Farmers Branch, Texas

Farmers Branch, officially the City of Farmers Branch, is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is an inner-ring suburb of Dallas and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its population was 35,991 at the 2020 census.

The community was first settled in the early 1850s. In 1842, Thomas Keenan, Isaac B. Webb, and William Cochran received original land grants in the area. By 1843, a community called Mustang Branch had been established. Mr. Cochran later changed the name to Farmers Branch to reflect the area's rich soil and farmland. Farmers Branch was the first location of the Texan Land and Emigration Company (or Peters Colony) in 1845. This made the community one of the best-known places in Dallas County during the 1840s because of its advertising throughout Europe and the United States. Baptist minister William Bowles opened a blacksmith shop and gristmill in 1845. On May 5, 1845, Isaac B. Webb donated land for Webb's Chapel Methodist Church, the first formal place of worship in Dallas County. A school was established in the church one year later. Webb became the first postmaster at the Farmers Branch post office, which opened on January 5, 1848. It continued to function until its closure in 1866. The post office reopened in 1875. To assure that railroads would eventually pass through Farmers Branch, prominent early settler Samuel Gilbert and others sold right-of-way through their land in 1874. Around three to four years later, the Dallas and Wichita Railway completed a track from Dallas—through Farmers Branch—to Lewisville. It was absorbed by the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad in 1881. The community had a population around 100 by 1890, with several businesses. The population had grown to 300 during the early 1900s. A brick school building was constructed in 1916. The number of people living in the community remained stable until after World War II.

Farmers Branch was incorporated as a city after an election was held on February 23, 1946. William F. (Bill) Dodson was elected as the city's first mayor. The implementation of city services began immediately after incorporation. In the 1950 census, Farmers Branch had a population of 915. In 1956, a home-rule charter was approved that adopted a council-manager form of government. The rapid growth of the city during the 1950s was made apparent in the 1960 census, which recorded a total of 13,441 residents, a 1,369% increase over the 1950 figure. Most of the new residents commuted to nearby Dallas for employment. The population topped 27,000 by 1970. A variety of manufacturers producing items such as steel products, concrete, asphalt, cosmetics, and food products was operating in the city. The number of residents declined to 24,863 in 1980 and 24,250 in 1990. The falling population was offset, however, by the wide variety of businesses located in the city. Farmers Branch is home to a large number of corporations that have attained frontage along Interstate 635, the Dallas North Tollway, and Interstate 35E. Its Dallas North Tollway segment is part of the Platinum Corridor, and its land along Interstate 635 is an extension of the lengthy Irving Prairie office park. By 2000, the city's population had grown to 27,508. and by 2020 the city's population had grown to 35,991.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.79 sq mi (30.54 km²) with only 0.08% (0.09 sq mi - 0.24 km2) covered by water.

As of the 2020 census, there were 35,991 people, 16,015 households, and 10,119 families residing in the city. The median age was 34.7 years, 18.8% of residents were under the age of 18, and 12.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.6 males age 18 and over.

As of the 2020 census, 100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

As of the 2020 census, there were 14,932 households in Farmers Branch, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.5% were married-couple households, 21.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

As of the 2020 census, there were 17,100 housing units, of which 12.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 17.5%.