The DFW Metroplex is comprised of 12 counties that make up the DFW Metropolitan Statistical Area per the US Census Bureau. Within these 12 counties lie Dallas, Fort Worth, and dozens of other cities, suburbs, and small towns that make up The DFW Metroplex.

Some Facts About the Population of the DFW Metroplex and Its Cities:

• According to the 2010 US Census, Dallas is the ninth largest city in the United States with a population of 1,197,816. Fort Worth is the 16th largest city in the United States with a population of 741,206.

• Although Dallas and Fort Worth are the ninth and 16th largest cities in the US respectively, the 12 county area that comprises the DFW Metroplex is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States (after Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City) with a population of 6,426,214 according to the 2010 US Census. The Texas Department of State Health Services estimates the population will reach 6,731,000 in 2014. To put that into perspective, that’s about 300,000 less than the population of New York City in 1980!

• Although the DFW Metroplex is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the US, it is the least densely populated. 12 counties totaling 9,286 square miles are included in the Census Bureau’s DFW Metropolitan Statistical Area, making it larger than the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined.

• Several cities in the DFW area are consistently rated as among the fastest-growing in the United States. Frisco, for example, grew from a tiny town of around 6,000 in 1990 to over 128,000 in 2012 and is still constantly ranked in the top 10 fastest growing cities in the U.S. McKinney, Plano, and Rockwall have also been named among the fastest growing cities in the U.S. at various times over the last decade. The population in the DFW region grew more than any other metropolitan area in the country between July 2011 and 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

People who have never been to Dallas often don’t realize the geographic enormity of the city. There’s no ocean or mountain range restricting growth, and Texas is very builder and developer-friendly. What were small rural farming towns just 20-30 years ago have been gradually transformed into bustling suburbs with shiny new housing and infrastructure, ready to service the flocks of people heading to Texas from other regions in the U.S. due to the economic opportunities and competitive cost of living. Although the current growth rates are slower than the huge population increases seen from 2000-2010, many areas of the Metroplex continue to grow at a phenomenal pace, and this trend will likely continue for many years.

Population and Growth Statistics for Cities in the DFW Metroplex

Which cities in the Dallas area have the highest population?

•  The city of Dallas is the only city in the DFW Metroplex with a population of over one million.
• Six cities in the DFW area have populations that exceed 200,000.
• 13 cities in the DFW area have populations that exceed 100,000.
• 47 cities in the DFW area have populations that exceed 10,000.

City	2012 Population (1)
Dallas	1,241,000
Fort Worth	777,992
Arlington	375,600
Plano	272,068
Garland	233,564
Irving	225,427
Grand Prairie	181,824
McKinney	143,223
Mesquite	143,195
Frisco	128,176
Carrollton	125,409
Denton	121,123
Richardson	103,297
Lewisville	99,453
Allen	89,640
Flower Mound	67,825
N Richland Hills	65,290
Rowlett	57,703
Euless	52,780
DeSoto	51,102
Grapevine	48,447
Bedford	48,150
Cedar Hill	46,461
Wylie	44,267
Keller	41,923
Coppell	40,022
Rockwall	39,957
Duncanville	39,501
The Colony	39,030
Hurst	38,194
Farmers Branch	29,638
Little Elm	28,966
Southlake	27,706
Balch Springs	24,866
Colleyville	23,936
University Park	23,797
Benbrook	21,939
Sachse	21,596
Murphy	18,960
Forney	15,877
Highland Village	15,593
Addison	15,179
Royse City	9,958
Trophy Club	9,627
Highland Park	8,819
Anna	8,555
Richland Hills	7,962
Fairview	7,914
Heath	7,633
Fate	7,442
Lake Dallas	7,325
Celina	6,597
Lucas	5,872
Melissa	5,544

(1) Source: US Census Bureau estimates for 2012.

 

Which Cities in DFW Have Had the Highest Population Growth Rates in the Last 10 Years?

•  The city of Fate (Rockwall County) has the highest 10-Year growth rate in the DFW area.
• 11 cities have grown by more than 100% in the last 10 years.  These are mostly suburbs to the north and east of Dallas.
• Only two cities have seen population declines over the last 10 years, and only by very small amounts.

