What it feels like
Allen and McKinney sit side by side in Collin County. Allen is compact and built-out, McKinney is historic and spacious, and both have newer neighborhoods and plenty of trails. Allen has Watters Creek and the Allen Premium Outlets for shopping and the Credit Union of Texas Event Center for concerts and hockey games. McKinney's Historic Downtown square is where people go for dinner, shops and weekend events, District 121 on the Sam Rayburn Tollway has patios and restaurants, and the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary is a quiet escape nearby.
Getting around
US-75 runs north and south through both cities and connects you to Plano and Dallas, and US-380 crosses McKinney east to west.
The apartments
Newer apartment communities are spread across both cities, a lot of them close to shopping and restaurants. If you want trails, shopping and a historic square close to home, Allen and McKinney have all three.