Plano is an affluent suburb located twenty miles northeast of downtown Dallas. According to Time Inc.’s Money magazine it’s one of the best places to live in America . The city, home to a little over 275,000 people, was listed as the third-best place to live in the country. It has the lowest crime rate of any Texas city and some of the lowest taxes in the region. On a $301,850 home (the median in 2016), the annual property tax is about $6,000. (Courtesy Money Magazine)
Many corporate headquarters, such as Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Ericsson, Frito-Lay, Pizza Hut, Rent-A-Center, and Toyota Motor North America, Inc. are located here. The PISD school district is rated as exemplary and is a top choice for many international families.
Interesting Facts:
- In 2007, listed as the biggest city in the Collin County, in terms of population. The number amounted to over 260,000.
- According to the US Census Bureau, the average household income is among the highest in the country ($84,492).
- National Civic League named as the “All American City”
- Renowned companies such as J.C. Penny and Frito Lay have their headquarters here.
- An economically healthy city that has a vibrant community. At present, there are 68 schools, and its public library is home to about nearly 700,000 books. Also boasts 3,600 acres of parks, playground, hike and bike trails, proof that the city isn’t only amenable for business, but it’s also a place for pleasure, fun and relaxation as well.
HISTORY
European settlers came to the area near present-day Plano in the early 1840s. Facilities such as a sawmill, a gristmill, and a store soon brought more people to the area. A mail service was established, and after rejecting several names for the nascent town (including naming it in honor of then-President Millard Fillmore), residents suggested the name Plano (from the Spanish word for “flat”), as a reference to the local terrain, unvaried and devoid of any trees. The name was accepted by the post office.
In 1872, the completion of the Houston and Central Texas Railway helped the city to grow, and it was incorporated in 1873. By 1874, the population had grown to more than 500. In 1881, a fire raged through the business district, destroying most of the buildings. The town was rebuilt and business again flourished through the 1880s.
At first, the population grew slowly, reaching 1,304 in 1900, and rising to 3,695 in 1960. By 1970, a series of public works projects and a change in taxes that removed the farming community from the town helped increase the overall population. Sewers, schools and street development kept pace with this massive increase, largely because of Plano’s flat topography, grid layout and planning initiatives. Today the population is over 271,166. (Courtesy Wikipedia)
SCHOOLS
The Plano Independent School District serves most of the city. Student enrollment has increased dramatically over the past few decades. PISD has a unique high school system, in which grades 9-10 attend a high school and grades 11-12 attend a senior high. There are three senior high schools (grades 11-12), Six junior highs (9-10), 13 middle schools (6-8) and 44 elementary schools. In Newsweek’s 2012 list of best national high schools, Plano West was ranked as 63rd, Plano Senior as 108th, and Plano East as 243rd.
Area: 96.14 mi²
Students: ≈55,000
Teachers: ≈7,000
Budget: $479 million