Untitled photo, 1840s
Richardson’s story
186 years in pictures
Census counts: 629 in 1930, 119,469 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1840 and 3 maps from 1959 on.
- 1840Richardson is settled
RichardsonTX
A city of 118,542, settled in 1840. Home to The University of Texas at Dallas.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
118,542
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$437K
+0.6% in a year
Household income
$98K
median
Median age
33.9
years
Jobs based here
127,010
A job hub
TownGrade
B−
#157 of 640 in TX
What is it like to live in Richardson?
For a city of 118,542, Richardson does unevenly: it grades B−, 157th of 640 graded towns in Texas. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 86% of the country and it is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. The trade-off: the typical home is worth about $437K, 4.8 years of the Dallas metro’s $90K median household income. 57% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Richardson, above both the Texas town median (23%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Richardson is home to The University of Texas at Dallas. On the outdoors, just 60 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do better.
What makes Richardson stand out
Where Richardson beats most towns.
Biggest of 4
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| The University of Texas at Dallas | 29,930 |
| West Coast University-Texas | 1,011 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Dallas | 554 |
Colleges in town
4 colleges
31,497 students on campus
Students are 12% of residents.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here127,010
Residents who work56,695
Work
2.2 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A growing town
Richardson has grown 19% since 2010
99,223 counted in 2010 and 119,469 in 2020; an estimated 118,542 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 20.4% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Richardson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Richardson is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.1 of 20; 5.5% of households have no carAOpen →HealthMethodist Richardson Medical Center 2.8 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income$98K median household incomeB+Open →SchoolsB+Open →Hazard risktornadoes tops the listC+Open →SafetyC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors8% conserved landA−Open →History14 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life2 library visits per resident; 3.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 95° summer afternoons, 2″ of snow–Open →Housing market31 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.9–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 84 attractions →Cotton Bowl and 66 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Richardson. Close and well known come first.
Big draw14 mi Stadium & arenaCotton Bowl
Big draw27 mi Stadium & arenaAT&T Stadium
Big draw15 mi Stadium & arenaTexas Stadium
Big draw27 mi Stadium & arenaGlobe Life Field
26 mi Theme parkSix Flags Over Texas
10 mi Stadium & arenaGerald J. Ford StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cotton Bowl: Robbiewest88, Public domain · AT&T Stadium: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Texas Stadium: Allspamme, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Globe Life Field: Drone To Fly, CC BY 3.0 · Six Flags Over Texas: Chris Hagerman from New Port Richey, FL, US, CC BY 2.0 · Gerald J. Ford Stadium: Jmcstrav, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Richardson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Richardson, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Richardson water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpLookout Drive Transfer StationMon–Sat 8 am–4:30 pmOpenStreetMap
SchoolsRichardson Independent School DistrictPlano Independent School District2 districts serve Richardson; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDallas County Early Voting ClerkDallas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP codes75080, 75081, 7508275080 45% · 75081 32% · 75082 23%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Richardson.
Richardson draws workers from Dallas and beyond, has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns and has less no health insurance than most of Texas.
OutdoorsA−
Richardson has set aside 7.7% of its land for conservation
20 miles of trail in 40 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Breckinridge Park, 497 acres with 5.5 miles of trail. The trail density in Richardson is 0.7 miles per square mile.
#111for trails in TX
| Richardson | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 7.7% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
7.7%
conserved · 1,402 of 18,275 acres
20 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Breckinridge Park | 5.5 mi | 497 |
| 2. Ruth Back Toler Park | 0.5 mi | 47 |
| 3. Spring Creek Nature Area | 0.3 mi | 105 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB+
Public schools in Richardson beat 66% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Richardson ISD. Three of its 40 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
66%of TX districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richardson West Technology and Arts MagnetLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 771 | B+ |
| Richardson H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,669 | B+ |
| Prairie Creek ElTop results in townGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 304 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About one in six working residents works right in Richardson
127,010 jobs are based in Richardson, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 88,190 in 2013 to 127,010.
Most working residents leave Richardson for work: only 16% work in town. 25% of workers work from home in Richardson. Jobs based in Richardson grew to 127,010 in 2023, 38,820 more than in 2013.
