College Station, Texas facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids College Station, Texas
City
College Station is the home of Texas A&M University.
Location in the state of Texas
College Station, Texas Location in Texas Show map of Texas College Station, Texas Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Brazos
Incorporated	October 19, 1938
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• City	51.30 sq mi (132.87 km²)
• Land	51.16 sq mi (132.50 km²)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.37 km²)
Elevation	289 ft (88 m)
Population (2020)
• City	120,511
• Density	2,349.14/sq mi (906.98/km²)
• Urban	206,137 (US: 184th)
• Metro	268,248 (US: 186th)
GDP
• Metro	$18.181 billion (2022)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	77840-77845
Area code(s)	979
FIPS code	48-15976
GNIS feature ID	2410193

College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. It is located in East-Central Texas. The city is about 83 miles (134 km) northwest of Houston. It is also 87 miles (140 km) east-northeast of Austin.

In 2020, College Station had a population of 120,511 people. College Station and Bryan together form the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area. This area is the 15th largest in Texas. It had 268,248 people in 2020.

College Station is famous for being home to Texas A&M University. This is a very important university in the Texas A&M University System. The city got its name because the university was built along a railroad line. Texas A&M is known for its research. It works on projects funded by groups like NASA and the National Science Foundation.

History of College Station

College Station started in 1860. This was when the Houston and Texas Central Railway began building tracks through the area. In 1871, this spot was chosen for the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. This school opened in 1876. It was the first public college in Texas. Later, in 1963, it was renamed Texas A&M University.

The city grew slowly at first. By 1884, about 350 people lived there. By 1900, there were 391 residents. Transportation improved over time. In 1900, another railroad line reached College Station. Electric streetcar service started in 1910. This connected Texas A&M with nearby Bryan. City buses replaced the streetcars in the 1920s.

College Station officially became a city on October 19, 1938. People voted 217 to 39 for this change. John H. Binney became the first mayor. By 1940, the population had grown to 2,184. The city continued to grow after World War II. The number of non-students living there increased a lot. By 2000, the population was 67,890.

In the 1990s, College Station gained national attention. The George Bush Presidential Library opened in 1997. Another sad event happened in 1999. The Aggie Bonfire collapsed during construction. This was a difficult time for the community. In 2022, College Station became one of the first places to get Amazon's drone delivery service. This service is called Prime Air.

Geography and Climate

College Station is located in the southern part of Brazos County. It is next to the city of Bryan. The city covers about 51.3 square miles (132.87 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a small part is water.

Weather in College Station

College Station has a humid subtropical climate. This means winters are mild. Low temperatures usually do not last long. Summers are hot and humid. Sometimes there are showers and thunderstorms. Snow and ice are rare in the city. For example, it snowed a few inches on February 15, 2021.

Average yearly rainfall: 39 inches (1000 mm)
Average height above sea level: 367 feet (112 meters)
Average temperature: 69.0°F (20.6°C)

City Districts

College Station has several unique areas. Each district offers different things for people to do.

Northgate District

Northgate is a lively area near Texas A&M University. It has many businesses, restaurants, and places for fun. Texas A&M students often visit and work in Northgate. The district covers about 145 acres (0.59 square kilometers). It is home to the famous Dixie Chicken.

Northgate started growing in the 1930s. More students and families came to Texas A&M. Businesses opened close to the campus. The first City Hall was in Northgate. In 1994, efforts began to improve the area. A music festival, "North By Northgate," started in 1998. It is now called the "Northgate Music Festival." Many famous musicians have played here.

Wolf Pen Creek District

View of the Lofts at Wolf Pen Creek in College Station

The Wolf Pen Creek District is a large shopping and entertainment area. It is next to Post Oak Mall. This district has walking trails and a nice green space. There is also an amphitheater for concerts. A small lake and the Spirit Ice Arena are here too. The Arts Council of the Brazos Valley is also located in this district.

Wellborn District

Wellborn began as a construction camp in 1867. This was for the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. The name might come from a well or a person named Wellborn. A post office opened there in 1867. In 2011, the City Council of College Station voted to add Wellborn to the city. Locals pronounce Wellborn as 'Well-burn'.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1940	2,184	—
1950	7,925	262.9%
1960	11,396	43.8%
1970	17,676	55.1%
1980	37,272	110.9%
1990	52,456	40.7%
2000	67,890	29.4%
2010	93,857	38.2%
2020	120,511	28.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

As of the 2020 United States census, College Station had 120,511 people. There were 41,682 households living in the city. About 20,487 families also lived there.

In 2000, the city had 67,890 people. About 21% of households had children under 18. Many people living in College Station are young adults. This is because of the large university. The median age in 2000 was 22 years old.

Income and Poverty

In 2020, the average household income in College Station was about $52,397. Some reports show a higher poverty rate in College Station. This is often because many college students live in the city. Students may have lower incomes while they are studying. The U.S. Census Bureau notes that large universities can make a city's poverty rate seem higher.

Business and Economy

College Station has a strong economy. The local unemployment rate is usually low. This is mainly because Texas A&M University provides many jobs.

