DFW Chinatown, Richardson
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Richardson is a city in
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
and Collin counties in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. As of the 2020 United States census, the city had a total population of 119,469. Richardson is an
inner suburb An inner suburb is a suburban community central to a large city, or at the inner city and central business district. The urban density is usually lower than the inner city or central business district, but higher than that of the city's ruralâ ...
of the city of
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
. It is home to the
University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD or UT Dallas) is a public research university in Richardson, Texas, United States. It is the northernmost institution of the University of Texas System. It was initially founded in 1961 as a private res ...
and the
Telecom Corridor The Telecom Corridor is a technology business center in Richardson, Texas, a northern suburb of Dallas, which contains over 25 million square feet (2.3 million square meters) of office space and accounts for over 130,000 jobs. Located in the D ...
, with a high concentration of telecommunications companies. More than 5,000 businesses have operations within Richardson's , including many of the world's largest telecommunications and networking companies, such as
AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...
,
Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...
,
Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. (using the trademark Cisco) is an American multinational corporation, multinational digital communications technology conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, m ...
,
Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...
,
ZTE ZTE Corporation is a Chinese partially state-owned technology company that specializes in telecommunication. Founded in 1985, ZTE is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. ZTE's core business is wireless, exchange, opti ...
,
MetroPCS Metro by T-Mobile, formerly known as MetroPCS, and simply known as Metro, is an American prepaid mobile phone, prepaid Wireless, wireless service provider and brand owned by T-Mobile US. It previously operated the fifth largest mobile telecommun ...
,
Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American multinational semiconductor company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is one of the top 10 semiconductor companies worldwide based on sales volume. The company's focus is on developing analog ...
,
Qorvo Qorvo, Inc. is an American multinational company specializing in products for wireless, wired, and power markets. The company was created by the merger of TriQuint Semiconductor and RF Micro Devices, which was announced in 2014 and completed ...
, and Fujitsu. Richardson's largest employment base is provided by the insurance industry, with
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is a member-owned health insurance company in the United States. HCSC was formerly known as ''Hospital Service Corporation'' and changed its name to ''Health Care Service Cor ...
's headquarters, a regional hub for the insurance company
GEICO The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO ) is an American vehicle insurance company headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland. In addition to auto insurance, GEICO provides motorcycle, ATV, RV, boat, snowmobile, travel, pet, event, hom ...
, regional offices for
United Healthcare UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is an American multinational for-profit company specializing in health insurance and health care services based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Selling insurance products under UnitedHealthcare, and health care serv ...
, and one of
State Farm Insurance State Farm Insurance is a group of mutual insurance companies throughout the United States with corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1922, it is the largest property, casualty and auto insurance provider in the United ...
's three national regional hubs located in the community.


History

Emigrants from
Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
and
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
settled near present-day Richardson in the 1840s. Before the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, a small settlement called Breckenridge, located near present-day
Richland College Dallas College Richland Campus (often stylized as Richland or RLC) is a public community college in Dallas, Texas. The school was founded in 1972 and is part of Dallas College. It is the largest campus in the college, featuring about 20,000 st ...
, was established. In 1873, the
Houston and Texas Central Railway The Houston and Texas Central Railway (H&TC) was an 872-mile (1403-km) railway system chartered in Texas in 1848, with construction beginning in 1856. The line eventually stretched from Houston northward to Dallas and Denison, Texas, with branch ...
built a depot northwest of Breckenridge. After the H.&T.C. purchased acreage for a townsite from two local land-owners, the site was surveyed and laid out in blocks and lots, which the railroad began selling in 1874. The town was named after the secretary of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, Alfred S. Richardson. In 1908, the
Texas Electric Railway The Texas Electric Railway was a historic interurban railroad that operated from Dallas, Texas, to Denison, Corsicana, and Waco. It began operation in 1908 and through the merger of several companies became the largest interurban railway operat ...
, an
electric railway Railway electrification is the use of electric power for the propulsion of rail transport. Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), electric multiple units ( passenger cars with their own ...
known as the Interurban, connected Richardson to Denison,
Waco Waco ( ) is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a U.S. census estimated 2024 population of 146,608, making i ...
,
Corsicana Corsicana is a city in and the county seat of Navarro County, Texas, United States. It is located on Interstate 45, 50 miles southeast of Dallas. Its population was 25,109 at the 2020 census. Corsicana is considered an important agribusiness ce ...
and
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
. In 1910 the population was approximately 600. A red brick schoolhouse was built in 1914 and is now the administrative office for the Richardson Independent School District. In 1924 the Red Brick Road, the present-day Greenville Avenue, was completed. The completion of the road brought increased traffic, population and property values. The town incorporated and elected a mayor in 1925. In 1940 the population was approximately 740. After World War II the city experienced major increases in population, which stood at approximately 1,300 by 1950. Throughout the 1950s the city continued to see growth including the opening of the
Collins Radio Rockwell Collins, Inc. was a multinational corporation headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, providing avionics and information technology systems and services to government agencies and aircraft manufacturers. It was formed when the Collins Radio ...
Richardson office, Central Expressway, a police department, shopping centers, and many homes.
Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American multinational semiconductor company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is one of the top 10 semiconductor companies worldwide based on sales volume. The company's focus is on developing analog ...
opened its offices in Dallas on the southern border of Richardson in 1956. This was followed by significant gains in land values, population, and economic status. In the 1960s Richardson experienced additional growth including several new parks, facilities, and the creation of the
University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD or UT Dallas) is a public research university in Richardson, Texas, United States. It is the northernmost institution of the University of Texas System. It was initially founded in 1961 as a private res ...
within the city limits. By 1972 the population was approximately 56,000. Residential growth continued through the 1970s and slowed in the 1980s. Commercial development increased throughout the 1980s. Richardson had a population of 74,840 according to the 1990 census. Population increases throughout the 1990s were primarily from development of the northeast part of the city. The city of
Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of ...
, after being completely surrounded by Richardson, was annexed into the city in 1996. Richardson had a population of 91,802 as of the 2000 census. By 2002 Richardson had four
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is a transit agency serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex of Texas. It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and twelve of its suburbs. In , the system had a r ...
(DART)
light rail Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...
stations and had built the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations and the adjacent Galatyn Park urban center, which has a 2-acre public pedestrian plaza, a luxury hotel, and mixed-use development. Richardson was a "dry city" with no alcohol sales until November 2006, when the local option election passed to allow the sale of beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores. In the fall of 2008 Peter Perfect, a
Style Network Esquire Network was an American pay television network that was a 50/50 joint venture between NBCUniversal and the Hearst Corporation. Launched on October 1, 1998 as Style Network, a spin-off of E!, the channel initially consisted of fashion, ...
television show, came to Richardson. The business-makeover show remodeled SpiritWear, an apparel and embroidery store in the city's historic downtown area. The episode first aired on January 22, 2009. It was the first episode of the series to be filmed outside of
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.


Geography

The cities of
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, Plano and
Garland A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times ...
constitute almost all of the Richardson border apart from the municipality's extreme northeastern "panhandle." Richardson borders the
Lake Highlands Lake Highlands is a neighborhood constituting most of Northeast Dallas. The neighborhood is a collection of dozens of subdivisions served by Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD public schools, as well as an array of private schools. Geography Overvie ...
area of northeast
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
to the south,
North Dallas North Dallas is an area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas (United States). The phrase "North Dallas" is also sometimes used to include any suburb or exurb north of Dallas proper within the metropolitan area. The majority ...
to the southwest,
Far North Dallas Far North Dallas is the section of the city of Dallas, Texas which extends north of the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway. Far North Dallas is part of North Dallas but is viewed as a distinct area. The area has strong social, economic, and political t ...
to the west, West Plano to the northwest, East Plano to the north, the city of
Murphy Murphy is an Irish surname meaning "Sea Warrior". Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ă“ Murchadha"/"Ă“ Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac Murchaidh"/" Mac Murchadh" (son of "Murchadh") derived ...
to the northeast, Sachse to the east, and
Garland A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times ...
to the southeast. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.32%, is water. Approximately two-thirds of the city is in Dallas County, with the northern third of the city in
Collin County Collin County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States cens ...
. Of the contained within the borders of the city of Richardson, lie in Dallas County; the other are in Collin County.


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Richardson has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 119,469 people, 44,136 households, and 29,113 families residing in the city. As of the 2015 American Community Survey, there were 106,123 people, 40,020 households, and 27,327 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,213.9 people per square mile (1,241.1/km2). There were 36,530 housing units at an average density of 1,278.9 per square mile (493.8/km2). There were 40,020 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15. In the city, 21.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.5% was from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. In the 2015 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates males had a median income of $60,709 versus $50,404 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,551. About 5.7% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over. According to a 2015 estimate, the
median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of unde ...
for a family in Richardson was $72,427 and a median home price of $198,900.


