According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 886 square miles (2,290 km2), of which 841 square miles (2,180 km2) is land and 45 square miles (120 km2) (5.1%) is covered by water.[4]
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–2010[7] 2010–2019[8]
In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau determined 491,675 people resided in Collin County.[9] With the economic and population growth of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, its population increased to 1,064,465 at the 2020 U.S. census.[1] The population density as of 2019 was 1,229.8 people per square mile (474.8 people/km2).[10] Among the population, its median age was 37.3, up from the statewide median age of 35.1. Linguistically, 11.6% of the county spoke Spanish as their household language, followed by Asian and Pacific Islander languages.[11] Altogether 29.7% of Collin County spoke a language other than English at home, contributed in part by its large foreign-born population which made up 22% of the population according to 2019 estimates from the American Community Survey.[12]
The median income for a household in the county as of 2019 was $96,134, up from $70,835 in 2000.[13] Families had a median household income of $113,471, married-couple families $127,575, and non-family households $53,986. An estimated 6.3% of Collin County's residents lived at or below the poverty line from 2014 to 2019.[14] In 2000, about 3.30% of families and 4.90% of the population lived at or below the poverty line, including 5.10% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those aged 65 and older.
Of its residential properties, the median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $354,100 in 2019, with a total of 8% of owner-occupied housing units ranging from less than $100,000 up to $200,000.[10] In 2007, Collin County was ranked No. 21 for high property taxes in the U.S. as percentage of the homes' value on owner-occupied housing.[15] It also tanked in the top 100 for amount of property taxes paid and for percentage of taxes of income. Part is this is due to the Robin Hood plan school financing system in Texas.[16]
Race and ethnicity
Demographic Profile of Collin County, Texas (NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the U.S. Census Bureau treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
At the 2000 census, the racial and ethnic makeup of the county was 81.39% White, 4.79% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 6.92% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.26% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races; 10.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino American of any race. In 2019, the American Community Survey estimated its non-Hispanic white population now represented 55%, reflecting a national demographic trend of diversification.[10][20] The Black or African American population grew to 10%, Asian Americans made up 16% of the population, and Hispanic or Latino Americans increased to 16% of the total population in 2019; multiracial Americans made up an estimated 2% of the county population.[10] The largest European ancestry groups from 2014 to 2019 were Germans, English Americans, and Irish and Italian Americans.[12] By the publication of the 2020 census, the racial and ethnic makeup of Collin County was 50.96% non-Hispanic white, 10.16% Black or African American, 0.36% American Indian or Alaska Native, 17.70% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.46% some other race, 4.41% multiracial, and 15.89% Hispanic or Latino American of any race.[19]
Collin County, like all counties in Texas, is governed by a Commissioners Court. The court is chaired by a county judge (equivalent to a county executive in other states) who is elected county-wide, and four commissioners who are elected by the voters in each of four precincts.[22]
Since the 1960s, Collin County has consistently supported Republican candidates in presidential and congressional elections. The last Democrat to win the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964. By 2020, Collin County was considered a highly competitive bellwether county due to its demographic changes and the shift of college-educated voters away from the Republicans.[24] Despite this, it remains very Republican downballot; Republicans hold all of the county-level offices and all but one of the county's seats in the state legislature.[25]
United States presidential election results for Collin County, Texas[26][27]
In the 1990s Plano ISD received many non-Hispanic white families leaving urban areas. From circa 1997 and 2015 the number of non-Hispanic white children in K-12 schools in the county increased by 40,000 as part of a trend of white flight and suburbanization by non-Hispanic white families; however the same number of Plano ISD in particular decreased by 10,000 in that period.[30]
Colleges and universities
Collin College opened its first campus on Highway 380 in McKinney in 1985.[31] The college has grown to seven campuses/locations—two in McKinney and two in Plano and as well as Frisco, Allen, Rockwall, Wylie, Farmersville, and Celina.[citation needed] Collin College's official service area includes all of Collin County.[32]
With the Red Line operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) ending with its northern terminus at Parker Road Station in Plano, most of Collin County is not served by any public transit agencies as of 2023.[35] The Texoma Area Paratransit System (TAPS) transit service provided bus routes for a short period from 2013 until Collin County bus service was suspended in 2015.[36][37] The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) in a 2022 meeting discussed the possibility of expansion of the Red Line corridor from Plano through Allen to McKinney. Either the Red Line or Silver Line could be extended north.[38] While the Red Line could be expanded further north into Allen, Allen is currently unable to levy the 1% sales tax required to become a DART member city.[39]
^"Americans make use of their religious freedom". Dallas News. August 11, 2021. Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021. Collin County scored slightly lower on the PRRI religious diversity scale than Dallas, but Collin County is 3% Hindu, 2% Muslim, and 2% Jewish, compared to 1% for those religions in Dallas County.