NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT: Little Elm, Dallas, Texas

VOLUME VIII: NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT

Little Elm, Dallas, Texas

Compiled by Nikki Davidson

Photo credit: Mister VR/Wikimedia Commons

Little Elm, Texas, is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in the state for a reason. Just 20 years ago, it was known as a sleepy little lakefront town on Lake Lewisville, but it's since boomed into a rapidly growing suburb. The town's current population is approximately 50,000 people.

Little Elm is a lake community to its core, as the water can be seen from nearly any neighborhood in town. It’s home to the largest public beach in North Texas, as well as high-quality hiking and biking trails, and one of the Dallas-Fort Worth area's newest water parks, The Cove at the Lakefront, which opened in spring of 2021.

Jobs in Little Elm

Little Elm is primarily a commuter community, but as the little town grows, the employment opportunities expand. Most jobs in the area are in the service industry, followed by finance, insurance and real estate. The median household income is $114,999. The largest employers in the area are the Little Elm School District, the Town of Little Elm, Kroger and Lowes Home Center.

The retail and restaurant sector will soon grow as Qdoba, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Slim Chickens, and Freddy's have all committed to adding operations in the town. The Town of Little Elm recently announced plans to expand its public service departments to fill the growing community's needs, including the development of a new public safety annex and a fourth fire station.

Photo credit: Mister VR/Wikimedia Commons

Education in Little Elm

One of Texas' fastest-growing school districts is Little Elm ISD. There are about 8,100 students in nine schools. Educational institutions include:

Cesar Chavez Elementary (a nationally certified STEM campus)
Dennis H. Brent Elementary
Hackberry Elementary
Jerry R. Walker Middle School
Lakeview Elementary
Little Elm High School
Lowell H. Strike Middle School
Oak Point Elementary

The Frisco Independent School District also has two elementary schools in the town that serve Little Elm's residents: Coy Miller Elementary School and Robertson Elementary School.

Little Elm has two Montessori schools: Robin’s Nest Montessori School and The Montessori Learning House Bilingual School.

The nearest college is the University of North Texas, a university with about 40,000 students offering 113 bachelors, 94 masters and 37 doctoral degree programs. The college is located in Denton, about 13 miles outside Little Elm.

Photo credit: Steve Rainwater/Flickr

Quality of Life in Little Elm

In Little Elm, there are 66 miles of shoreline and Cottonwood Creek Marina, which won the 2019 Marina of the Year award, and rents out boats and other water toys.

Ten sand volleyball courts are lined up along Little Elm's massive public beach. Outfitting companies offer beachgoers the opportunity to rent kayaks and paddleboards.

The town has a connected trail system that allows access to Little Elm Park, Cottonwood Creek Marina, the Wood Family Dog Park and Splash Pad.

City Parks:

Beard Park
Cottonwood Park
Little Elm Park
McCord Park
Union Park

Park Amenities:

Full-size pavilion for parties
18-hole disc golf course
Wakeboarding cable park
Softball and baseball fields
Playgrounds
Bark park
Picnic areas
Splash pad
Pickleball courts
Ninja fitness stations
Rubber walking track
Fishing pond
Food truck park

In Little Elm, most errands require a car, and there is minimal bike infrastructure. The cost of living is about 14% higher than the national average.

Shopping, Dining and Entertainment in Little Elm

The town's lakefront district features an up-and-coming entertainment and dining zone by the lake.

The Cove Waterpark is an indoor, 42,000-square-foot year-round attraction featuring slides, a double surf machine and a lazy river.

An entertainment venue called Tinman Social features a full-service kitchen and bar with games like bowling, bocce ball, ping pong, shuffleboard and cornhole.

New restaurants are popping up in Little Elm regularly. There are currently Mexican, Hawaiian-Tex-Mex fusion, pizza, barbeque and seafood restaurants.

There are not many shopping opportunities in the community besides grocery stores. The closest mall is the Stonebriar Centre near Frisco, about 10 miles from Little Elm.

Other Notable Facts About Little Elm

Steve Harvey and his wife Marjorie once chose Little Elm as their home base, living in a large estate near Lewisville Lake.
The FBI named Little Elm the safest city in Texas in 2011.

The city's official website is LittleElm.org.

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