Major Employers

Many people in College Station work for these large organizations:

Texas A&M University System – education – 16,248 employees
Bryan Independent School District – education – 1,952 employees
St. Joseph Regional Health Center – health services – 1,590 employees
Sanderson Farms – poultry processing – 1,539 employees
College Station Independent School District – education – 1,400 employees
Reynolds and Reynolds/Rentsys – computer software – 959 employees
City of Bryan – government – 889 employees
City of College Station – government – 865 employees
Walmart – retail – 650 employees
Ply Gem – windows – 611 employees
H-E-B Grocery – retail – 590 employees

Post Oak Mall

Post Oak Mall was the first mall in College Station. It is the largest mall in the Brazos Valley. The mall opened on February 17, 1982. It has 125 stores. The mall helped the city's economy grow a lot. It is a major taxpayer in College Station.

Sports Facilities

College Station has many great sports venues.

Football: Kyle Field (seats over 102,000 people)
Basketball/Volleyball: Reed Arena (largest crowd: 13,657)
Baseball: Olsen Field (largest crowd: 11,052)
Soccer: Ellis Field (largest crowd: 8,204)
Track and field: Anderson Track and Field Complex (seats 3,500)
Tennis: George P. Mitchell Tennis Center (largest crowd: 2,339)
Softball: Davis Diamond (largest crowd: 2,455)
Hockey: Spirit Ice Arena (seats 500)
Golf: Texas A&M Traditions Club
Golf: City Course at Phillips Event Center
Bowling: Grand Station Entertainment (can hold over 800 people)

Media and News

College Station has its own TV and radio stations. It also has several newspapers and magazines.

Television Stations

KBTX-TV (CBS, CW, Telemundo)
KYLE-TV (MyNetworkTV, Fox)
KAGS-LD (NBC)
KRHD-CD (ABC)
KAMU (PBS), owned by Texas A&M University.

Radio Stations

KAMU-FM 90.9 (NPR)
KEOS 89.1 (Community Radio)
KAGG 96.1 (Country music)

Area Newspapers

The Bryan-College Station Eagle (city newspaper)
The Battalion (Texas A&M University newspaper)
La Voz Hispana (Spanish weekly newspaper)
Maroon Weekly (student-run newspaper)

Area Magazines

12th Man Magazine
Aggieland Illustrated
Insite Magazine
Brazos Valley Bride
Brazos Family
Hola Brazos Valley (Spanish magazine)

Education in College Station

Local Colleges and Universities

Texas A&M University
Texas A&M Health Science Center
Blinn College also has a campus nearby in Bryan.

Local School Districts

A&M Consolidated High School

Most of College Station is part of the College Station Independent School District. This district has two high schools: A&M Consolidated High School and College Station High School. A small part of the city is in the Bryan Independent School District. Students in that area go to Stephen F. Austin Middle School and Bryan High School.

Transportation

Public Transit

The Brazos Transit District offers bus service in the area.
Texas A&M provides bus transportation for students and staff.
Starline Travel offers weekend bus service to Houston.
Groundshuttle provides daily shuttles to Houston airports.
FlixBus offers service to Fort Worth and Houston.

Major Roads

State Highway 6: Earl Rudder Freeway
State Highway 6 Business: Texas Avenue
State Highway 30: Harvey Road
State Highway 40: William D. Fitch Parkway
State Highway 47: Riverside Parkway
Farm to Market Road 60: University Drive
Farm to Market Road 2154: Wellborn Road
Farm to Market Road 2347: George Bush Drive
Farm to Market Road 2818: Harvey Mitchell Parkway

Airport

Easterwood Airport

Easterwood Airport is located near College Station. It is owned by Texas A&M. The airport has flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Notable People

Many interesting people have lived in College Station.

George Bass, a famous archaeologist. He is called the "Father of Underwater archaeology".
Norman Borlaug, a Nobel Prize winner. He helped feed many people around the world.
Alex Caruso, a professional NBA basketball player.
Robert Gates, a former Texas A&M president and former Secretary of Defense.
Lyle Lovett, a well-known singer-songwriter.
Robert Earl Keen, another famous singer-songwriter.
David M. Lee, a physics professor and Nobel Prize winner.
Rico Rodriguez, an actor from the TV show Modern Family.
Thomas Sadoski, an award-winning actor.
Brek Shea, a soccer player for FC Dallas.
Bjarne Stroustrup, a computer scientist who created C++.
Tiffany Thornton, an actress from Disney Channel.
Christine Wormuth, currently the United States Secretary of the Army.

Places to Visit

George Bush Presidential Library, a museum about President George H.W. Bush.
The Day the Wall Came Down, a sculpture from 1997.
D. A. "Andy" Anderson Arboretum, a place with many trees and plants.
Museum of the American GI, a museum about soldiers.
Santa's Wonderland, a Christmas attraction.
Bonfire Memorial, a place to remember a past event.
Peach Creek Vineyards.
Disaster City, a training site for emergency responders.
The Gardens at Texas A&M University.

Images for kids

The official logo of College Station.