Race and ethnicity

By 1990, 10% of the Richardson population was not born in the United States, which increased to 18.1% by 2000. According to the 2015 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates, this figure was 24.3%. As of 2015, of those not born in the United States, almost 50% had arrived in the United States after 2000. Dallas County has an estimated 275,000 Arab Americans, many of whom have settled in Richardson. Many of them have come from Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Yemen, Morocco, etc. The DFW Chinatown is located in Richardson, in part because of the large Asian population.Light, Nanette.
Three decades later, Dallas Chinese Community Center still heart of Asian culture
(). ''
The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...
''. February 21, 2014. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.
Esther Wu, a former editor of the ''
Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...
'', stated that Chinese immigration began in Richardson in 1975. Since then the Chinese community has expanded to the north.Brenner, Leslie.
Best in DFW: Chinese restaurants
(). ''
The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...
''. March 9, 2011. Updated February 10, 2013. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.
In the mid-1980s the majority of ethnic Chinese K–12 students in the DFW area resided in Richardson.Kripke, Pamela Gwyn.
Why 30,000 Chinese People Call Plano Home
(). ''
D Magazine ''D Magazine'' is a monthly magazine covering Dallas–Fort Worth. It is headquartered in Downtown Dallas. ''D Magazine'' covers a range of topics including politics, business, food, fashion and lifestyle in the city of Dallas. The first issue ...
''. June 2012. Retrieved on September 27, 2014.
By 2012
North Texas North Texas is a term used primarily by residents of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex to refer to a geographic area of Texas, generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, Texas, Abilene, west of Paris, Texas, Par ...
had over 60 Chinese cultural organizations and most of them were headquartered in Richardson and Plano. The Dallas Chinese Community Center (DCCC; ) is in the D-FW Chinatown. It includes
English as a second language English as a second or foreign language refers to the use of English by individuals whose native language is different, commonly among students learning to speak and write English. Variably known as English as a foreign language (EFL), Engli ...
(ESL) classes and 20,000 books written in
Simplified Chinese Simplification, Simplify, or Simplified may refer to: Mathematics Simplification is the process of replacing a mathematical expression by an equivalent one that is simpler (usually shorter), according to a well-founded ordering. Examples include: ...
; the center imported some books from People's Republic of Mainland China. As of 2011 the Chinese restaurants catering to ethnic Chinese in DFW are mainly in Richardson and Plano. The
University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD or UT Dallas) is a public research university in Richardson, Texas, United States. It is the northernmost institution of the University of Texas System. It was initially founded in 1961 as a private res ...
in Richardson, as of 2012, has almost 1,000 Chinese students. The university has a program to recruit students of Chinese origin. Richardson's Indian immigrant community has been primarily driven by the international telecommunications industry that is so prevalent in the community. The Indian Association of North Texas headquarters are in Richardson.Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. ''Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America'' (James A. Johnson metro series).
Brookings Institution Press The Brookings Institution, often stylized as Brookings, is an American think tank that conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics (and tax policy), metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, global econ ...
, 2009. , 9780815779285. Start p
53
CITED:
56
Indo-Pak grocery store is located in an Indian-oriented strip shopping center east of Central Expressway.Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. ''Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America'' (James A. Johnson metro series).
Brookings Institution Press The Brookings Institution, often stylized as Brookings, is an American think tank that conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics (and tax policy), metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, global econ ...
, 2009. , 9780815779285. Start p
53
CITED: p
64
Of the suburbs in the DFW area, Richardson had one of the earliest Indian settlements. Richardson is home to a large community of
Vietnamese Americans Vietnamese Americans () are Americans of Vietnamese people, Vietnamese ancestry. They constitute a major part of all overseas Vietnamese. As of 2023, over 2.3 million people of Vietnamese descent live in the United States, making them the fourth ...
and even has a significant amount of Vietnamese-catering retail stores, malls, markets, and plazas, especially near U.S. 75, such as the Hong Kong Market, the Cali Saigon Shopping Mall, etc.


