By Rodney Hays

Editor

Prosper seems to be moving up the charts faster than a Lady Gaga song. In the latest edition of D Magazine, Prosper is listed on the magazine's Top 10 Best Dallas Suburbs.

After coming in at No. 11 last year, the town moves up six spots to No. 5 this year.

The first five suburbs, according the magazine, are Parker, Highland Village, Colleyville and Southlake.

Highland Park, University Park, Flower Mound, Murphy and Allen round out the top 10 suburbs.

Prosper Mayor Ray Smith said he thinks it's fantastic to be listed as No. 5. He said it was the consistency of the council "in holding the open space requirement."

"I think that's important along with the school district. They have turned a lot of heads with the new school," Smith said.

Smith said the town gets feedback from local real estate agents that the open space and the school districts are the main reasons people move to Prosper.

There are about six to eight new families that move to Prosper each week.

About 30 new housing permits were issued last month, which is incredible in a down economy, Smith said.

Smith moved to Prosper in January 2005.

He said it was open space that brought him north from Frisco.

"We have 5.8 acres. My wife loves horses. We have a couple of horses," he said. "We have neighbors but they are far apart from each other. That was the appeal for us."

The current population for Prosper is listed at 9,350, which is an 11.7% growth since 1990, the article stated.

The average home sales price in 2009: $328,452. The median age of residents is 32.5. Families with kids under 18 make up about 50.3% of Prosper. The median household income is $64,063

The article agreed with smith.

"Residents move here primarily for the schools and the wide-open spaces. These are people who like to work in the yard and grow gardens. They don't mind seeing their neighbor's house from their porch, but they'd rather not.

"Parents like it. The town doesn't have much (you'll always see someone you know at Palio's Pizza Cafe and Ernesto's Mexican Restaurant), but residents seem content to drive to Frisco for more varied dining and shopping.

The article also spoke about the 2008 Prosper Eagles football team, which broke a 25-year losing streak to Celina on the way to a state championship. The Eagles also beat the Bobcats in 2009.

"People talk about it like the birth of their first child," the article said.

Of course, the article also mentioned one of the main reasons Prosper is on the map: Deion Sanders' house, which is on the market for $21 million.

Top-rated Parker is also remember for its big landmark known as Southfork Ranch, which was the home to the television's Ewings for several years.

Not everyone is excited about Prosper's growth, however.

"The best thing about Prosper used to be that it was a three-rut town -- that is, all the dirt roads, which was most of them, had only three ruts so when two cars approached, you both had to move out if the grooves to go by," said Maggie Croxville.

Those days are mostly over, Croxville said. "Now we live in Plano by way of Frisco."

Neighboring Frisco and Plano also made D Magazine's list. Plano finished at No. 18 while Frisco, which surpassed the 100,000 resident mark last year, finished at No. 19.

Finishing at the bottom of the suburb list was Balch Springs, Seagoville, Hutchins, Wilmer and Cockrell Hill at No's. 58 through 62.

The complete list is on the magazine's website at www.dmagazine.com.