Collin County Has Grown from 150 People to Nearly One Million in 180 Years

Collin County's population history tracks the story of Texas growth. The county had roughly 150 people in 1846, grew to 9,264 by 1860, and reached nearly 50,000 by 1920. Growth slowed through the mid-twentieth century — the population actually fell between 1920 and 1960. The suburban expansion of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro changed everything.

Plano jumped from 3,695 residents in 1960 to over 278,000 by 2014. Frisco, Allen, McKinney, and other cities followed. The county had about 144,000 people in 1980 and more than 885,000 by 2014. That pace of growth shapes nearly every challenge in the county today — from roads and water to school capacity and special districts.