Sunnyvale, Texas Facts for Kids

Sunnyvale is a town located in Dallas County, Texas, in the United States. It's the city farthest to the east that is completely inside Dallas County. In 2020, about 7,893 people lived there. The average household income in Sunnyvale was $137,656 in 2020.

The Story of Sunnyvale
Where is Sunnyvale?
People of Sunnyvale
Learning in Sunnyvale
Fun and Games in Sunnyvale
See also

The Story of Sunnyvale

The land where Sunnyvale is now was once home to different Native American groups. In the 1700s, Spain took control of this area. It was very close to the border between Spanish and French lands. Not many people lived here at that time. However, some settlers did move to Texas and eventually made their homes in what would become Sunnyvale.

From Mexico to Texas

In 1821, the area became part of Mexico when Mexico gained its freedom from Spain. After the Texas Revolution, the land changed hands again. It became part of the Republic of Texas. This is when the town really started to grow. Settlers came and founded a small village they called Long Creek. In 1845, Texas officially became a U.S. state.

Four Villages Become One

As more people arrived, three new small villages appeared nearby: New Hope, Tripp, and Hatterville. New Hope was the busiest of these. It had many shops, a fun fair called Gala Days, and even its own newspaper, the New Hope News. It was a big rival to the nearby town of Mesquite.

But in 1921, a big storm hit and damaged New Hope badly. Many buildings were ruined, and the busy days ended. From 1921 until the 1950s, these four towns didn't grow much.

Sunnyvale is Born

In 1953, the villages of Hatterville, New Hope, Long Creek, and Tripp decided to join together. They chose the name Sunnyvale in a contest held at a local school.

Today, you can still find reminders of Sunnyvale's past. These include the old New Hope School and the Tripp First Baptist Church, which was built way back in 1882. There are also many old houses. The Long Creek Cemetery in southern Sunnyvale is over 150 years old. The first known burial there was in 1855. When the city was formed in 1953, it was decided that only single-family houses could be built, and each house needed at least one acre of land.

Recent Events

On December 26, 2015, a very strong tornado, called an EF-4 tornado, hit Sunnyvale. It caused a lot of damage, especially to the Plantation RV park. The tornado then grew even bigger as it moved into Garland and Rowlett, causing more harm.

Where is Sunnyvale?

Sunnyvale is located at 32°48′13″N 96°34′11″W / 32.80361°N 96.56972°W / 32.80361; -96.56972. It covers a total area of about 16.8 square miles (43.49 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

People of Sunnyvale

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1960	969	—
1970	995	2.7%
1980	1,404	41.1%
1990	2,228	58.7%
2000	2,693	20.9%
2010	5,130	90.5%
2020	7,893	53.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

**Sunnyvale's Population in 2020**
(NH = Not Hispanic or Latino)
Group	Number of People	Percentage
White (NH)	3,897	49.37%
Black or African American (NH)	801	10.15%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	27	0.34%
Asian (NH)	2,012	25.49%
Pacific Islander (NH)	9	0.11%
Other Race (NH)	48	0.61%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	248	3.14%
Hispanic or Latino	851	10.78%
Total	7,893

In 1960, Sunnyvale had only 969 people. By the 2010 census, its population grew to 5,130. In 2020, the number of residents increased even more, by 53.9%, to 7,893 people.

Sunnyvale used to have mostly non-Hispanic white residents. However, the 2020 U.S. census showed that the town is becoming much more diverse. Now, 49.37% of the people are non-Hispanic white. Asian Americans make up 25.49% of the population. Hispanic or Latino people are 10.78%. Black and African Americans are 10.15%. People of mixed races are 3.14%. American Indians and Alaska Natives are 0.34%, and Pacific Islanders are 0.11%.

Learning in Sunnyvale

The Sunnyvale Independent School District serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The building for Sunnyvale High School first opened in 2009.

Before the fall of 2007, Sunnyvale did not have its own high school. Students who lived in Sunnyvale went to high school in the Mesquite Independent School District (MISD). They attended North Mesquite High School.

Sunnyvale also has a public library. You can find it on Tower Place in the northwestern part of the town.

All of Dallas County, including Sunnyvale, is served by Dallas College. This college used to be known as Dallas County Community College.

Fun and Games in Sunnyvale

Sunnyvale is located right next to Lake Ray Hubbard. This lake offers many fun activities for people living in Sunnyvale.

The town also has four parks where you can play and relax:

Jobson Park
Town Center Park
Samuell Farm North
Robert Vineyard Park

Sunnyvale, Texas facts for kids

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