
Van Alstyne is a rapidly growing city located in southeastern Grayson County, Texas, with a small portion extending into southwestern Collin County. Positionally situated approximately 45 miles north of downtown Dallas along U.S. Highway 75 (the Central Expressway), the city benefits from its strategic placement within the fast-expanding North Texas corridor between the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and the Sherman-Denison metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, Van Alstyne had a population of 3,046; however, more recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and local planning documents indicate the population has surged past 6,500 residents by 2025, driven primarily by residential development attracted to its small-town character, highly regarded school district, and convenient access to major employment centers in Frisco, McKinney, Plano, and northern Dallas.The city operates under a council-manager form of government and maintains an active economic development corporation focused on balanced commercial and residential growth. Historically rooted in agriculture and railroad commerce (the Houston & Texas Central Railway reached the area in the early 1870s), Van Alstyne has preserved numerous late-19th and early-20th-century structures in its downtown historic district, several of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Contemporary development is concentrated along the US-75 corridor and in master-planned communities such as Mantua, Georgetown Estates, and Tinsley Meadows, which feature modern single-family homes, amenity centers, and trail systems.Van Alstyne Independent School District serves the community with a reputation for academic excellence and strong extracurricular programs, consistently earning high accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency. The city provides full municipal services including its own police and fire departments, a Type 4 public library, and an expanding parks and recreation system that includes the 86-acre Forrest Moore Park and numerous neighborhood pocket parks. Ongoing infrastructure improvements, such as the widening of US-75 and planned outer-loop roadways, are designed to accommodate continued growth while preserving the community’s historic charm and family-oriented quality of life. Van Alstyne is frequently recognized as one of the safest and fastest-growing small cities in North Texas.
