About Allen
Allen is located in north central Texas, approximately 25 miles north of downtown Dallas. It is the fourth largest city in Collin County.
Accolades
Allen is continuously featured in national rankings of safety, affordability, education and quality of life, including:
- "A+" Overall Grade (Niche, 2020)
- 50 Safest Cities in Texas (Safewise, 2020)
- #2 Safest City in Texas (Safehome, 2019)
- #2 Best Place to Launch a Career (Money, 2018)
- Best Suburb in Texas (CNBC, 2018)
- #2 Best Place to Live in America (Money, 2017)
Demographics (2019)
| Population | 103,765 |
| Median age | 35.8 |
| Median household income | $107,602 |
| Median home value | $251,405 |
| Total single-family units | 27,971 |
| Allen ISD enrollment | 21,567 |
| Adults with a high school diploma | 96% |
| Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher | 55% |
| Registered voters | 59,620 |
View the annual Facts and Figures Guide [PDF] for more demographic information.
History
Caddo and Comanche tribes lived in the region before immigrants of European descent came to Allen in the 1840s. The original township of Allen was located along the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. It was named for Ebenezer Allen, a former attorney general of Texas and one of the promoters of the railroad. The first train robbery in Texas took place in Allen on February 22, 1878 by Sam Bass and his associates.
In 1907 the Texas Traction Company purchased land on the west side of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad track to build the Interurban line. A devastating fire destroyed most of the business district between the Interurban tracks and the railroad in 1915. The Interurban closed in 1948 and the population of Allen declined to 400 in 1950.
Allen was officially incorporated in 1953. U.S. Interstate 75 was built in 1960, launching decades of continuous growth.