Courtesy of Houdini Abtahi.
- In 2023, Houdini Abtahi moved to Celina, Texas, which is America’s fastest-growing city.
- Celina is attracting movers with its relatively lower cost of living and tight-knit community vibe.
- Abtahi, 49, said Celina is more affordable and wholesome than Dallas or nearby Frisco.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Houdini Abtah, a 49-year-old IT consultant who moved to Celina, Texas, from the larger city of Frisco in 2023. Celina’s population surged 26.6% from July 2022 to July 2023, making it the fastest-growing city in the US , according to recent Census data. The population as of 2023 was 43,317. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.
I’m a Texas native.
In 2010, I moved to Frisco , a suburb of Dallas. Back then, there were only 100,000 people living in the city. By 2023, the population had grown to almost 250,000 — it was crazy.
Frisco is the home of the Dallas Cowboys practice facility, so it has a lot of entertainment and family attractions. The Dallas Stars hockey team’s practice facility is also there, as well as baseball and soccer teams.