University of Texas at Dallas is approximately 6 miles from The Ellington at 4701 Preston Park Boulevard in Plano. For renters looking for townhome apartments near University of Texas at Dallas, that places the community close enough to keep campus access practical while still living in a different part of North Dallas than the immediate UTD area.
That matters because “near UTD” can mean very different things in practice. A home that looks close on a map may feel less convenient if your routine depends on frequent trips, early classes, late labs, group projects, or split schedules between campus and work. The useful question is not only mileage, but whether the location fits how often you need to be at UTD and what kind of home setup you want when you are off campus.
What living near UTD means from this Plano location
UT Dallas is in Richardson, near the city line with North Dallas and Plano, so a Plano address can still be a sensible choice for students, graduate students, university employees, and households connected to the school. From The Ellington, you are not choosing an on-campus or adjacent-to-campus address. You are choosing a location in Plano with a known, relatively short regional distance to the university.
That distinction is important for expectations. If you want to be able to walk to class, return home between short gaps in your schedule, or rely on being just outside a campus gate, this is the kind of detail to verify carefully on your own map before making a decision. A 6-mile relationship is often workable by car, but it does not mean the same thing as living in the immediate UTD area.
For many renters, the upside of looking slightly beyond the campus edge is getting more home type variety. At The Ellington, townhome-style floor plans are part of the mix, including one-bedroom townhomes and two-bedroom townhomes. That can matter if you want more separation between living and sleeping areas, need a layout that feels less like a single-level apartment, or are sharing space and want a little more division in day-to-day use.
The community’s listed townhome options include one-bedroom layouts around 935 to 985 square feet and two-bedroom townhome layouts ranging from about 1,035 to 1,725 square feet. For a UTD-connected renter, that creates a different decision than simply asking which address is closest. Someone balancing coursework, remote work, research time at home, or shared living arrangements may care as much about layout and usable space as pure distance.
How to judge whether the commute will work for your actual campus routine
The best way to evaluate this location is to test it against your own schedule, not a generic idea of campus access. Check the exact building or destination you use most at UT Dallas, such as your academic department, office, lab, or parking area, because campus destinations can vary a lot once you arrive. A route that seems straightforward to the university as a whole may feel different depending on where on campus you need to be.
You should also compare more than one trip scenario. Look at the route for an early morning arrival, a midday return, and an evening trip after classes or events. If you expect to be on campus five or six days a week, even small differences in traffic pattern or parking routine can shape whether the location feels easy or tiring over time.
If you will drive, confirm both sides of the trip: the route from home to campus and the parking setup you expect to use at UTD. University parking availability, permit rules, and lot assignment can affect your daily routine almost as much as the drive itself. Those details can be verified through UT Dallas transportation and parking information, along with a current map app using your expected arrival times.
If you hope to reduce time spent on campus by working from home part of the week, then the home setup becomes more relevant. Select homes at The Ellington include built-in desks, which may help if you want a defined study or work zone, and townhome split-level design is available in townhome layouts. Because built-in desks are listed for select homes, confirm that feature for any specific apartment before relying on it.
Why a townhome layout may matter more than being immediately next to campus
Many UTD renters are not just choosing a commute, they are choosing how they want to live during intensive school or work periods. A townhome can make a practical difference if you want more separation between quiet time and shared time, especially in a two-person household or a roommate arrangement. That is one reason some renters search beyond the closest possible campus addresses.
At The Ellington, the townhome inventory includes both one-bedroom and two-bedroom options, and some homes offer attached garages. For drivers going back and forth to UT Dallas, garage access can be useful for storage, weather protection, and keeping your car close, but it should be confirmed for the exact home because attached garages are not indicated for every layout. Parking needs are personal, especially if your household has more than one vehicle or keeps campus gear in the car.
Inside the homes, features such as washer and dryer connections, spacious closets, private patios or balconies, and quartz countertops may matter less for a campus search at first glance, but they can affect daily function for a renter with a full schedule. The more often you are balancing classes, office hours, commuting, and home responsibilities, the more helpful it is to understand whether the apartment supports that routine. If a feature is marked for select homes, such as vaulted ceilings, fireplaces, bay windows, exterior storage, or built-in desks, verify it unit by unit.
There is also a reasonable trade-off to acknowledge. Choosing a Plano address about 6 miles from UT Dallas may give you access to townhome-style layouts that are attractive for space and separation, but it does not replace the simplicity of living immediately beside campus. If your top priority is minimizing every trip to UTD, map your likely routes first. If your priority is balancing campus access with a larger or split-level home, The Ellington is worth comparing directly against closer-in options.
A practical next step is to shortlist the specific townhome floor plans that fit your household, then map those against your most common UT Dallas destination and schedule. If the layout side of the decision matters as much as the campus side, ask The Ellington leasing team which townhome homes are available and whether the specific apartment includes any select features you plan to use for study, work, or commuting.