Collin County, Texas

Collin County, Texas
Seal
Location in the state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	1846
Seat	McKinney
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	886 sq mi (2,295 km²) 848 sq mi (2,196 km²) 38 sq mi (98 km²), 4.32%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	782,341 992.6/sq mi (383/km²)
Website	www.co.collin.tx.us

Collin County is a suburban county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county has been experiencing extensive growth in recent years. As of the 2010 census, its population was 782,341. Its seat is McKinney. The county and its seat are both named in honor of Collin McKinney, one of the five men who drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence and the oldest of the 59 men who signed it.

Collin County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. A small portion of the city of Dallas is located in the county. Other important cities in the county include Allen, Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Richardson, Wylie, and Murphy.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 886 square miles (2,294.7 km²), of which 848 square miles (2,196.3 km²) is land and 38 square miles (98.4 km²) (4.32%) is water.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 75 U.S. Highway 380 Dallas North Tollway President George Bush Turnpike

State Highway 5 State Highway 78 State Highway 289 ‎ State Highway 121 - Sam Rayburn Tollway

Adjacent counties

• Grayson County (north)
• Fannin County (northeast)
• Hunt County (east)
• Rockwall County (southeast)
• Dallas County (south)
• Denton County (west)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	1,950		—
1860	9,264		375.1%
1870	14,013		51.3%
1880	25,983		85.4%
1890	36,736		41.4%
1900	50,087		36.3%
1910	49,021		−2.1%
1920	49,609		1.2%
1930	46,180		−6.9%
1940	47,190		2.2%
1950	41,692		−11.7%
1960	41,247		−1.1%
1970	66,920		62.2%
1980	144,576		116.0%
1990	264,036		82.6%
2000	491,675		86.2%
2010	782,341		59.1%
U.S. Decennial Census Texas Almanac: 1850-2010

As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile (224/km²). There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile (89/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.39% White, 4.79% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 6.92% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.26% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races. 10.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to U.S. Census figures released in 2006, the racial makeup of the county was as follows: 77.21% White, 7.26% African American, 10.02% Asian, 0.45% Native American, 5.06% of other or mixed race. 12.8% Hispanic of any race.

There were 181,970 households out of which 40.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.10% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.70% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 37.90% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 5.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 99.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $70,835, and the median income for a family was $81,856 (these figures had risen to $77,671 and $91,881 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $57,392 versus $36,604 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,345. About 3.30% of families and 4.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.10% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over. Based on median household income, as of 2006, Collin County is the second richest county in Texas after Fort Bend, and is considered one of the wealthiest counties in the United States.

However, Collin - like other Texas counties - has one of the nation's highest property tax rates. In 2007, it was #21 for property taxes as percentage of the homes value on owner occupied housing. It also ranked ranked in the Top 100 for amount of property taxes paid and for percentage of taxes of income. Part of this is due to the Robin Hood plan school financing system in Texas.

Politics

Presidential Election Results

Year	GOP	DEM	Others
2008	62.2% 184,897	36.7% 109,047	1.2% 3,513
2004	71.2% 174,435	28.1% 68,935	0.7% 1,784
2000	73.1% 128,179	24.4% 42,884	2.7% 4,357
1996	63.0% 83,750	28.5% 37,854	8.5% 11,321
1992	47.0% 60,514	19.0% 24,508	34.0% 43,811
1988	74.3% 67,776	25.1% 22,934	0.6% 520
1984	81.6% 61,095	18.2% 13,604	0.2% 139
1980	67.9% 36,559	28.2% 15,187	3.9% 2,115
1976	60.0% 21,608	39.0% 14,039	1.0% 353
1972	78.0% 17,667	21.1% 4,783	0.8% 187
1968	39.9% 6,494	36.4% 5,918	23.7% 3,850
1964	29.8% 3,341	70.0% 7,833	0.2% 19
1960	42.2% 3,865	57.1% 5,229	0.7% 64

Collin County is a Republican stronghold in presidential and congressional elections. The last Democrat to win the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964. As the northern Dallas suburbs spilled into Collin County in the late 1960s and early 1970s its politics immediately swung to the Republican Party.

In the House of Representatives, the southwestern part of Collin County is represented in Texas's 3rd congressional district and the rest of the county is represented in the Texas's 4th congressional district. Both districts are held by Republicans, the 3rd by Sam Johnson, and the 4th by Ralph Hall, who only recently switched to the Republican Party.

Cities and towns

Allen Anna Blue Ridge Carrollton† Celina† Copeville Unincorporated Dallas†† Fairview

Farmersville Frisco† Garland† Josephine† Lavon Lowry Crossing Lucas McKinney

Melissa Murphy Nevada New Hope Parker Plano†(Largest city) Princeton Prosper†

Richardson† Royse City† Sachse† St. Paul Van Alstyne† Westminster Unincorporated Weston Wylie††

† City extends into one adjacent county.
†† City extends into two or more adjacent counties.

Education

The following school districts lie entirely within Collin County:

• Allen Independent School District
• Anna Independent School District
• Farmersville Independent School District
• Lovejoy Independent School District
• McKinney Independent School District
• Melissa Independent School District
• Plano Independent School District
• Princeton Independent School District
• Wylie Independent School District

while only parts of the following districts lie within the county:

• Bland Independent School District (very small part only)
• Blue Ridge Independent School District
• Celina Independent School District
• Community Independent School District
• Frisco Independent School District
• Leonard Independent School District (very small part only)
• Prosper Independent School District
• Royse City Independent School District
• Trenton Independent School District (very small part only)
• Van Alstyne Independent School District (very small part only)
• Whitewright Independent School District (very small part only)

Colleges and Universities

The Central Campus of Collin College which opened in January 1986 is located in McKinney. Dallas Baptist University also has an extension site in Frisco, DBU Frisco.

Lakes

• Lake Lavon

Parks

Collin County Parks and Open Spaces

• Bratonia Park
• Myers Park
• Parkhill Prairie
• Sister Grove Park
• Trinity Trail

See also

• List of museums in North Texas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Collin County, Texas

External links

• Collin County government's website
• 1846 Plat of Buckner the first county seat of Collin County, from the Collin County Historical Society, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
• Life in Collin County
• Collin County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of Texas
• Collin Chronicles hosted by the Portal to Texas History
• Texas State Election History
• Collin County, Texas at the Open Directory Project