McKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas, United States. It is Collin County's third-largest city, after Plano and Frisco. A suburb of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, McKinney is about north of Dallas.

The Census Bureau ranked McKinney as the nation's fourth fastest-growing large city from 2010 to 2019 and determined the city's 2020 population was 195,308. Based on Census Bureau estimates, as of July 2022 the city's population was 207,507, making it Texas's 15th-most populous city and the 99th most populous in the United States.

The Census Bureau defines an urban area of northern Dallas-area suburbs that are separated from the Dallas–Fort Worth urban area, with McKinney and Frisco as the principal cities; the McKinney–Frisco urban area had a population of 504,803 as of the 2020 census, ranked 83rd in the United States.

History In 1848, McKinney was named the county seat of Collin County due to the original county seat of Buckner not being within three miles of the county's geographic center. On March 24, 1849, William Davis, who owned where McKinney now stands, donated for the townsite. That same year, McKinney would be incorporated and in 1859 McKinney was incorporated again. In 1913, the McKinney adopted the commission form of government.

Before the arrival of the railroad in 1872, McKinney saw little growth. After the arrival of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad however, McKinney became the primary commercial center of Collin County and stimulated massive growth in the city. Over the next 50 years, McKinney would become an agricultural powerhouse with its production of corn, wheat, and oats, placing Collin County among the top producers in Texas. Cotton also contributed heavily to the economy of Collin County with three new cotton gin being built between 1870 and 1876 increasing the amount of cotton gins in McKinney to 4.

With newfound prosperity coming from the railroad, McKinney started to build more infrastructure. Construction on the Old Collin County Courthouse begun in 1874 and in 1883, McKinney saw the establishment of the Collin County National Bank as well as the establishment of a telephone exchange. In 1889, the city installed electric lights.

By 1970, Plano had surpassed McKinney in population size. Throughout the late 20th century, McKinney experienced steady growth, increasing from 15,193 residents in 1970 to 21,283 by 1990. By the mid-1980s, the town had evolved into a suburban commuter community for individuals working in Plano and Dallas. In 1985, McKinney had a population of just over 16,000 and supported 254 businesses. Since then, the city's growth rate has accelerated significantly. In the 2000 census, McKinney had grown to 54,369 with 2,005 businesses and in the 2010 census the population had more than doubled to 131,117 residents. The Census Bureau's July 2015 estimate placed the population of McKinney at 162,898. A later estimate placed the city population as of January 1, 2019 as 187,802.

Both the city and the county were named for Collin McKinney, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and a congressman for the Red River district of the former Republic of Texas. He was the author of a bill establishing counties in the northern part of the state.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which 0.7 square mile (1.7 km2), or 1.07%, is covered by water.

Climate McKinney is considered part of the humid subtropical region. On average, the warmest month is July. The highest recorded temperature was in 1936. On average, the coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature was in 1930. The maximum average precipitation occurs in May. It is also part of the Texas blackland prairies, part of the Sun Belt, which has hot, dry summers. Humidity makes temperatures feel higher, and winters are mild and are usually rainy; snowstorms occasionally occur. Spring is the wettest part of the year, which brings winds from the Gulf Coast.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +McKinney city, Texas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010White alone (NH)38,85484,547102,54971.46%64.48%52.51%Black or African American alone (NH)3,87613,41624,7697.13%10.23%12.68%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2376047130.44%0.46%0.37%Asian alone (NH)7895,24423,8911.45%4.00%12.23%Pacific Islander alone (NH)20811570.04%0.06%0.08%Some Other Race alone (NH)831888520.15%0.14%0.44%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)6342,6318,9851.17%2.01%4.60%Hispanic or Latino (any race)9,87624,40633,39218.16%18.61%17.10%Total54,369131,117195,308100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, McKinney had a population of 195,308, representing continued growth from the city's 131,117 residents in 2010 and 54,369 in 2000. The median age was 35.6 years, 28.0% of residents were under the age of 18, and 10.4% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.0 males age 18 and over.