Economy

Despite declining economies in other parts of the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, from 2005 to 2009 Richardson had substantial increases in its economy. The city's total assessed property value went up from $8.3 billion in 2005 to $14 billion in 2017. Sales tax collection went up from $21 million in 2005 to an estimated $32.9 million in 2017. Since 2008, both
Standard & Poor's S&P Global Ratings (previously Standard & Poor's and informally known as S&P) is an American credit rating agency (CRA) and a division of S&P Global that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks, bonds, and commodities. S&P is co ...
and
Moody's Moody's Ratings, previously and still legally known as Moody's Investors Service and often referred to as Moody's, is the bond credit rating business of Moody's Corporation, representing the company's traditional line of business and its histo ...
have upgraded Richardson's credit rating to "AAA" from the previous rating of "AA+". At the time, Richardson was one of only four cities in the state of Texas and one of 88 cities in the nation with an "AAA" rating from Standard & Poor's. In 2015, the
North Central Texas Council of Governments The North Central Texas Council of Governments or NCTCOG is a voluntary association of governments in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. As of 2023 its ranks currently include 16 counties, 169 cities, towns, and villages, 19 school districts, and ...
(NCTCOG) determined Richardson's daytime population to be 156,065 based on American Community Survey information. The economy remains rooted in the telecommunication industry. However, Richardson's property tax base is deep and extends beyond its telecommunication roots to include other sectors including insurance, health care, technology and finance. The tax base is diverse with the 10 leading taxpayers accounting for 16.17% of total assessed value. On March 1, 2014, the Richardson Fire Department officially received its Class 1 ISO rating. The
Insurance Services Office Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), a subsidiary of Verisk Analytics, is a provider of statistical, actuarial, underwriting, and claims information and analytics; compliance and fraud identification tools; policy language; information abou ...
(ISO) is "a leading supplier of statistical, underwriting and actuarial information for the property/casualty insurance industry", and its rating is used to measure the quality and effectiveness of fire protection in a community. At the time, Richardson was one of only 56 municipalities in the country to achieve this highest rating, which tends to reduce property/casualty insurance premiums.


Corporate headquarters

Metro by T-Mobile Metro by T-Mobile, formerly known as MetroPCS, and simply known as Metro, is an American prepaid wireless service provider and brand owned by T-Mobile US. It previously operated the fifth largest mobile telecommunications network in the United ...
,
Fossil Group Fossil Group, Inc., is an American fashion design and manufacturer founded in 1984 by Tom Kartsotis and based in Richardson, Texas. Their brands include Fossil, Relic, Michele Watch, Skagen Denmark, WSI, and Zodiac Watches. Fossil also makes ...
,
Lennox International Lennox International Inc. is an American provider of climate control products for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration markets. Based in Richardson, Texas, the company is 9.8% owned by John W. Norris, III, a des ...
, Vent-A-Hood,
id Software id Software LLC () is an American video game developer based in Richardson, Texas. It was founded on February 1, 1991, by four members of the computer company Softdisk: game programmer, programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer T ...
, VCE, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas,
RealPage RealPage, Inc. is an American software company specialized in property management software for algorithmic rent setting. It is owned by the private equity firm Thoma Bravo. Its services are used to manage more than 24 million housing units world ...
, Fujitsu Network Communications (U.S. Headquarters) and Samsung Mobile have their corporate headquarters in Richardson.


Major employers

According to the Richardson Economic Development Partnership's listing on Major Employers (last updated May 2018), the top employers in the city were:


Arts and culture

The Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts is located in Richardson. It serves as the primary venue for the
Richardson Symphony Orchestra The Richardson Symphony Orchestra (RSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Richardson, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts. History The orchestra was founded in 1961. Maestro Clay ...
and the
Plano Symphony Orchestra The Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Plano, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Robinson Fine Arts Center. It offers a subscription series that combines the music of traditional classical and pops ser ...
.


Government

Richardson was originally incorporated in 1925, with the first Charter being adopted in 1956 and the latest revision made in November 2015. The community is a home rule city and has operated under the council–manager form of government since 1956. Richardson voters simultaneously elect six Council members and a mayor to represent them every two years. The Council members representing the four districts (1 to 4) must live in each district respectively; however, the mayor and the remaining two districts (5 and 6) can live in any part of the city. All Council members and the mayor are elected at large, with four Council members representing each of the city's four districts. The City Council is elected for two-year terms on a nonpartisan basis. The Charter requires that the City Council appoint a city manager to act as the chief administrative and executive officer. The city manager is not appointed for a fixed time and may be removed at the will and pleasure of the majority of the City Council. One of the responsibilities of the city manager is to appoint and remove department heads and conduct the general affairs of the municipal government in accordance with the policies of the City Council. The City provides to its citizens a full range of services including police and fire protection, emergency ambulance service, water and sewer service, solid waste disposal, park and recreational activities, cultural events, and a library. In addition, the City provides planning for future land use, traffic control, building inspection, and community services and operates two 18-hole golf courses. The City also operates the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations, which is a multi-venue performing arts and presentation center. The City of Richardson is a voluntary member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.


