Dallas County

Dallas County, Texas
Dallas County, in north central Texas, is bordered by Kaufman and Rockwall counties to the east, Tarrant County to the west, Denton and Collin counties to the north, and Ellis County to the south. Dallas is the county seat and largest city. The county's center point is at 32°46' north latitude and 96°48' west longitude. Dallas County comprises 902 square miles of the primarily flat, heavy Blackland Prairie. Elevations in the county range from 382 to 850 feet above sea level. The Elm Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River meet near downtown Dallas. The county is drained by the Trinity River and its tributaries, including White Rock, Mountain, Fivemile, Tenmile, Muddy, Duck, Turtle, and Mesquite creeks. These streams feed reservoirs for municipal water and recreational use, including Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake North, Joe Pool, Mountain Creek and White Rock Lakes. The terrain is generally undulating. The eastern two-thirds of the county and the land along the western border is surfaced by slightly acidic clayey soils with loamy topsoil. The rest of the county's soil is alkaline and loamy. The county has tall grasses with pecan and oak trees along streams and mesquite on the prairies. Though the rich soil is the main mineral resource of Dallas County, gravel and sand have been mined from the Trinity floodplain, cement has been made from the local soft limestone, and bricks have been manufactured from the county's clay. Temperatures range from an average high of 95° F in July to an average low of 36° in January. The average rainfall is thirty-six inches a year. The growing season lasts 235 days. Interstate highways 20, 30, 35E, and 635 and U.S. highways 67, 75, 80, and 175 cross the county, in addition to other prominent roads, and the area is also served by several railroad lines, including the Union Pacific, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and the Kansas City Southern
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Lisa C. Maxwell | © Texas State Historical Association
Dallas County at a Glance
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County Map of Texas
Dallas County
- Dallas County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Dallas County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
350 ft – 870 ft
Places of Dallas County
Photos of Dallas County and surrounding areas

Dallas County, Texas
Dallas County Courthouse is housed at a historic building also known as Old Red, in Dallas, Texas. Photograph by Leaflet.

Dallas County, Texas
Map of Dallas County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.

Downtown Dallas
Photo of Downtown Dallas from I-35. Dallas

City of Wilmer, Texas
City Hall building in the City of Wilmer, Texas. Photograph by Larry D. Moore. Wilmer
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Irving, Texas
The City Hall building in the City of Irving in Dallas County, Texas. Photograph by Michael Barera. Irving

Welcome to Carrollton
Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the City of Carrollton is a vibrant corporate and residential community. Photo by Herve Villard on Unsplash. Carrollton

City of University Park, Texas
Dallas Hall at Southern Methodist Unviersity located in the City of University Park, Texas. Photograph by Carol M. Highsmith. University Park

City of Lancaster, Texas
Historic Downtown in the City of Lancaster, Texas. Photograph by Renelibrary. Lancaster

Farmers Branch, Texas
The City of Farmers Branch is located in Dallas County, Texas. Photograph by Larry D. Moore. Farmers Branch

Addison, Texas
Aereal View of Addison, Texas. Photography by Henley Quadling. Addison

An aerial view of Joe Pool Lake and Dam
Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public Domain Joe Pool Lake

The Mountain Creek Bridge in North Texas
Photo by Reagan Rothenberger, CC 3 Mountain Creek Lake

White Rock Lake
Colorful fall day at White Rock Lake, near Dallas. Photo by Yinan Chen (Public Domain) White Rock Lake

Dr. Doom enjoying a quiet evening on a pier at Lake Ray Hubbard
Photo by Nelo Hotsuma, Flickr, CC2 Lake Ray Hubbard

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Dallas County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
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Population Counts
Dallas County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
2,635,516 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Dallas County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
1,368,022 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
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Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
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$58,993 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
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Property Values
Dallas County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
293,207,253,090 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Dallas County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
49,142,694,624 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Dallas County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
32,384,232,494 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
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Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
8.9 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
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Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
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37.6 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
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Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
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37.3 | 96.0 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
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Land Area
Dallas County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
871.3 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Dallas County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
908.6 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |