Richardson, TX

Located in both Dallas County and Collin County, Richardson is a 28.6-square-mile stretch of Texas land with more than 101,000 residents. The city's population has increased by nearly 9 percent since 2000. About 69 percent of Richardson's residents are Caucasian, 10 percent are Latino, 6 percent are African American, and almost 4 percent are Chinese. Richardson has consistently been ranked in the top 20 best places to live in the country.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

The median household income for the city of Richardson is much higher than the state's median household income. Richardson's economy has been on the rise since 2005, leading to increases in tax revenue and property value.

One of the major industries in Richardson is technology, with more than 600 technological firms in the area. There is an average of 55 high-tech companies per square mile in one particular 11-square-mile area of land.

Some of the larger employers for Richardson and the immediate area are:

• Texas Instruments
• Raytheon
• Alcatel
• EDS
• Richardson ISD
• Nortel
• Countrywide Financial
• Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Texas
• The University of Texas at Dallas

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

• City Center is an urban area based on population density, and it has mostly single-family houses, along with some high-rise and apartment buildings. The homes in this neighborhood are mostly older, built between 1940 and 1969, and the area is considered artsy and filled with urban sophisticates.
• In Buckingham, a suburban area with a high median housing value, there are mostly high-rise buildings and apartment complexes. It is a quiet, funky neighborhood of upper-middle-income residents of all ages.
• The area of Jupiter Road and Campbell Road is an urban neighborhood of mostly single-family homes owned by urban sophisticates. The residents are upper-middle income with managerial, executive, and professional occupations.
• The neighborhood between President George Bush Turnpike and Shiloh Road has a very high median house value, which more than doubles the median house value for Texas. It is a quiet neighborhood of wealthy residents. Most homes were built between 1970 and 1994.

EDUCATION

Primary and Secondary Education

The Dallas County portion of the city is located in the Richardson Independent School District, while the area in Collin County is part of the Plano Independent School District. There are 41 primary schools, 8 middle schools and junior high schools, and 5 high schools in the Richardson Independent School District. The Plano Independent School District includes 43 elementary-primary schools, 13 middle schools, and 8 high schools.

Higher Education

More than 91 percent of the residents in Richardson over the age of 25 have a high school diploma, and nearly half (48 percent) have at least a bachelor's degree, making the city very well educated. One of the main universities in Richardson is the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), which is located within the city's limits. The school is the largest research university in its system; it offers many programs, including engineering, computer and natural science, and mathematics. UTD students have some of the highest SAT scores in the state university system. The athletics programs at the university have been in the NCAA Division III and American Southwest Conference since 1998.

BEST BETS

• Spring Creek Farms and Owens Museum: Visitors can interact with live animals at the petting zoo and explore the museum with artifacts from more than a century ago.
• Galatyn Park Fountain and Plaza: This attraction includes a vanishing pool with a timed water show featuring water gushes reaching 60 feet in height.
• Richardson Square Mall: The mall has a variety of retail stores and name-brand chains. The shopping plaza serves several areas, including Plano, Richardson, and Garland.

EVENTS

• Cottonwood Art Festival
• Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
• Texas Guitar Competition and Festival

FAMILY FUN

Richardson offers 30 city parks for the community's enjoyment. The parks vary in size and offer amenities including playgrounds, picnic areas, recreation centers, swimming pools, and sports fields.

SPORTS TEAMS

There are no professional sports teams in Richardson, but residents follow the sports at the University of Texas at Dallas. The community also cheers for teams from Dallas, which is only about 20 miles from of Richardson.

• In the National Football League, the Dallas Cowboys are a popular team that has won several Super Bowls.
• The Dallas Mavericks are part of the National Basketball Association.
• The FC Dallas, formerly the Dallas Burn, are a team in Major League Soccer.