University Park · Comparison
University Park vs. Highland Park: A Side-by-Side for Discerning Families
The honest Park Cities comparison — schools, lot economics, walkability and resale velocity, with no soft pedaling.
The TXRE Group
Founder, The TXRE Group · Brokered by eXp Realty
If you are relocating to Dallas with school-aged children and Highland Park ISD is on your shortlist, you will tour both Highland Park and University Park within the first weekend. The two municipalities share a district and a zip code in places, but the products and the trade-offs are very different.
This is the comparison I run with every relocating Park Cities client. No soft pedaling — just the data.
Chapter 01
Schools — functionally identical, structurally different
Both Highland Park and University Park feed Highland Park High School and Highland Park Middle School. Elementary feeders differ by address: Highland Park residents typically attend Bradfield, Armstrong, or Hyer; University Park residents attend University Park Elementary or Boone. Outcomes at the high school level are nearly identical.
Chapter 02
Walkability and street feel
Highland Park is more residentially insular with a single retail core (Highland Park Village). University Park is more grid-like with multiple walkable nodes — Snider Plaza, the SMU campus edge, Lovers Lane retail. If walkability with kids matters, University Park usually wins. If a single high-luxury retail anchor matters more, Highland Park does.
Chapter 03
Price per foot and resale velocity
| Metric | Highland Park | University Park |
|---|---|---|
| Median price | $2.4M | ~$1.7M |
| Price per SF | $865 | $620 |
| Average DOM | 28 days | 31 days |
| Sweet-spot inventory | $3M – $7M renovated traditionals | $1.5M – $3M family homes |
| Trophy ceiling | $25M+ Beverly / Lakeside | $8M+ Caruth / near SMU |
Highland Park trades at roughly $865 per finished SF; University Park at roughly $620. Days on market are similar. Highland Park retains a stronger absolute resale story at the very top of the market; University Park is meaningfully more liquid in the $1.5M to $3M family-home band where most Park Cities transactions actually occur.
Frequently asked
Questions buyers ask us
Which is more expensive, Highland Park or University Park?+
Highland Park, on a per-square-foot basis ($865 vs. $620) and on median price ($2.4M vs. ~$1.7M).
Do Highland Park and University Park share a school district?+
Yes. Both are served by Highland Park Independent School District, one of the highest-rated public districts in Texas.
Is University Park a better value than Highland Park?+
For the $1.5M–$3M family-home band, University Park typically delivers more house and more lot per dollar with the same school access.
Where do most University Park families want to live?+
The most actively traded streets are around Snider Plaza, Caruth Park, Williams Park, and the blocks within walking distance to University Park Elementary.
Are Highland Park homes a better long-term hold than University Park?+
At the very top of the market (above $5M), Highland Park has historically held value slightly better. In the family-home band, both compound similarly.
About the author
The TXRE Group
Founder, The TXRE Group · Brokered by eXp Realty. Our advisors represent buyers and sellers across Dallas — Highland Park, Preston Hollow, University Park, Bluffview — and Houston, from The Heights to Sugar Land and Katy.
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