McKinney, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids McKinney, Texas
City
Historic Downtown McKinney
Motto(s):  "Unique by nature"
Location of McKinney in Collin County, Texas
McKinney, Texas Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Collin
Incorporated	1848
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• City	67.70 sq mi (175.35 km2)
• Land	66.96 sq mi (173.43 km2)
• Water	0.74 sq mi (1.91 km2)
Elevation	577 ft (176 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	195,308
• Estimate  (2022)	207,507
• Density	2,974.43/sq mi (1,148.44/km2)
• Urban	504,803 (US: 83rd)
• Urban density	3,328.9/sq mi (1,285.3/km2)
Demonym(s)	McKinnian
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	75069-75072
Area code(s)	214, 469, 945, 972
FIPS code	48-45744
GNIS feature ID	2411064

McKinney is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. It is the main city of Collin County. McKinney is the third-largest city in Collin County. It is located north of Dallas and is part of the big Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area.

McKinney has grown very quickly. From 2010 to 2019, it was the fourth fastest-growing large city in the United States. In 2020, about 195,308 people lived there. By July 2022, the population was estimated to be 207,507. This makes McKinney the 15th most populated city in Texas.

History of McKinney

McKinney started on March 24, 1849. A man named William Davis gave 120 acres of his land for the town to be built. Ten years later, McKinney officially became a city.

The Old Collin County Courthouse in Courthouse Square, 2016

For its first 125 years, McKinney was the main business center for the county. Farmers used its mills for flour, corn, and cotton. The city also had banks, churches, schools, and newspapers. Over time, more businesses opened, like a textile mill and an ice company. The population grew from 35 people in 1848 to 4,714 in 1912. By 1953, McKinney had over 10,000 people and 355 businesses. It remained an important farming business center until the late 1960s.

By 1970, another city called Plano became larger than McKinney. McKinney still grew, but more slowly. In 1970, it had 15,193 people, and by 1990, it had 21,283. Many people living in McKinney started working in Plano and Dallas. Since then, McKinney's growth has been much faster. In 2000, the population was 54,369. By 2010, it had more than doubled to 131,117 residents.

Both the city and Collin County are named after Collin McKinney. He was an important person who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. He also helped create counties in the northern part of Texas.

Geography and Climate

McKinney is located in an area called the humid subtropical region. This means it has hot summers and mild winters.

• July is usually the warmest month.
• The highest temperature ever recorded was 118°F (48°C) in 1936.
• January is usually the coolest month.
• The lowest temperature ever recorded was -7°F (-22°C) in 1930.
• May gets the most rain on average.

McKinney is also part of the Texas blackland prairies. Summers are hot because it's in the Sun Belt. High humidity makes the heat feel even stronger. Winters are usually rainy, but sometimes it snows. Spring is the wettest time of year, bringing winds from the Gulf Coast.

Population and People

In 2010, McKinney had 131,117 people. By 2020, this number grew to 195,308. McKinney is a very diverse city. Many different cultures and backgrounds make up its population.

In 2019, most households (almost 60%) were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.88 people. In 2019, the average income for a household in McKinney was $89,828.

Economy and Jobs

McKinney has many different types of businesses and jobs. Here are the top 10 employers in the city:

Culture and Fun

McKinney hosts many exciting events throughout the year. Most of these take place in the historic downtown area.

Events in McKinney

• Krewe of Barkus: This is a fun pre-Mardi Gras festival for dogs and their owners. It includes a parade, costumes, and awards.
• Arts in Bloom: An arts festival held downtown with local and visiting artists. You can also find local wineries and food.
• Texas Music Revolution: In June, the downtown area closes for two days of concerts. Over 90 country performers play on many stages.
• Red White and Boom Parade & Fireworks Festival: A parade is held downtown on July 4th. A big fireworks show and festival happen in western McKinney.
• Oktoberfest: In late September, a German-themed festival takes place downtown. It has German food, beer, live music, and games.
• Home for the Holidays: The weekend after Thanksgiving, the downtown area celebrates Christmas. There's Santa, a tree lighting, games, and shopping.

Arts and Entertainment

The McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is in the historic Collin County courthouse. It was built in 1875. The MPAC has 427 seats and hosts live shows. These include theater, comedy, and concerts. It's also a main spot for downtown festivals.