City	2012 Population (1)	2002 Population (1)	10 YR Population Change
Fate	7,442	1,094	580.26%
Anna	8,555	1,854	361.43%
Melissa	5,544	1,683	229.41%
Little Elm	28,966	9,422	207.43%
Murphy	18,960	6,684	183.66%
Royse City	9,958	3,714	168.12%
Frisco	128,176	47,904	167.57%
Forney	15,877	6,452	146.08%
Wylie	44,267	18,542	138.74%
Fairview	7,914	3,450	129.39%
Celina	6,597	3,038	117.15%
McKinney	143,223	73,157	95.77%
Rockwall	39,957	22,785	75.37%
Lucas	5,872	3,462	69.61%
Sachse	21,596	13,136	64.40%
Allen	89,640	57,433	56.08%
Heath	7,633	5,510	38.53%
Trophy Club	9,627	7,038	36.79%
Fort Worth	777,992	570,808	36.30%
Grand Prairie	181,824	134,845	34.84%
Denton	121,123	92,668	30.71%
DeSoto	51,102	39,391	29.73%
Keller	41,923	32,848	27.63%
Balch Springs	24,866	19,582	26.98%
Cedar Hill	46,461	37,214	24.85%
The Colony	39,030	32,245	21.04%
Lewisville	99,453	84,182	18.14%
Southlake	27,706	23,740	16.71%
Rowlett	57,703	49,811	15.84%
Flower Mound	67,825	58,863	15.23%
Highland Village	15,593	13,538	15.18%
Irving	225,427	195,764	15.15%
Colleyville	23,936	21,005	13.95%
Plano	272,068	239,230	13.73%
Mesquite	143,195	128,647	11.31%
N Richland Hills	65,290	59,077	10.52%
Lake Dallas	7,325	6,673	9.77%
Euless	52,780	48,221	9.45%
Duncanville	39,501	36,108	9.40%
Carrollton	125,409	115,092	8.96%
Farmers Branch	29,638	27,375	8.27%
Addison	15,179	14,088	7.74%
Arlington	375,600	349,461	7.48%
Benbrook	21,939	20,531	6.86%
Garland	233,564	218,940	6.68%
Grapevine	48,447	45,706	6.00%
Richardson	103,297	98,917	4.43%
Hurst	38,194	36,690	4.10%
Dallas	1,241,000	1,208,000	2.73%
Coppell	40,022	39,478	1.38%
University Park	23,797	23,687	0.46%
Bedford	48,150	48,253	-0.21%
Highland Park	8,819	8,911	-1.03%
Richland Hills	7,962	8,141	-2.20%

(1) Source: US Census Bureau estimates for 2012.

Dallas Area Population Density by City

City	2012 Population (1)	Land Area Sq/Mi (2)	Population Density (per sq/mi)
University Park	23,797	3.71	6414
Anna	8,555	1.7	5032
Bedford	48,150	10	4815
Garland	233,564	57.1	4090
Highland Park	8,819	2.2	4009
Arlington	375,600	96.5	3892
Hurst	38,194	9.9	3858
Plano	272,068	71.6	3800
Dallas	1,241,000	340.5	3645
Richardson	103,297	28.6	3612
N Richland Hills	65,290	18.16	3595
Murphy	18,960	5.3	3577
Duncanville	39,501	11.3	3496
Carrollton	125,409	36.3	3455
Addison	15,179	4.4	3450
Irving	225,427	67.9	3320
Allen	89,640	27.1	3308
Euless	52,780	16.3	3238
Mesquite	143,195	46	3113
Lake Dallas	7,325	2.4	3052
Rowlett	57,703	20.2	2857
Highland Village	15,593	5.5	2835
The Colony	39,030	14	2788
Coppell	40,022	14.4	2779
Balch Springs	24,866	9	2763
Lewisville	99,453	36.4	2732
Richland Hills	7,962	3.1	2568
Grand Prairie	181,824	72.1	2522
Farmers Branch	29,638	12	2470
Trophy Club	9,627	4	2407
DeSoto	51,102	21.6	2366
McKinney	143,223	62.4	2295
Keller	41,923	18.4	2278
Fort Worth	777,992	342.2	2274
Sachse	21,596	9.7	2226
Wylie	44,267	21.03	2105
Frisco	128,176	61.8	2074
Little Elm	28,966	14.6	1984
Benbrook	21,939	11.5	1908
Colleyville	23,936	13.1	1827
Rockwall	39,957	22.3	1792
Flower Mound	67,825	41.39	1639
Grapevine	48,447	32.3	1500
Denton	121,123	87.9	1378
Cedar Hill	46,461	35.9	1294
Southlake	27,706	21.9	1265
Forney	15,877	13.14	1208
Melissa	5,544	4.6	1205
Fate	7,442	6.4	1163
Heath	7,633	6.9	1106
Royse City	9,958	10.2	976
Fairview	7,914	8.8	899
Lucas	5,872	9.2	638
Celina	6,597	14	471

 

If you found this information useful and are planning to relocate to the Dallas area soon, I would appreciate an opportunity to help you with your real estate needs. Please call me directly at (972) 978-3553 or fill out this contact form below for a prompt response.