Plano -  Best place to live in the Western United States

In 2005, 2006, and 2011, Plano was designated the best place to live in the Western United States by CNN Money magazine. Its estimated population of 259,841 enjoys Plano’s safe, high standard of living within its 71.6 square miles. Plano consists of sprawling flat land, new roads, and spacious parkland. In October 2010, Forbes magazine named Plano the safest city to live in America with a population greater than 250,000.

History/Interesting Facts
The annual Plano Balloon Festival and the Plano International Festival are two of the city’s main cultural and entertainment events.

In Plano there are 70 public schools, 16 private schools, and two campuses of the Collin County Community College District (Collin College).

There are three senior high schools (grades 11-12) in PISD; Plano East, Plano, and Plano West. In Newsweek’s 2012 list of best national high schools, Plano West was ranked as 63rd, Plano Senior as 108th, and Plano East as 243rd. Plano ISD teachers average 11 years of experience and the district’s average elementary student/teacher ratio is 19:1.

Notable Areas
The two main Open Space Preserves, Bob Woodruff Park (321 acres) and Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve (801 acres), are connected by biking trails making the green space one large uninterrupted park space that is larger than Central Park in New York City (840 acres). Another one of the main parks is the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. It is a great 200 acre park that contains natural hiking trails, mountain biking trails, and paved trails for walking or cycling.

Residents and visitors can learn about the history of Plano and North Texas by visiting Heritage Farmstead Museum, the “premiere living history site interpreting the Texas Black-land Prairie region in North Texas.”

Plano residents also enjoy the Ridgeview Ranch Golf Club, ArtCentre of Plano, and six outstanding public libraries. Big businesses such as Dr. Pepper, Frito-Lay, JCPenney, and HP have set up shop there.

Ashoka Lion Property Management Company has extensive knowledge of real estate in Dallas and its surrounding areas, including the city of Plano. Ashoka Lion helps investors buy, sell, and manage properties, and optimize profitability while seeing to the needs of their tenants. An experienced real estate agent from the Lion Real Estate Group can also help prospective renters or homeowners search for homes to rent, lease or buy within the Dallas area.