Beard Park in, 2016
Little Elm’s story
182 years in pictures
Census counts: 116 in 1880, 46,453 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 2 maps from 1929 on.
- 1844Little Elm is established
Photo: Lakeviews · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
62,727
2025 Census estimate · +36.2% since 2020
Typical home
$391K
−5.4% in a year
Household income
$119K
median
Median age
35.4
years
Jobs based here
5,641
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#206 of 640 in TX
Is Little Elm a good place to live?
Little Elm's standout: it has 15 miles of trail and 44% conserved land. Overall it grades B−, 206th of 640 graded towns in Texas. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $391K for a typical one and 4.3 times the Dallas metro’s $90K median household income. 44% of the land in Little Elm is conserved, above both Texas’ towns (1.9%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Little Elm Park, at 154 acres. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 70% of U.S. towns.
What makes Little Elm stand out
Where Little Elm beats most towns.
A growing town
Little Elm has grown 144% since 2010
25,898 counted in 2010 and 46,453 in 2020; an estimated 62,727 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 36.2% since 2020, after 79.4% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Little Elm grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Little Elm is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →HealthBaylor Scott & White Emergency Hospital 2.2 miles awayB+Open →SafetyB+Open →Jobs & income$119K median household incomeB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.9 of 20; 2.3% of households have no car; 0.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; tornadoes tops the listB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsA+Open →HistoryEstablished 1844; 1 notable person born hereCOpen →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 96° summer afternoons, 3″ of snow–Open →Housing market61 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.4; 44% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Little Elm: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Little Elm, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Little Elm water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet12 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
SchoolsLittle Elm Independent School DistrictDenton Independent School District2 districts serve Little Elm; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDenton County Early Voting ClerkDenton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP codes75068, 76227, 75033, 7503675068 81% · 76227 12% · 75033 4% · 75036 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Little Elm.
Little Elm reports less crime than Frisco or any other graded neighbor, keeps more of its land conserved than most of Texas and has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns.
OutdoorsA+
Little Elm has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
Its 6,365 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 99% of Texas towns. Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #7 of 642 in Texas.
15 miles of trail in 13 parks and preserves. At 0.7 miles per square mile, Little Elm’s trail density is above both the Texas town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4).
#119for trails in TX
44.1%
conserved · 6,365 of 14,427 acres
15 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Doe Branch Park | 1.9 mi | 137 |
| 2. Sunset Pointe Park | 0.9 mi | 22 |
| 3. Little Elm Park | 0.4 mi | 154 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Little Elm’s schools beat 51% of Texas districts
Three of its 13 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
51%of TX districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry R Walker MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 885 | B |
| Ray Braswell H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,812 | B |
| Robertson ElTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 624 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most working residents commute out of Little Elm
Little Elm has 5,641 jobs for its 25,795 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 34.6 minutes, against 26.7 across Texas.
Most working residents leave Little Elm for work: only 3% work in town. The average trip to work in Little Elm is 35 minutes. Jobs based in Little Elm grew to 5,641 in 2023, 3,036 more than in 2013.
3%work in town
| Little Elm | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 27% | 9.6% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $119,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Little Elm3%
Dallas15%
Plano12%
Frisco11%
Irving6%
17 mi
median commute distance
5,641
jobs based in Little Elm
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 30% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
Little Elm is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Its widest gap with Texas is heart disease: 3.5% of its 32,441 adults have heart disease, against 5.6% statewide. Against the 5,844 U.S. towns with household incomes like Little Elm’s, it is less healthy than 57%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
Little Elm beats the Texas average on 16 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 28% of Little Elm adults have high blood pressure.
74%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Little Elm | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.3% | 13% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 74% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Texas
16 better14 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Little Elm | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 3.5% | 5.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.2% | 3.2% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 68.2% | 74.1% |
Baylor Scott & White Emergency Hospital
2.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
79th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade D
Little Elm earns a D for cost of living
The typical value, about $391K, is 18% below its July 2022 peak. The median property tax bill is $7,420, against $4,232 across Texas, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Little Elm’s median rent is $1,953 a month. Typical home values fell 5.4% in the year to September 2026.
