Brick country home beside a hay meadow with round bales and a pond, typical of the countryside around Leonard, Texas

2026 Leonard community guide · Fannin County

Living in Leonard, TX

A Blackland Prairie farm town with a historic square, a hometown picnic held every July since 1880, and room to spread out between Greenville, Bonham and McKinney.

Homes for sale in Leonard
Population
2,212Census estimate, July 2025
County
FanninLeonard ISD reaches into Hunt and Collin
School district
Leonard ISDDistrict B (85); high school A (90)
Typical home value
$371,540Zillow, Sep 2026
Est. total tax rate
≈2.11%In city limits; about 1.58% outside
To McKinney
~29 miAbout 40 min

For sale now

Homes for sale in Leonard, TX

Most Leonard listings are in-town homes, country homes on acreage and raw land, with a few new-construction streets. Start with the latest listings or a popular search.

All Leonard listings
Jump to a section
  1. Is Leonard a good place to live?
  2. Pros & cons
  3. Neighborhoods
  4. Real estate market
  5. Cost of living & taxes
  6. Schools
  7. Commute & location
  8. Things to do
  9. Jobs & everyday life
  10. FAQ

01Overview

Is Leonard, Texas a good place to live?

For buyers who want a small town with land around it, Leonard is worth a close look. About 2,200 people live where US-69 meets SH-78 in southwest Fannin County, about 26 minutes from Greenville and 40 minutes from McKinney. Leonard ISD improved to a B (85) in 2025, and Leonard High School earned an A (90). The trade-offs are a long drive to Dallas (about 61 miles), limited shopping and healthcare in town, thin inventory and a combined in-city tax rate of about 2.11%.

Leonard’s land was part of a 3,520-acre grant made in 1845 under Republic of Texas President Anson Jones and bought by Solomon Langdon Leonard in 1859. Settlement waited for the railroad: when the line came through in 1880, the Leonard heirs laid out a townsite with a public square and auctioned the first lots on July 22, 1880. The town incorporated on September 14, 1889, and its newspaper, the Leonard Graphic, has been published since 1890.

For most of the 20th century Leonard was a cotton-market and trading town of about 1,000 people, and ranching has since replaced some of the farming. Growth today is steady rather than fast: the Census Bureau estimates about 2,035 residents in 2020 and about 2,212 in July 2025, an increase of roughly 9%.

New construction is arriving in small doses, led by D.R. Horton’s Leonard Crossing and larger single-story homes from Riverside Homebuilders just outside town. Most of the market, though, is older in-town homes, country homes on acreage and land, which is where local knowledge of roads, water and ag valuation matters most.

Local tip from Shayla

Leonard ISD reaches into Hunt and Collin counties, so a country home in the district is not always taxed by Fannin County. On the Hunt side, Hunt County ($0.333 per $100) plus the Hunt Memorial Hospital District ($0.207) replace Fannin County’s $0.350, so check the county on the tax record before comparing two tracts.

What locals love about Leonard

  • The Leonard Picnic, held around July 22 every year since 1880
  • A historic town square and the Leonard Museum
  • Leonard High School, rated A (90) by TEA in 2025
  • Pasture and acreage with room for a shop, animals or a garden
  • About 26 minutes to Greenville and 40 minutes to McKinney

02Honest take

Pros and cons of living in Leonard

What we tell our own clients before they make a move.

Pros

  • Land and acreageBlackland Prairie pasture and country homesites all around town, in Fannin and Hunt counties.
  • Improving schoolsLeonard ISD rose from C (77) in 2024 to B (85) in 2025, and the high school earned an A (90).
  • Small-town traditionsA picnic held since 1880 and a hometown newspaper published since 1890.
  • Central locationAbout 26 minutes to Greenville, 25 to Bonham and 40 to McKinney.
  • Entry-level new homesD.R. Horton’s Leonard Crossing offers smaller new homes from the mid-$200s.

