Allen, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Allen, Texas
City
SDCX steam locomotive next to Allen Heritage Center
Flag
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Collin
Founded	1870
Incorporated	1953
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	26.48 sq mi (68.58 km2)
• Land	26.40 sq mi (68.38 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2)
Elevation	656 ft (200 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	104,627
• Estimate  (2022)	111,551
• Rank	US: 274th TX: 36th
• Density	4,220/sq mi (1,631/km2)
Time zone	UTC–6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	75002, 75013
Area code(s)	214, 469, 972, and 945
FIPS code	48-01924
GNIS feature ID	2409684

Allen is a city in Collin County, Texas. It's a northern suburb of Dallas, part of the big Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. In 2020, about 104,627 people lived here. By 2022, the number grew to an estimated 111,551. Allen is about 20 miles (32 km) north of downtown Dallas.

History of Allen, Texas

The Allen Water Station was built for the railroad in 1874.

Long ago, the Allen area was home to Native American groups like the Caddo and Comanche. People from the United States and Europe started moving here in the early 1840s.

The town of Allen was officially started in 1872 by the Houston and Texas Central Railway. It was named after Ebenezer Allen, a Texas politician who helped build railroads. The railroad made it easier to sell crops across the country. This changed farming from mostly cattle to more crops.

In 1878, a famous outlaw named Sam Bass and his group robbed a train in Allen. This is known as Texas's first train robbery.

From 1908 to 1948, Allen was a stop on an "interurban" train line. This line connected Denison to Dallas. Allen was a small town with only a few hundred people when it became an official city in 1953. Since then, it has grown a lot. This growth happened because of new roads like U.S. Route 75 and the building of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Also, nearby cities like Dallas and Plano grew, which helped Allen grow too.

Geography and Climate in Allen

Allen covers about 26.48 square miles (68.58 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Allen's Climate

Allen has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has long, hot summers and cool winters. Sometimes, tornadoes can happen. In 2008, a tornado caused damage to about 50 homes. Another tornado touched down in 2019.

People of Allen (Demographics)

Map of racial distribution in Allen, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person: ⬤ White ⬤ Black ⬤ Asian ⬤ Hispanic ⬤ Multiracial ⬤ Native American/Other

The population of Allen has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, there were 104,627 people living in the city. There were about 35,491 households.

Many households in Allen have children. In 2010, over half of the households had children under 18. Most families were married couples living together. The average household had about three people.

Most adults in Allen have finished high school. Many also have a college degree. The average household income in 2019 was $107,602. The median age of people in Allen was about 35.8 years.

Allen's Economy

In 1992, the people of Allen decided to create the Allen Economic Development Corporation. This group helps bring new businesses and jobs to the city. It gets money from a small part of the sales tax.

Top Employers in Allen

Here are some of the biggest employers in Allen, based on a 2023 report:

Several companies have their main offices in Allen. These include MonkeySports, CVE Technology, PFSweb, WatchGuard Video, PINSTACK, Boss Fight Entertainment, Brass Roots Technologies, Cytracom, No Magic, and Credit Union of Texas.

Allen also has a large convention center called the Watters Creek Convention Center. It has a 7,500-seat arena, the Credit Union of Texas Event Center. This arena is used for sports and other events. There are also three big shopping areas: Allen Premium Outlets, Watters Creek, and The Village at Allen. These places bring many visitors to Allen.

Parks and Recreation in Allen

Allen has many places for fun and exercise. There are three main recreation centers: Joe Farmer Recreation Center, Stephen G. Terrell Recreation Center, and Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium. The Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium has a big indoor water park with swimming lanes and a rock-climbing wall. The Stephen G. Terrell Recreation Center, opened in 2024, offers many fitness and fun activities.

Other places to visit include the Allen Community Ice Rink, Ford Pool, and The Courses at Watters Creek (a golf course). Allen also has The Edge Skate Park and Visitor Center, which is one of the largest skate parks in Texas.

The city has over 60 parks, covering more than 1,188 acres. Some popular parks are Allen Station Park, Bethany Lakes Park, and Celebration Park.

Every year, Allen hosts the Allen USA Celebration. This big event happens on the last Saturday of June, usually before July 4th. It features food trucks, music concerts, a car show, bounce houses, and a huge fireworks display. It's one of the biggest events in Texas, drawing about 100,000 people each year.

Sports in Allen

An Allen Americans hockey game at CUTX Event Center.

In 2004, the city bought Chase Oaks Golf Club, which is now called The Courses at Watters Creek. It's a public golf course, and Allen residents get discounts.

The Credit Union of Texas Event Center opened in 2009. It's a 7,500-seat arena that hosts several sports teams. It's home to the ECHL's Allen Americans hockey team, the North Texas Bulls of the National Arena League, and the Dallas Sidekicks soccer team.

Education in Allen

Allen has good schools and colleges.

Colleges in Allen

Collin College has a campus inside Allen High School. This campus mainly helps high school students earn college credits early. A separate Collin College Technical Campus opened in 2020. This large facility in west Allen helps more than 7,000 students learn job skills.

Public Schools in Allen

Allen High School

Allen High School's Eagle Stadium.

The Allen Independent School District (Allen ISD) serves most of Allen. It has 18 elementary schools, three middle schools, and one freshman center (Lowery Freshman Center). There is also an alternative education center and Allen High School.

Allen ISD also has a large 111,000-square-foot STEAM center. This center helps students learn about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

Small parts of Allen are served by other school districts like Lovejoy, McKinney, and Plano ISDs.

Eagle Stadium is a huge football stadium that opened in 2012. It cost $60 million and can seat 18,000 people. Allen High School offers advanced classes like AP and IB courses to challenge students.

Public Libraries in Allen

Allen has one main library, the Allen Public Library, located in Downtown Allen. In 2019, the library had over 147,000 books. More than 400,000 people visited the library that year.

Transportation in Allen

Allen is connected by several major roads and highways. U.S. Highway 75 goes right through Allen, and Texas State Highway 121 is on its western border. Other important roads include Stacy Road, Exchange Parkway, and Main Street. Because Allen is growing so fast, traffic can sometimes be heavy.

As of 2023, Allen does not have a public bus or train system like Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). DART's train lines do not reach Allen. To join DART, Allen would need to use 1% of its sales tax for DART membership. However, Allen already uses its sales tax for other important city services, like the Allen Economic Development Corporation.

The main airports for Allen residents and visitors are Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport. Both are about 30 miles northeast of Allen.

Notable People from Allen

See Also

In Spanish: Allen (Texas) para niños