Living in Southlake

Overview

About Southlake

The Southlake area was settled in the 1840s, but the city did not incorporate until 1956, a few years after Grapevine Lake was completed. Present-day Southlake combined the settlements of Whites Chapel, Dove, Union Church and Jellico; residents voted to form their own town in 1956, and the name reflects its location south of the new lake.

The area stayed rural until DFW International Airport opened nearby, and it has since grown into one of the region's most sought-after suburbs, with 31,265 residents at the 2020 census. Sabre's headquarters is in Southlake's Solana business park.

Who Southlake suits

Southlake suits buyers prioritizing Carroll ISD, larger and newer homes, and quick airport access for frequent travelers, along with walkable shopping and dining at Town Square.

At a glance

Southlake by the numbers

Figures are sourced below with their dates. Market values change; confirm current numbers with Jamie before making decisions.

Housing

Homes & neighborhoods

Southlake is known for larger single-family homes, many on generous lots, in master-planned and custom-home neighborhoods such as the Timarron golf community, plus estate properties near the lake. Jamie can help you compare neighborhoods by school zoning, HOA rules and lot size.

Schools

Southlake school districts

High school campus ratings

• Carroll Senior High School: A (91) in 2026
• Carroll High School: A (91) in 2026

Ratings are Texas Education Agency A–F accountability ratings (overall score in parentheses), released August 2026. See campus details on TXschools.gov. School boundaries change and don't follow city limits; confirm the assigned schools for any address with the district.

Market notes · as of September 2026

Southlake home prices

Zillow's Home Value Index puts the typical Southlake home at $1,318,423 as of September 2026, up 4.6% from a year earlier. The index is a smoothed, seasonally adjusted measure of mid-tier single-family homes and condos, not a sale price for any one house.

For comparison, Zillow's Fort Worth index was $292,949 in the same month.

Values vary widely by street, lot size, age and condition, especially where acreage, waterfront or new construction is involved. Before you buy or list, ask Jamie for a free comparative market analysis built from current active, pending and sold listings in the NTREIS MLS.

Property taxes

Southlake property tax rates

2025 adopted rates per $100 of taxable value, from the Texas Comptroller:

Example only: on a home appraised at the typical Southlake value of $1,318,423, the combined rate works out to about $18,598 a year before exemptions. A homestead exemption lowers the school-tax portion (school districts must exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value, with an additional $60,000 for owners 65 or older or disabled, per the Texas Comptroller). Your actual bill depends on the appraised value, exemptions and any special districts.

Special districts (hospital, college, emergency services, MUD/PID and others) are not included and vary by property. Appraisal district: Tarrant County, Denton County. This is general information, not tax advice.

Getting around

Commute & roads

SH 114 and SH 121 connect Southlake to DFW Airport, Grapevine, Dallas and Fort Worth; Southlake Boulevard (FM 1709) is the main east-west street.

• Downtown Fort Worth: about 32 minutes / 20 miles
• DFW International Airport: about 20 minutes
• Graford: about 108 minutes

Drive times are routing estimates from OSRM without traffic; rush hour and highway construction can add significant time.

Outdoors

Lakes & recreation

Grapevine Lake borders the city to the north, and the Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve protects Cross Timbers woodland and prairie with trails.

Things to do

Notable attractions near Southlake

• Downtown districtSouthlake Town Square

  Open-air downtown with shopping, dining, city hall, the library and year-round events.

• Nature preserveBob Jones Nature Center & Preserve

  Nature center and trails through Cross Timbers forest and prairie near Grapevine Lake.

• LakeGrapevine Lake

  Corps of Engineers lake on the city's northern edge for boating, fishing and camping.

Everyday life

Shopping, dining & amenities

Southlake Town Square is the city's downtown: an open-air district of shops, restaurants, city hall and the public library, and the site of many community events. More dining and retail stretch along SH 114 and Southlake Boulevard.

Due diligence

Utilities, internet & flood checks

• Electricity: parts of this area are open to retail electric choice (compare plans at PowerToChoose.org), while many rural and some city areas are served by an electric cooperative or municipal utility with no choice. The provider depends on the exact address.
• Water & sewer: inside city limits, service usually comes from the city or a water supply corporation. Outside city limits, homes often rely on a water supply corporation or a private well plus an on-site septic system (OSSF). Ask for well and septic inspections before closing.
• Internet: options range from fiber and cable in town to fixed wireless and satellite in the country. Check any address on the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Flood risk: look up the property on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask your insurance agent about flood coverage, even outside a mapped flood zone.

Map

Southlake on the map

Use the layer button (top right of the map) to show TEA school district boundaries or FEMA flood hazard zones around Southlake.

School district and flood layers are for general reference only. Verify districts with the TEA School District Locator or the district, and flood zones with the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and a survey or elevation certificate. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Local FAQ

Southlake questions

Sources

Where these facts come from

• Zillow Research, ZHVI by city (as of September 2026)
• Texas Education Agency, 2026 Statewide Multi-Year Ratings and TXschools.gov
• Texas Comptroller, 2025 county, city and school district tax rates · Comptroller exemptions
• Appraisal district contacts (Comptroller county directory): Tarrant County, Denton County
• Wikipedia: Southlake (history; 2020 U.S. Census population)
• OSRM routing (drive-time estimates)
• Official site: Southlake

This content is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and deadlines change. Confirm details with the appropriate agency, attorney, CPA or lender.