Cons

  • Long Dallas commuteAbout 61 miles to downtown Dallas: roughly an hour and 15 minutes off-peak.
  • Limited servicesNo hospital in town; big errands and healthcare mean Greenville, Bonham or McKinney.
  • Thin inventoryOnly about 46 active listings in ZIP 75452 in September 2026, so the right home can take patience.
  • Rural utilitiesOutside town, expect wells or rural water supply corporations and septic systems.
  • Tax rateAbout 2.11% combined inside city limits, higher than in many Collin County suburbs.

03Where to live

Best neighborhoods in Leonard

Leonard is a small town, so buyers usually choose a setting rather than a subdivision: a new home on the edge of town, an older home near the square, or land in the country.

Leonard Crossing

New construction

A D.R. Horton community on the east side of town with three- to five-bedroom plans, including smaller single-story homes of about 1,200 to 1,300 square feet.

Typical price
About $235K–$270K
Schools
Leonard ISD
Builders
D.R. Horton
Homes near Leonard Crossing

Fannin Ranch

New construction

Larger single-story homes along Cobb and Cofer roads just outside town, with plans up to about 3,100 square feet. Some homes have been listed with no HOA.

Typical price
About $500K–$640K
Builders
Riverside Homebuilders
Homes near Fannin Ranch

Downtown & the square

Historic

Older homes within a few blocks of the public square laid out in 1880, the Leonard Museum and City Hall on Collin Street.

Schools
Leonard ISD
Homes near Downtown & the square

Edge-of-town lots

Lots & infill

Small subdivisions are starting to appear around town, including an 11-lot plat with new water and sewer lines. The city publishes a current city limits and ETJ map.

Homes near Edge-of-town lots

Country homes on acreage

Acreage

Homesteads and newer custom homes on county roads around town, many with room for a shop, horses or a big garden. Several recent custom builds have listed near $600K.

Schools
Leonard ISD (confirm by address)
Homes near Country homes on acreage

Land & farm tracts

Land & ranch

Blackland Prairie pasture, hay meadows and cropland in southwest Fannin County and the Hunt County side of Leonard ISD, from small homesites to working farms.

Homes near Land & farm tracts
Good to know

New construction in Leonard comes from a few builders and changes quickly. We watch the city’s planning and zoning agendas for new plats, and we can show you land and homes that never reach the big portals.

New construction & builders in Leonard

Community Builders What to expect
Leonard Crossing D.R. Horton Smaller one- and two-story plans; about $235K–$270K
Fannin Ranch Riverside Homebuilders Larger single-story homes; about $500K–$640K

Builders and incentives change often. Bring us to your first model-home visit and we’ll represent you, not the builder. How we help new-build buyers →

04Market

Leonard real estate market

Zillow’s typical Leonard home value was about $371,500 in September 2026, up about 0.9% from a year earlier, while most nearby towns slipped. In ZIP 75452, Realtor.com counted 46 active listings in September 2026 (down about 19% year over year) at a median list price of about $455,900 (down about 7%), with a median of 86 days on market and about one in three listings showing a price cut.

Sales are few, so one or two acreage sales can move the averages. List prices run above typical values because the ZIP includes country homes, new custom builds and land. Price per acre depends on road frontage, water, trees, soils and whether a tract qualifies for ag valuation, which is why we walk land with our buyers.

Leonard homes today: live MLS numbers

54
Homes For Sale
$532,000
Median List Price
115
Average Days on Site
$522,500
Median Sold Price
16
Homes Sold

Live from the NTREIS MLS for homes in Leonard (houses, townhomes and condos). Sold figures cover the last 60 days.

Monthly Leonard market report with trends   Compare Leonard with nearby towns

Types of homes you’ll find

  • Entry-level new homesD.R. Horton plans in Leonard Crossing.
  • In-town homesOlder homes near the square and around town.
  • Country homes on acreageHomesteads and custom homes with room for a shop or animals.
  • Land & farmPasture, hay meadows and cropland for building or ag use.

Thinking of selling in Leonard?

Get a free, local Comparative Market Analysis — not an automated guess.

What’s my home worth?

05Budget

Cost of living & property taxes in Leonard

Inside city limits, Leonard’s 2025 combined rate is about $2.11 per $100: the City of Leonard ($0.53805), Leonard ISD ($1.2252) and Fannin County ($0.350311). Fannin County has no hospital or college district tax.

Outside city limits on the Fannin side, the total drops to about $1.58. On the Hunt County side of Leonard ISD, Hunt County ($0.333241) and the Hunt Memorial Hospital District ($0.207241) bring the rural total to about $1.77.

Taxing unit Rate per $100 of value
City of Leonard (2025) $0.538050
Leonard ISD (2025) $1.225200
Fannin County (2025) $0.350311
Typical total (in city, no MUD) ≈ $2.11
Outside city limits (Fannin side) ≈ $1.58

At about 2.11% before exemptions, a $370,000 home in city limits would owe roughly $7,800 a year. The $140,000 school homestead exemption lowers that noticeably.

Ask about MUDs & PIDs

Land with an agricultural valuation is taxed on productive value, not market value, which can cut the bill dramatically. Ask us before you change how a tract is used: losing ag valuation can trigger a rollback tax.

Utilities

Service Provider
Electricity In town: Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) delivery area with retail choice. Rural addresses may be on an electric co-op; confirm by address
Water & sewer City of Leonard in town; rural water supply corporations or private wells and septic outside town

Tax rates are the adopted 2025 rates and change every year. Verify any address with the Fannin Central Appraisal District before you buy. Estimate your payment →

06Education

Schools in Leonard

Leonard ISD enrolls about 840 students (the most recent state count) in four campuses: Leonard Elementary, Leonard Intermediate, Leonard Junior High and Leonard High School. TEA rated the district B (85) in 2025, up from C (77) in 2024. Leonard High School earned an A (90), the junior high and elementary B (84) and the intermediate school B (83).

The district’s four-year graduation rate was 96.2%, and its boundaries reach into Hunt and Collin counties.

School district What to know
Leonard ISD Leonard and the surrounding countryside; B (85) district and A (90) high school in 2025.
Neighboring districts Some country addresses near Leonard are in Trenton, Celeste or other nearby districts. Confirm by address.

High schools

Leonard High School

Colleges nearby

  • East Texas A&M University in Commerce
  • Grayson College South Campus in Van Alstyne
  • Collin College campuses in McKinney
Always verify zoning

School boundaries change as districts grow. We confirm the assigned campuses for every home before you make an offer.

07Location

Commute & getting around Leonard

US-69 and SH-78 cross in Leonard. US-69 runs northwest to Trenton and Whitewright and southeast to Celeste and Greenville, and SH-78 runs northeast to Bonham and southwest toward Farmersville and Wylie. Most commuters head to Greenville, McKinney or Bonham. There is no fixed-route transit.

Destination Distance Typical drive
Downtown Greenville ~20 mi About 26 min
Downtown Bonham ~16 mi About 25 min
Downtown McKinney ~29 mi About 40 min
Downtown Sherman ~33 mi About 40 min
Downtown Dallas ~61 mi About 1 hr 15 min
DFW Airport ~66 mi About 1 hr 25 min

Drive times are typical off-peak estimates. Allow more time at rush hour.

08Lifestyle

Things to do in Leonard

The Leonard Picnic

The town’s birthday party, held around July 22 every year since the 1880 lot sale, skipped only in 1918 and 1945.

Leonard Museum

A small museum on the town square, home to a restored 1942 Ford fire truck.

Leonard City Park

A rentable pavilion and an RV park, managed with the city’s parks and recreation board.

Bonham State Park

A 65-acre lake, camping, swimming and mountain-bike trails about 30 minutes northeast.

Bois d’Arc Lake

North Texas’ newest major reservoir, with free public boat ramps, less than an hour northeast.

Downtown Greenville

Restaurants, shops and the Hunt County seat about 26 minutes southeast.

09Everyday life

Jobs, shopping & healthcare near Leonard

Leonard is a small trading town built on schools, local businesses, agriculture and ranching. Many residents commute to Greenville, McKinney, Bonham or Sherman.

