Red Oak, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red Oak, Texas
City
Location in the state of Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Ellis
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	15.38 sq mi (39.82 km2)
• Land	15.37 sq mi (39.81 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	604 ft (184 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,222
• Density	924.7/sq mi (357.16/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (Central)
ZIP code	75154
Area code(s)	214, 469, 945, 972
FIPS code	48-61196
GNIS feature ID	2411530

Red Oak is a city located in Ellis County, Texas, United States. It is part of the larger Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area. In 2010, about 10,769 people lived there. By 2020, the population grew to 14,222. Experts believe the city will continue to grow a lot in the future.

History of Red Oak

One of the first people to settle in this area was James E. Patton and his family. They arrived in 1844. Their settlement was near what is now called Ovilla, Texas.

Before it was named Red Oak in 1849, the area was known as Possum Trot. This name came from the many possums that lived there.

A railroad, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, started being built near Red Oak in 1884. It was finished by 1890. This railroad made it easier for people to travel to bigger cities like Dallas and Waco.

In 1949, Red Oak officially became an incorporated town in Ellis County. This means it got its own local government. More recently, in 2023, a big technology company announced plans to build a large data center in Red Oak.

Geography and Location

A water tower in Glenn Heights, near Red Oak.

Red Oak is located at the northern edge of Ellis County. It is surrounded by several other cities. These include Glenn Heights to the northwest and Lancaster to the north. To the east is Ferris, and to the south is Waxahachie.

The city is about 18 miles south of downtown Dallas. You can get there easily using Interstate 35E, which has two exits in Red Oak.

Red Oak covers an area of about 38.8 square kilometers (about 15 square miles). Almost all of this area is land.

Red Oak's Climate

The weather in Red Oak has hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

Population and People

As of 2020, Red Oak had 14,222 people living in the city. There were about 4,098 households. A household means all the people living in one home.

The people living in Red Oak come from many different backgrounds. In 2020, about 38.2% of the people were White (not Hispanic). About 31.51% were Black or African American (not Hispanic). People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 24.74% of the population. There were also smaller groups of Asian, Native American, and multiracial people.

Education in Red Oak

Red Oak Intermediate School in 2010.

Most of the students in Red Oak go to schools in the Red Oak Independent School District. This district has several elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.

• Shields Elementary
• Eastridge Elementary
• Red Oak Elementary
• Wooden Elementary
• Russell P Schupmann Elementary
• Red Oak Middle School
• Red Oak High School

Some parts of the city are also served by the Waxahachie Independent School District and the Ferris Independent School District.

There is also a public charter school called Life School. It has a campus in Red Oak that teaches students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

For older students, Texas State Technical College has a campus in Red Oak.

Getting Around Red Oak

Major Roads

The main highway that goes through Red Oak is Interstate 35E/U.S. Route 77. This road helps people travel to and from the city.

Air Travel

Red Oak shares ownership of the Ferris Red Oak Muni Heliport with the city of Ferris. This is a place where helicopters can land and take off.

Famous People from Red Oak

Many talented people have connections to Red Oak:

• Demi Burnett – A person who appeared on the TV show The Bachelor.
• Michelle Carter – An athlete who won a gold medal in shot put at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
• Pinky Higgins – A former Major League Baseball player and manager, who was born in Red Oak.
• Sarah Jaffe – A singer and songwriter.
• Louise Ritter – An athlete who won a gold medal in high jump at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
• Nikki Stringfield – A guitarist for the heavy metal band The Iron Maidens.

Where Red Oak Is Located

	Glenn Heights	Lancaster	Lancaster
	Glenn Heights		Ferris
		Red Oak
	Oak Leaf	Waxahachie	Pecan Hill

See also

In Spanish: Red Oak (Texas) para niños