A suburb of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, McKinney is about 32 miles (51 km) north of Dallas.

Humidity makes temperatures feel higher, and winters are mild and are usually rainy; snowstorms occasionally occur.

Spring is the wettest part of the year, which brings winds from the Gulf Coast.

[23] In May 2017, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that McKinney was the third fastest-growing city in the United States.

Unlike most of the American South, McKinney relied on the production of corn and wheat instead of cotton.

[27] This was due to the lack of railroads and general poor infrastructure in Collin County before the 1870s.

[28] According to the city's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[29] the top 10 employers in the city are: The city hosts several large events throughout the year, many of which cover several blocks of historic downtown, to include: The McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is housed in the historic Collin County courthouse in the square in historic downtown and was built in 1875 and remodeled in 1927.

[36] The MPAC has seating for 427 and regularly hosts live entertainment such as off-Broadway theater, comedy shows, and concerts, and is also the centerpiece for most large events, festivals, and other attractions that take place downtown.

[37] Located in the historic 1911 McKinney Post Office in McKinney historic downtown, the Collin County History Museum has free admission several days a week and displays an extensive history of the Collin County area.

The park has designated overnight campsites and picnic pavilions as well as 10 miles of mountain bike trails maintained by the Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association.

[42] The McKinney Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning in the historic Chestnut Square Heritage Village and in 2023 it was named the #1 Farmers Market in the Southwest United States by the American Farmland Trust.

[48] The city of McKinney is a voluntary member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.

Frazier was indicted in June 2022 on two charges of impersonating a public servant, a felony offense.

[49] At the federal level, Texas's U.S. senators are John Cornyn and Ted Cruz.

The McKinney Police Department is the primary municipal law enforcement agency that serves the city.

[50] Notable recent incidents in the department's history include the high-profile investigation of the McKinney homicide that claimed the lives of two adults and two high school football players;[53] a 2010 attack on the police department headquarters by a gunman who fired over 100 rifle rounds at the building and employees after attempting to detonate a truck and trailer full of explosives;[54] and protests and media attention after a video was released of the 2015 Texas pool party incident.

[60] Imagine International Academy of North Texas is a no-tuition open-enrollment public charter school for grades K–12 in McKinney.

MUTD offers transit services to elderly, disabled, or low-income residents of McKinney, as well as Celina, Lowry Crossing, Melissa, Princeton, and Prosper.

[66] In 2022, this was replaced by a curb-to-curb service (operated in association with Dallas Area Rapid Transit) that charges a fixed per-ride fare.

[68][69] In January 2025, city officials approved a $72 million project to build a commercial airline terminal on the east side of the airport.

[71] McKinney is the southern terminus of a branch line of the Dallas, Garland and Northeastern Railroad that originates in Sherman.

[72] As of 2024, the rail line is used for freight haulage only; no scheduled passenger service is offered.