Allen, Texas
Origin story & incorporation
Settled in the 1840s through the Republic of Texas's Peters Colony land program.
Established in 1870 as a water stop on the Houston and Texas Central Railway; named in 1872 for Ebenezer Allen, a former Texas attorney general and railroad promoter.
The Sam Bass gang committed Texas's first recorded train robbery in Allen in 1878.
Officially incorporated June 20, 1953, with about 400 residents. Virgil Watson was the first mayor.
What the city is known for
Allen High School football and its large marching band, playing at the 18,000-seat Allen Eagle Stadium, one of the largest high school stadiums in the country and costing $60 million to build.
A large parks system: 1,196 acres of parkland, 60 parks, and 80+ miles of hike-and-bike trails.
Major retail and entertainment destinations (Allen Premium Outlets, Watters Creek, The Village at Allen).
A growing business and tech presence, including data centers and a cybersecurity sector.
#2 Best Place to Live in America — Money magazine, 2017.
#2 Best Place to Launch a Career — Money magazine, 2018.
Top 10 Best Towns for Families — Family Circle, 2013.
Best City to Move to in Texas — Consumer Affairs, 2025.
Best Small Cities in America — WalletHub, 2025.
Best School District in Texas (Allen ISD) — Niche, 2026.
NRPA Gold Medal Award Finalist (parks) — 2026.
Top 10 largest employers (City of Allen 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report)
Employer — Employees
Allen ISD — 2,755
City of Allen — 937
Experian Information Solutions — 817
Andrew's Distributing — 487
Jack Henry & Associates — 450
Motorola Solutions — 436
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital — 425
Credit Union of Texas — 424
NetScout Systems — 420
Crawford and Company — 365
Top employers by prominence/prestige
Allen ISD — Educates about 20,000 students; rated "A" by the state; nationally ranked by Niche.
Experian Information Solutions — Global credit-reporting and data company; major national brand.
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital — Part of a major North Texas healthcare network; key regional medical provider.
Jack Henry & Associates — Nationally known financial-technology firm serving banks and credit unions.
Motorola Solutions — Global leader in communications and public-safety technology.
Most recognized people from Allen
Kyler Murray — NFL quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year; played at Allen High School.
J.D. Walton — Former NFL center, Super Bowl XLVIII champion (Denver Broncos).
Levi Onwuzurike — NFL defensive tackle, Detroit Lions.
Jalen Guyton — NFL wide receiver (Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers).
Jim Parrack — Actor known for HBO's True Blood.
Brian J. Smith — Actor known for Stargate Universe and Sense8.
Quenlin Blackwell — Internet creator named to the TIME100 Creators list (2025, 2026).
City size
Latest population estimate (July 1, 2025): 113,447 (2020 census: 104,627).
Land area: 26.40 square miles = about 16,896 acres.
DFW Airport: ~32 miles (~45 min).
Dallas Love Field: ~28 miles (~40 min).
Dallas City Hall: ~25 miles (~26–35 min).
Major attractions & amenities
Credit Union of Texas Event Center (7,000+ seat arena, two ice rinks).
Allen Eagle Stadium (18,000-seat high school stadium).
Allen Premium Outlets (110+ stores).
Watters Creek Village (52-acre mixed-use shopping and dining).
The Village at Allen (Topgolf, Bass Pro Shops, and more).
Don Rodenbaugh Aquatics Center (indoor water park).
The Edge (one of the largest skate parks in Texas).
60 parks, 80+ miles of trails, municipal golf course.
Less than high school — 4.1%
High school graduate — 13.0%
Some college / Associate's — 26.9%
Bachelor's degree — 33.6%
Graduate or professional — 22.6%
School districts
Main district: Allen ISD — serves most of Allen plus sections of Parker and McKinney. TEA rating: A (92).
Other districts with small portions inside Allen: Lovejoy ISD (A, 94), McKinney ISD (B, 88), Plano ISD (B, 82).
UIL high school breakdown
Allen High School is Class 6A (largest classification). Allen has no other high schools.
Football state championships (team): 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 — 5 titles.
Boys wrestling: 16 UIL team state championships (most recent 2026). Girls wrestling has also won multiple 6A titles.
Lakes within/bordering the city
Allen has no large natural lakes — its "lakes" are small city park ponds (Bethany Lakes, Shadow Lakes, and others, all under ~8.5 acres; shoreline measured in feet, not miles).
Nearest major reservoir: Lavon Lake, ~10 miles southeast, with about 83 miles of shoreline (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers figure).
Highways & tollways
US-75 (Central Expressway) — north–south through the middle of the city.
State Highway 121 / Sam Rayburn Tollway — east–west, along Allen's northern border with McKinney.
State Highway 5 — north–south, parallel to US-75.
The President George Bush Turnpike does not run through Allen.
Cities with attached borders
Plano (south), Fairview (east/northeast), Lucas (northeast), Parker (west).
McKinney, Murphy, and Wylie are nearby but do not directly border Allen.
County
Allen is located entirely in Collin County.
Airports
There are no operating public or private airports within the city limits. The former Kittyhawk Airport closed and was redeveloped into housing in the early 2010s. The nearest general aviation airport is McKinney National Airport, outside the city.
Public transportation
Allen has no DART rail, no train, and no fixed-route bus service within the city.
The only option is Collin County Rides, an appointment-based service for seniors 65+ and qualifying individuals with disabilities.
Major future plans
Sloan Corners (~$3B mixed-use at US-75/SH-121) — office, retail, housing, up to 30,000 jobs.
Kalahari Resorts Destination (~$950M resort/water park on SH-121).
Downtown Allen Catalyst Project (~$17M) — restaurants, retail, and a public park with a stage.
H-E-B-anchored mixed-use development (~60 acres).
2027–31 Capital Improvement Program — road widenings, new police headquarters, ~$18M in park projects.
Important Websites:
Cities
School Districts
Chambers of Commerce: includes VCBs (Visitor & Convention Bureaus) and EDCs (Economic Development Corporations)
Learn about other cities in the Your City series.
Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
KW North Country Realty
214-862-7212
dfwmark@KW.com
DFWmark.com
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