Politics


Education


Colleges and universities

The
University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD or UT Dallas) is a public research university in Richardson, Texas, United States. It is the northernmost institution of the University of Texas System. It was initially founded in 1961 as a private res ...
, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of Knowledge production modes, knowledge production", along with "intergenerational ...
in the
University of Texas System The University of Texas System (UT System) is a public university system in the U.S. state of Texas. It includes nine universities and five independent health institutions. The UT System is headquartered in Downtown Austin. It is the large ...
. Despite its name the UT Dallas main campus, consisting of approximately , is within the Richardson city limits at 800 West Campbell Road. The campus is sited with Campbell Road on the south, Floyd Road on the east, Waterview on the west, and Synergy Park Boulevard on the north. The university owns an additional in Richardson, adjacent to the campus, between Synergy Park Boulevard and the
President George Bush Turnpike The President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) is a controlled-access toll road running through the northern, northeastern and western suburbs, forming a partial beltway around Dallas, Texas, United States. It is named for the late George H. W. Bush ...
. The UTD Student Services building, completed in 2010, is the first academic structure in Texas to be rated a
LEED Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, constructio ...
facility by the
United States Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), founded in 1993, is a private 501(c)(3), membership-based non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction, and operation. USGBC is best known for its development of t ...
. During 2016, construction was completed on the Student Services Building addition. New projects include an Alumni Center, a Brain Performance Institute and an engineering building as well as additional housing options. These enhancements are part of a campus renovation that has included hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in new and upgraded buildings since 2009. For the fall 2016 semester, UT Dallas had a total of 26,793 enrolled students.
Dallas College Dallas College is a public community college with seven campuses in Dallas County, Texas. It serves more than 70,000 students annually in degree-granting, continuing education, and adult education programs. Dallas College offers associate degr ...
(formerly Dallas County Community College District or DCCCD) serves areas in Dallas County.Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.176. DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. The service area of the Dallas County Community College District includes the territory within: and Sec. 130.175. COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. The service area of the Collin County Community College District includes the territory within:
Richland College Dallas College Richland Campus (often stylized as Richland or RLC) is a public community college in Dallas, Texas. The school was founded in 1972 and is part of Dallas College. It is the largest campus in the college, featuring about 20,000 st ...
of Dallas College is in Dallas on the Richardson border. It is the largest school in the DCCCD, featuring nearly 20,000 students. In 2005, Richland became the first community college to receive the
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes U.S. organizations in the business, health care, education, and nonprofit sectors for performance excellence. The Baldrige Award is the highest formal recognition of the performance excellen ...
. Residents within
Collin County Collin County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States cens ...
are in the zone of
Collin College Collin College is a Public college, public community college district in Texas. Established in 1985, the district has grown as the county has grown from around 5,000 students in 1986 to more than 60,000 credit and noncredit students. Formerl ...
.


Primary and secondary schools


Public schools

The city is served by the
Richardson Independent School District Richardson Independent School District (RISD or Richardson ISD) is an independent school district in northern Dallas County, Texas, based in Richardson. The district serves the Dallas County portions of Richardson; the Lake Highlands, Northw ...
(RISD) within the Dallas County portion of the city, and the
Plano Independent School District Plano Independent School District (PISD or Plano ISD) is an independent school district in southwestern Collin County, Texas, Collin County, Texas, United States, based in Plano, Texas, Plano. PISD is the 18th largest school district in Texas a ...
(PISD) within the
Collin County Collin County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States cens ...
portion of the city. Despite that name, however, most of the Richardson Independent School District lies outside of the municipal boundaries of Richardson: 60 percent of RISD is in Dallas, with 35 percent in Richardson and 5 percent in Garland. The RISD and PISD have many Blue Ribbon Schools. The
Blue Ribbon Schools Program The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
is a United States government program created to honor schools. The Blue Ribbon award is considered to be the highest honor that an American school can achieve. Zoned RISD high schools in Richardson include
Richardson High School Richardson High School (RHS) is a magnet high school in Richardson, Texas, United States with approximately 2,770 students and a student/teacher ratio of approximately 15:1 in the 20182019 school year. It is the oldest high school in the Richa ...
, Lloyd V. Berkner High School, and J.J. Pearce High School. The Christa McAuliffe Learning Center is also in Richardson.
Lake Highlands High School Lake Highlands High School (LHHS) is a secondary school serving grades 9–12 in the Lake Highlands area of northeastern Dallas, Texas, United States, primarily serving the Lake Highlands community. The school is part of the Richardson Independe ...
is part of the Richardson Independent School District but is located in
Lake Highlands Lake Highlands is a neighborhood constituting most of Northeast Dallas. The neighborhood is a collection of dozens of subdivisions served by Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD public schools, as well as an array of private schools. Geography Overvie ...
, an area in Dallas just south of Richardson. Sections of Richardson in the
Plano Independent School District Plano Independent School District (PISD or Plano ISD) is an independent school district in southwestern Collin County, Texas, Collin County, Texas, United States, based in Plano, Texas, Plano. PISD is the 18th largest school district in Texas a ...
are served by several schools. Aldridge, Haggar, Miller, Schell, and Stinson elementary schools are within Richardson and serve Collin County portions of Richardson.Plano Senior HS Feeder Schools
." ''
Plano Independent School District Plano Independent School District (PISD or Plano ISD) is an independent school district in southwestern Collin County, Texas, Collin County, Texas, United States, based in Plano, Texas, Plano. PISD is the 18th largest school district in Texas a ...
''. Retrieved on February 8, 2009.
A section of Collin County Richardson is zoned to Mendenhall Elementary School in Plano.Plano East Senior HS Feeder Schools
." ''
Plano Independent School District Plano Independent School District (PISD or Plano ISD) is an independent school district in southwestern Collin County, Texas, Collin County, Texas, United States, based in Plano, Texas, Plano. PISD is the 18th largest school district in Texas a ...
''. Retrieved on February 8, 2009.
Otto, Frankford and Wilson middle schools in Plano and Murphy Middle School in
Murphy Murphy is an Irish surname meaning "Sea Warrior". Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ă“ Murchadha"/"Ă“ Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac Murchaidh"/" Mac Murchadh" (son of "Murchadh") derived ...
serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Vines High School and T.H. Williams High School, 9–10 schools in Plano, serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson, along with McMillen High School in Murphy. Plano Senior High School and Plano East Senior High School also serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson.


Private schools

The
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas The Diocese of Dallas () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in North Texas in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The diocese was founded on July 15, 1890. The mother ...
operates two K–8 schools, St. Joseph School and St. Paul the Apostle School in Richardson. Other private schools include Canyon Creek Christian Academy (K–12), North Dallas Adventist Academy (K–12),
IANT Quranic Academy IANT Quranic Academy (IQA) is an Islamic private school in Richardson, Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to ...
(K–12), The Alexander School (8–12), Dallas North Montessori School (ages 3–9), and Salam Academy (K–12).


Charter schools

Four charter schools operate within the City of Richardson. These include the Evolution Academy Charter School (9–12), Premier High School of Richardson (6–12), Vista Academy of Richardson (K–12), and the Winfree Academy Charter School (Richardson) (9–12).


Public libraries

The Richardson Public Library is located at 900 Civic Center Drive at the southwest corner of
U.S. Route 75 U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway that runs in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is located at the Canadian border near Noyes, Minnesota, at a now-closed border crossing. From this point, the highway ...
(North Central Expressway) and Arapaho Road. The roots of the Richardson Public Library date back to 1947 when a branch of the Dallas County Library was established in a section of the Cash Dry Goods store on East Main Street in downtown Richardson. The fledgling library collection numbered about 400 volumes and was managed by Jessie Durham the store's proprietor. The City Council established the library as a city department in 1958 and in 1959 the library moved into a newly constructed building at 310 Tyler Street. This new library was just under in size and was built at a cost of $100,000.Library History
Richardson was experiencing rapid growth in the 1960s and 1970s, and the library facility soon became inadequate for community needs. The current facility was constructed at a cost of $2 million and opened December 1, 1970. The new , four-story building opened with the use of two floors and a small portion of a third. The basement was finished in 1980 for the reference collection and services. In 1995 the library underwent another expansion which finished the upper floor and renovated the three previously opened floors. Another renovation occurred in 2006 when the Youth Services department was expanded. In 2008 the library set a new record for the number of items circulated in a fiscal year when the 1 millionth item was checked out in the fall of 2008. The building has undergone building renovations and technological improvements in recent years that have enhanced the library experience for patrons. Since 2014, the digital library has expanded to include movies, music and magazines as well as books and
audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sch ...
s. In 2015, the Richardson Library established a "makerspace" that initially included a 3-D printer, designated computers with creative applications and software, and kits for the early exploration of electronics. The Texas Municipal League recognized the library with its "Achievement of Excellence in Libraries" award every year from 2004 to 2017.


Transportation

Richardson and the region benefit from the location of two major highways in the city. The
President George Bush Turnpike The President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) is a controlled-access toll road running through the northern, northeastern and western suburbs, forming a partial beltway around Dallas, Texas, United States. It is named for the late George H. W. Bush ...
, running east–west along the northern border of the city, provides a convenient connection to the
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas region, in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest hub for American Airlines, which is headquartere ...
, as well as links to IH 35E, IH 30, IH20, SH 114, and Texas State Highway 183, SH 183 west of the city as well as a second link to Interstate 30, IH30 east of the city. Richardson also benefits from the
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is a transit agency serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex of Texas. It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and twelve of its suburbs. In , the system had a r ...
(DART) Light Rail line which parallels U.S. Route 75, U.S. 75 and has four stations in the city. In October 2016, DART approved the future construction of the Silver Line (DART), Silver Line commuter rail with the adoption of its 20-Year Financial Plan. Service on the Cotton Belt is projected to commence in 2025. The Cotton Belt line will run from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, DFW Airport to the eastern side of Plano, with Richardson stations located at The
University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD or UT Dallas) is a public research university in Richardson, Texas, United States. It is the northernmost institution of the University of Texas System. It was initially founded in 1961 as a private res ...
and CityLine. The Cotton Belt rail line will also connect to Trinity Metro's TEXRail, TEXRail line, which connects downtown Fort Worth, Texas, Fort Worth to the DFW Airport. In order to take full advantage of these transportation assets for development and redevelopment purposes, the City has implemented three Tax increment financing, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts. TIF District #1 was established in November 2006, encompassing both sides of the U.S. 75 corridor from Campbell Road south to Spring Valley Road, and then extending west from U.S. 75 along Spring Valley Road to Coit Road. TIF District #2, established in November 2011, is bounded by
President George Bush Turnpike The President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) is a controlled-access toll road running through the northern, northeastern and western suburbs, forming a partial beltway around Dallas, Texas, United States. It is named for the late George H. W. Bush ...
on the north, Wyndham Lane on the east, Renner Road on the south, and the DART light rail line on the west. TIF District #3, established in November 2011, is bounded by President George Bush Turnpike on the north, the DART light rail line on the east, Renner Road on the South and has its western boundary between Alma Road and U.S. 75. Dallas County participates financially in TIF District #1 and Collin County participates financially in TIF District #2 and TIF District #3.


Central Trail

The southern Central Trail extension opened in June 2014 and the northern extension opened in 2015. The new hike and bike trail segments mean that the central spine to Richardson's trail network will run from city limit to city limit, eventually connecting to trails throughout the region.


Bike lanes

In July 2015, Richardson was named a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Richardson has a long-range plan to provide bicycle facilities and to designate preferred bicycle routes on lower-volume, lower-speed roadways. There are now more than 15 miles of bike lanes in Richardson.