Museums to Explore

• Collin County History Museum: Located in a historic building downtown, this museum shows the history of Collin County. Admission is free on certain days.
• Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary: This is a large wildlife sanctuary with a museum. The museum has exhibits on natural history, fossils, and live animals. The sanctuary has 6.5 miles of trails. It is home to many animals and plants.
• Collin County Farm Museum: This museum is located at the Myers Park & Event Center. It shows what life was like for early settlers and the history of farming in the area.

Nature and Parks

• Erwin Park: A city park with 212 acres in northern McKinney. It has campsites, picnic areas, and 10 miles of mountain bike trails.
• McKinney Farmers Market: Held every Saturday morning at Chestnut Square Heritage Village. In 2023, it was named the #1 Farmers Market in the Southwest United States!

Libraries for Learning

McKinney has two main libraries: the Roy & Helen Hall Memorial Library and the John & Judy Gay Library. Together, they lent out 1.6 million items in 2022.

Sports in McKinney

McKinney has hosted the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament since 2020. It takes place at the TPC Craig Ranch golf course.

The McKinney Independent School District has a large football stadium with 12,000 seats. It hosts the college Division II National Championship game.

Education in McKinney

McKinney offers many great schools for students of all ages.

Colleges and Higher Education

• Collin College - Central Park Campus: This campus opened in 1985 and is near the center of McKinney.
• Collin Higher Education Center: Opened in 2010, this campus offers special bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. It works with other Texas universities.

Public School Districts

About two-thirds of McKinney students attend schools in the McKinney Independent School District. The rest attend schools in other nearby districts. These include Frisco Independent School District, Prosper Independent School District, Allen Independent School District, Melissa Independent School District, Lovejoy Independent School District, and Celina Independent School District.

Many of these school districts are highly ranked. In 2023, six of the seven districts serving McKinney were in the top 5% of school districts in America.

Public High Schools

McKinney Boyd High School

Students in McKinney ISD attend McKinney High School, McKinney North High School, and McKinney Boyd High School. Students in other districts attend high schools like Emerson High School (Frisco ISD), Heritage High School (Frisco ISD), Independence High School (Frisco ISD), Rock Hill High School (Prosper ISD), Walnut Grove High School (Prosper ISD), Allen High School, Melissa High School, Lovejoy High School, or Celina High School.

In 2023–2024, many McKinney high schools were ranked among the best nationwide. Lovejoy High School, Independence High School, and Heritage High School were all in the top 1,000.

Public Charter Schools

Imagine International Academy of North Texas is a public charter school in McKinney. It is free to attend and serves students from kindergarten to 12th grade. It is open to students from any school district that serves McKinney.

Private Schools

McKinney has two private schools for all grades (K–12): McKinney Christian Academy and Cornerstone Christian Academy.

Transportation and Travel

McKinney is served by two major U.S. Highways: US 75 and US 380. The Sam Rayburn Tollway also borders the city. This toll road goes to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Public Transit

McKinney has a transit service called Collin County Transit. It helps older people, people with disabilities, or low-income residents get around. It offers rides to any place within Collin County.

Major Roads

• US 75
• US 380
• SH 5
• SH 121 (Sam Rayburn Tollway)

Airports

• McKinney National Airport: Located in southeast McKinney, this airport handles many flights each day. It has a long runway and a large air center for passengers and flight crews.
• Aero Country Airport: This is a smaller, privately owned airport on the west side of McKinney. It is mainly used for recreational flights and single-engine planes.

Notable People from McKinney

Many interesting people have come from McKinney, including:

• Len Akin, a professional football player
• Dillon Anderson, who was the 2nd National Security Advisor
• Averie Bishop, a businessperson and social media star who was Miss Texas 2022
• Mike Bolsinger, a professional baseball pitcher
• Larry Brantley, an actor and comedian known for voicing Wishbone
• Hollie Cavanagh, a singer who placed fourth on American Idol
• Chad Haga, a professional road racing cyclist
• Ronald Jones II, a professional football player
• Tom Kite, a professional golfer
• Brittany Lang, a professional golfer and 2016 U.S. Women's Open champion
• Zach Lee, a professional baseball player
• Anthony Lynn, a former head coach for the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers
• Lee Nguyen, a professional soccer player
• Alex Puccio, a professional climber and bouldering champion
• Johnny Quinn, an Olympic athlete
• Jason Ralph, an actor
• Guinn Smith, a gold medalist in pole vault at the 1948 Summer Olympics
• Andy Timmons, a professional guitarist

Images for kids

• 

  Historic Downtown McKinney

• 

  Location of McKinney in Collin County, Texas

See also

In Spanish: McKinney (Texas) para niños