What’s being built in Leonard

  • D.R. Horton’s Leonard Crossing and larger custom homes on the edge of town
  • City water system upgrades, including a new pump station and ground storage tank
  • A downtown revitalization project funded through the Texas Community Development Block Grant program
  • Continued interest in Fannin County land from DFW buyers

Major employers nearby

  • Leonard ISD and the City of Leonard
  • Greenville employers, including L3Harris and Hunt Regional Healthcare
  • McKinney and Collin County employers along SH-121 and US-75
  • Agriculture and ranching

Hospitals & healthcare

  • Hunt Regional Medical Center, Greenville (about 25 min)
  • Hospital and clinic care in Bonham (about 25 min)
  • McKinney hospitals, including Medical City McKinney and Baylor Scott & White–McKinney (about 40 min)

10Quick answers

Leonard, TX FAQ

Is Leonard, TX a good place to live?

Leonard suits buyers who want a small town, land and lower prices than Collin County. It has a historic square, a picnic tradition dating to 1880 and a high school rated A (90) in 2025. The trade-offs are a long Dallas commute, few shops and services, and limited inventory.

What county is Leonard, TX in?

Fannin County. Census estimates place all of the city’s residents in Fannin County, but Leonard ISD reaches into Hunt and Collin counties, so rural addresses can carry different county taxes.

How far is Leonard from Dallas?

About 61 road miles to downtown Dallas, roughly an hour and 15 minutes off-peak. Greenville is about 20 miles (26 minutes) and McKinney about 29 miles (40 minutes).

What school district serves Leonard?

Leonard ISD, with about 840 students. TEA rated the district B (85) in 2025, up from C (77) in 2024, and Leonard High School earned an A (90).

What is the property tax rate in Leonard?

About $2.11 per $100 inside city limits for 2025 (city $0.53805, Leonard ISD $1.2252, Fannin County $0.350311). Outside city limits on the Fannin side it is about $1.58.

How much are homes in Leonard?

Zillow’s typical home value was about $371,500 in September 2026, up about 0.9% from a year earlier. New D.R. Horton homes start in the mid-$200s, while larger homes and acreage often list at $450,000 to $650,000.

Are new homes being built in Leonard?

Yes, on a small scale. D.R. Horton is building in Leonard Crossing, Riverside Homebuilders is building larger single-story homes in Fannin Ranch, and local builders put up custom homes on acreage.

What is the Leonard Picnic?

Leonard’s annual birthday celebration, held around July 22 to mark the day town lots were auctioned in 1880. It has been held every year except 1918 and 1945.

Is Leonard growing?

Slowly. The Census Bureau estimates about 2,035 residents in 2020 and about 2,212 in July 2025, an increase of roughly 9%.

Is Leonard, TX safe?

Crime statistics are published by the Leonard Police Department. We encourage every buyer to review the data for the specific area they are considering and to visit at different times of day. As agents, we share data sources rather than opinions about which neighborhoods are “safe.”

About this guide. Written by Shayla Eadler, Licensed Broker & Owner of Ten Twenty Realty (TREC #0747934), and reviewed October 2026. Facts come from public sources, including: U.S. Census Bureau (Vintage 2025), City of Leonard, Leonard Chamber of Commerce, Texas Comptroller 2025 tax rates, Fannin CAD, Texas Education Agency, Texas Tribune: Leonard ISD, Zillow home value index.

Courtney Campbell in a black top and teal trousers beside a leather sofa

Your Leonard expert

Talk to Courtney about Leonard

Courtney serves Fannin, Grayson and Lamar counties, and helps Leonard-area buyers find land, acreage and homes with room for a shop, animals or a quieter road.

  • Neighborhood and school-zone answers for specific addresses
  • Early access to Coming Soon and off-market homes
  • Builder, MUD/PID and tax-rate comparisons before you commit

Ask Courtney about Leonard

Goes directly to Courtney. We typically respond within the hour during business hours.