Major highways

* Interstate 635 (Texas), Interstate 635 – (Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway) * U.S. Route 75 in Texas, U.S. Highway 75 – (Central Expressway (Dallas), North Central Expressway) * State Highway 190 (Texas), State Highway 190 – (
President George Bush Turnpike The President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) is a controlled-access toll road running through the northern, northeastern and western suburbs, forming a partial beltway around Dallas, Texas, United States. It is named for the late George H. W. Bush ...
) (''toll'')


Light rail

*Dallas Area Rapid Transit, DART: and Orange Line (DART), Orange Line **Spring Valley station (DART), Spring Valley **Arapaho Center station, Arapaho Center **Galatyn Park station, Galatyn Park **CityLine/Bush station, CityLine/Bush


Notable people


Arts

* Pegah Anvarian, fashion designer * Steve Benson (cartoonist), Steve Benson, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist * Tracy Hutson, stylist, ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' * Joyce Yu-Jean Lee, artist * Faris McReynolds, artist


Actors

* Jensen Ackles, Actor/musician * Nicole Bilderback, actress * Catherine Crier, television personality * Bill Engvall, actor and comedian * Deborah Foreman, actress * Caleb Landry Jones, actor/musician * Jaren Lewison, actor * Jake McDorman, actor * Kin Shriner, actor * Nick Stahl, actor * Barry Watson (actor), Barry Watson, actor, ''7th Heaven (TV series), 7th Heaven''


Businesspeople

* Ghassan Elashi, co-founder of InfoCom Corporation * Bette Nesmith Graham, inventor of Liquid Paper and mother of Michael Nesmith


Entertainers

* Ryan Cabrera, entertainer * Jeff Dunham, ventriloquist and stand-up comedian * Jay Johnson (ventriloquist), Jay Johnson, ventriloquist * Gordon Keith (radio host), Gordon Keith, radio personality * Wil Shriner, humorist * Ashlee Simpson, entertainer * Jessica Simpson, entertainer


Filmmakers

* Jeremy Coon, film producer * David Gordon Green * Mike Judge, creator of ''King of the Hill'' and ''Beavis and Butt-Head''


Music

* John Gary, RCA recording artist- vocalist * Bubba Hernandez, Grammy Award winning Bassist * Todd P, New York City-based indie rock concert promoter * Frank Ticheli, composer, Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Southern California


Politicians

* Angie Chen Button, state representative from District 112 in Dallas County * Tony Goolsby, politician * Patti Ruff, Iowa politician * Charles E. Turner (politician), Charles E. Turner, former mayor of
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
* Scott Turner (politician), Scott Turner, Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, Texas representative, and National Football League player


Sports

* Jeff Agoos, soccer player * Lance Armstrong (born 1971), former cyclist * Justin Che, soccer player * Keenan Evans (born 1996), basketball player in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the Euroleague * Nolan Fontana, baseball player * Chris Jacke, NFL kicker * Eddie Jackson (American football, born 1980), Eddie Jackson, NFL defensive back * Justin Leonard, professional golfer * Liam McNeeley, basketball player * Shawn Michaels, WWE wrestler * Lee Nguyen, soccer player * Carla Overbeck, founding member, Women's United Soccer Association * Matt Stover, NFL kicker * Everson Walls, NFL defensive back * Chris Wilson (American football coach), Chris Wilson, American football coach


Writers

* Rogers Cadenhead, author * Deborah Crombie, mystery writer * Gjekë Marinaj, Albanian-American poet * Anne Rice, author * John Maddox Roberts, science fiction author * Brian Torrey Scott, writer


Others

* T. J. Cloutier, professional poker player * Richardson High School#Jeremy Wade Delle suicide, Jeremy Wade Delle, student and subject of Pearl Jam's "Jeremy (song), Jeremy" * Vernon Howell (a.k.a. David Koresh) * Joe S. Lawrie, U.S. Army major general * Marina Oswald Porter, wife of Lee Harvey Oswald at the time of the John F. Kennedy assassination, Kennedy Assassination


Bibliography

* Braithwaite, Barbara (editor). ''A History Of Richardson''. Richardson, Texas: Richardson Centennial Corporation, 1973. * Gillespie, Gwyn. ''Historic Richardson: An Illustrated History''. San Antonio, Texas: Historical Publishing Network, 2002. * Harris, Janet (editor). ''And The Telling Takes Us Back: An Oral History of Richardson''. Richardson, Texas: University of Texas at Dallas Center for Continuing Education, c1984-85. (Note: Part 1 consists of 21 interviews with representatives of families who settled in and helped in the development of the city. It covers the time period of early settlement to 1940. Part 2 begins with 1940 and continues to 1985.)


See also

*Dallas Repertory Company Theater


Notes


References


External links


City of Richardson official website
*
Historic images from the Richardson Public Library, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
{{authority control Richardson, Texas, Cities in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Cities in Collin County, Texas Cities in Dallas County, Texas Cities in Texas Populated places established in 1873 1873 establishments in Texas