highland Park and University Park?

Yes, the city portion differs because each town sets its own rate. Both share the Highland Park ISD rate and the Dallas County units. Check the exact address on DCAD and the current rates with the Dallas County Tax Office.

Is a Highland Park home in the City of Dallas?

No. It is in the Town of Highland Park, even if the mailing address says Dallas. City services, permits and the city tax rate come from the town.

Andy Scott
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