16%work in town
| Richardson | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 25% | 9.6% | 11% |
| Median household income | $98,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Richardson16%
Dallas29%
Plano11%
Irving4%
Garland3%
10 mi
median commute distance
127,010
jobs based in Richardson
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthA
For health, Richardson earns an A
Its widest gap with Texas is no health insurance: 12.3% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 19.1% statewide.
10% of Richardson adults report frequent physical distress. Richardson beats the Texas average on 21 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 9% of Richardson adults have diabetes.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Richardson | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9% | 13% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.4% | 14% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 37% | 35% |
31 measures vs. Texas
21 better10 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Richardson | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 12.3% | 19.1% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.6% | 16.4% |
Methodist Richardson Medical Center
2.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
88th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade D
For cost of living, Richardson earns a D
The median property tax bill is $6,482, against $4,232 across Texas, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Richardson’s median rent is $1,857 a month. The typical Richardson home is worth about $437,000, up 0.6% in a year, 48% above the Texas typical home.
$437KZillow home value
| Richardson | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 51% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,857 a month | $1,206 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Richardson$437K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
31
days on market
97.8%
sale-to-list price
+0.6%
value change, 1 year
98
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Richardson has mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons average 94.7°, hotter than in 96% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35.4°. The Dallas Love Fld weather station, 12 miles away, records that about 108 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 77% of Texas places with climate records.
Richardson has mild winters and hot summers. About 2 inches of snow falls in a winter.
2″snow a winter
| Richardson | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 95°F | 85°F |
| January low | 35°F | 37°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–58°
Spring55–75°
Summer73–93°
Fall56–77°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 7
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyC+
More crime per resident in Richardson than in 61% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 2,554 to 1,919 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
39%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Richardson1.4
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Richardson14.9
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
39th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
48th
percentile among TX towns
162
violent crimes reported in 2025
1,757
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Richardson faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by tornadoes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 58% of U.S. communities. Since 1985, 16 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Richardson.
58risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingHeat waves
16
paid flood claims since 1985
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Richardson
20pages on Richardson
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 66% of TX districts · 40 schoolsSafetyC+1.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than TX on 21 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingD$437K typical home · up 0.6% in a yearWork & commuteB+$98K median household income · 127,010 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 58% of U.S. communities · tornadoes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
21 within 15 miles of the center of Richardson
The University of Texas at DallasUniversity or college · Public · RichardsonIn town$14,644 in-state tuitionThe Chicago School-College of NursingCommunity college · Private nonprofit · RichardsonIn townWest Coast University-TexasUniversity or college · Private for-profit · RichardsonIn town
About 12 of every 100 Richardson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
College town
12% of Richardson is in college
4 colleges in town.
The University of Texas at Dallas29,930 students on campus
- Admission
- 65%
- Net price
- $18,267
- Graduate
- 76%
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- —
- Graduate
- —
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- $30,998
- Graduate
- —
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Famous people from Richardson
14 notable people were born in Richardson.
J
Justin CheAmerican soccer player · born 2003
About Richardson
City in the Dallas and Collin counties of Texas, United States
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, the city had a total population of 119,469. Richardson is an inner suburb of the city of Dallas. It is home to the University of Texas at Dallas and the Telecom Corridor, with a high concentration of telecommunications companies. More than 5,000 businesses have operations within Richardson's 28 square miles (73 km2), including many of the world's largest telecommunications and networking companies, such as AT&T, Verizon, Cisco Systems, Samsung, ZTE, MetroPCS, Texas Instruments, Qorvo, and Fujitsu. Richardson's largest employment base is provided by the insurance industry, with…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1840
- Area
- 29 sq mi
- Elevation
- 630 ft
- ZIP code
- 75080, 75081, 75082
Richardson’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Richardson.
GarlandPlanoDallasMurphyRichardson
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richardson | #157 | B− | D | C+ | B+ | A |
| Garland | #379 | C− | C− | C | B− | C+ |
| Plano | #91 | B+ | D | B− | A− | A |
| Dallas | #567 | D | C− | D | C− | C+ |
| Murphy | #16 | A | D | A− | A− | A |
Questions about Richardson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Richardson, TX a good place to live?
Richardson grades B− overall, better than 54% of U.S. towns and #157 of 640 in Texas. It grades A for health, C+ for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Richardson, TX expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Richardson, TX known for?
14 notable people were born here, including Lee Nguyen and Scott Turner.