99.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 68,366 households in McKinney, of which 43.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.8% were married-couple households, 13.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 72,876 housing units, of which 6.2% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 109,815 56.2% Black or African American 25,355 13.0% American Indian and Alaska Native 1,367 0.7% Asian 24,053 12.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 170 0.1% Some other race 10,943 5.6% Two or more races 23,605 12.1% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 33,392 17.1%

American Community Survey Of the 68,458 households at the 2019 American Community Survey, 59.8% were married-couples living together. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.36.

In 2019, the median income in the city increased to $89,828; the mean income was $111,588.

2010 census In 2010, there were 28,186 households; 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were not families; 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.29.

In 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $63,366, and for a family was $72,133. Males had a median income of $50,663 versus $32,074 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,185. About 4.9% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census As of the 2000 U.S. census, 64% of the foreign-born residents of McKinney originated from Mexico.Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America (James A. Johnson metro series). Brookings Institution Press, 2009. , 9780815779285. Start p. [books.google.com/books?id=bduAC5GaLScC&pg=PA53 53]. CITED: p. 61.

Migration and growth Since 2009, 70% of McKinney's total population born outside of the United States had arrived in the U.S. in the 1990s.

In May 2017, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that McKinney was the third fastest-growing city in the United States. It had a 5.9% growth rate between 2015 and 2016. Economy

At its beginning, McKinney heavily relied on agriculture. Unlike most of the American South, McKinney relied on the production of corn and wheat instead of cotton. This was due to the lack of railroads and generally poor infrastructure in Collin County before the 1870s. After the railroads arrived in McKinney in 1872, McKinney would experience major growth in the cotton industry with the city becoming a major distribution point for cotton farmers in Collin County. Collin County itself would become the sixth largest cotton producer in the country by 1926. In 1870, there was only 1 cotton gin in McKinney but by 1876 there were 4 cotton gins in McKinney. The first textile mill in McKinney, the Texas Cotton Mill Company, opened a mill in McKinney in 1910. After World War II, McKinney would start transitioning from its agricultural based economy to one based on industry and manufacturing.

The per capita personal income per person has been consistently rising since at least the mid-2010s with per capita personal income rising from $32,849 in 2014 to $46,671 in 2023. The median household income also experienced a similar trend going from $81,118 in 2014 to $98,317 in 2023. As of the 2023 fiscal year, the unemployment rate in McKinney is 3.7%.

According to the city's 2024 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top 10 employers in the city are: # Employer # of Employees 1Raytheon Intelligence & Space4,200 2McKinney Independent School District2,920 3Collin County2,000 4Globe Life1,700 5Encore Wire Corporation1,653 6City of McKinney1,565 7Medical City McKinney Hospital1,424 8Baylor Scott & White McKinney Hospital1,171 9Collin College79410Simpson Strong-Tie650

Culture Events The city hosts several large events throughout the year, many of which cover several blocks of historic downtown, to include:

Krewe of Barkus - a pre-Mardi Gras festival held downtown focused on dogs with a parade, costumes, awards, and vendor booths. Arts in Bloom - a downtown-wide arts festival, with local and visiting artists, as well as local wineries and food vendors, usually held the second weekend in April. Texas Music Revolution - in June the entire downtown area shuts down for two days for concerts from over 90 country performers on 20 different stages across the area, along with food and drinks. Red White and Boom Parade & Fireworks Festival - a 4 July parade is held downtown in the morning and a large fireworks display and festival usually takes place in western McKinney. Oktoberfest - in late September a large German-themed festival takes place for several days on the downtown square with authentic German food, beer, live music, games, and vendors. Home for the Holidays - the weekend after Thanksgiving the downtown area shuts down for Santa with Christmas attractions, a large tree lighting ceremony, games, and shopping at the local stores.

Arts The McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is housed in the historic Collin County courthouse in the square in historic downtown and was built in 1876 and remodeled in 1927. The MPAC has seating for 427 and regularly hosts live entertainment such as off-Broadway theater, comedy shows, and concerts, and is also the centerpiece for most large events, festivals, and other attractions that take place downtown.

Museums

Located in the historic 1911 McKinney Post Office in McKinney historic downtown, the Collin County History Museum has free admission several days a week and displays an extensive history of the Collin County area. This include an exhibit called "Created in Collin" that showcase the people, ideas, and products that began in Collin County.