$391KZillow home value
Typical home value
Little Elm$391K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
61
days on market
98.1%
sale-to-list price
−5.4%
value change, 1 year
91
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyB+
Crime per resident in Little Elm is lower than in 73% of U.S. towns
Its B+ tops all 3 graded towns on its borders; Frisco (B) comes closest. At 10.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 86% of Texas’s graded towns.
73%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Little Elm1.4
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Little Elm3.3
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
73rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
86th
percentile among TX towns
89
violent crimes reported in 2025
218
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Little Elm, expect mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons average 95.4°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 34.2°.
Little Elm has mild winters and hot summers. About 3 inches of snow falls in a winter.
3″snow a winter
| Little Elm | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 95°F | 85°F |
| January low | 34°F | 37°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–57°
Spring54–75°
Summer73–94°
Fall55–77°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 13
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Little Elm, with tornadoes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1994, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Little Elm.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingHail
6
paid flood claims since 1994
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 85 attractions →AT&T Stadium and 65 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Little Elm. Close and well known come first.
Big draw32 mi Stadium & arenaAT&T Stadium
Big draw30 mi Stadium & arenaCotton Bowl
5 mi Theme parkUniversal Kids Resort
6 mi Stadium & arenaToyota Stadium
Big draw32 mi Stadium & arenaGlobe Life Field
Big draw24 mi Stadium & arenaTexas StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
AT&T Stadium: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cotton Bowl: Robbiewest88, Public domain · Universal Kids Resort: CANthony0125, CC0 · Toyota Stadium: Flavius Constantine, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Globe Life Field: Drone To Fly, CC BY 3.0 · Texas Stadium: Allspamme, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Little Elm
20pages on Little Elm
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 51% of TX districts · 13 schoolsSafetyB+1.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than TX on 16 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingD$391K typical home · down 5.4% in a yearWork & commuteB+$119K median household income · 5,641 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities · tornadoes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Little Elm
Texas Woman's UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Denton12.2 mi$8,640 in-state tuitionThe Chicago School at DallasUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Plano12.8 miUniversity of North TexasUniversity or college · Public · Denton13.3 mi$11,309 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Little Elm residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
Get outside
15 miles of trails in Little Elm
44.1% of the town is conserved land, across 13 parks and preserves.
1
Doe Branch Park1.9 mi of trails · 137 acres
2
Sunset Pointe Park0.9 mi of trails · 22 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Little Elm
City in Texas, United States
Little Elm is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States, and a part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is an extended suburb of Denton; its population was 46,453 as of the 2020 census. In 2000, the census population was at 3,646. By the 2010 census, the city total had jumped to 25,898, making Little Elm one of the fastest-growing municipalities by percentage in Texas since 2000. The July 1, 2022 census estimates Little Elm's population as 55,357.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 21 sq mi
- Elevation
- 545 ft
- ZIP code
- 75068
Little Elm’s neighbors
8 towns share a border with Little Elm.
The ColonyProvidence VillageFriscoSavannahOak PointAubreyLakewood VillageProsperLittle Elm
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Elm | #206 | B− | D | B+ | B− | B+ |
| The Colony | #139 | B | D | C+ | B+ | A |
| Providence Village | #243 | C+ | D | — | B | B+ |
| Frisco | #31 | A− | D− | B | A | A+ |
| Savannah | #199 | B− | D | — | B | A |
| Oak Point | #271 | C+ | D− | — | B− | B+ |
| Aubrey | #288 | C | D | C | B | B+ |
| Lakewood Village | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Providence Village, Savannah and Oak Point report no FBI crime data of their own. Lakewood Village isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Little Elm with a neighbor →
Questions about Little Elm
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Little Elm, TX a good place to live?
Little Elm grades B− overall, better than 46% of U.S. towns and #206 of 640 in Texas. It grades B+ for health, B+ for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Little Elm, TX expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.