Plano was originally a large farming community, but since the 1970s, various ‘public work’ projects enhanced it into a suburban area.
Although Plano is not necessarily attractive to tourists, it’s one of Texas’s best areas for permanent residents. Regarded as one of the wealthiest cities with a poverty rate lower than 6.4% and home to various corporate headquarters, Plano is a sensible choice for people who want to live in a safe and wealthy city.
About Plano Texas
The name ‘Plano’ is a Spanish word meaning ‘flat’ and refers to the area which was largely empty and had no disruptive hill formations. As a result, sizable industrial development and building initiatives happened swiftly and efficiently, increasing the general population at an impressive speed. The all-America city is now one of the largest in Dallas.
A dominating percentage of people who travel to Plano do so for business due to its proximity to Dallas. Plano invests a lot of effort in enhancing the city to increase business opportunities.
New houses and businesses are created in walkable neighborhoods to promote environmentally friendly options and to attract prospective business clients. Major companies like Toyota & Liberty Mutual have permanently decided to function from Plano.
Facts About Plano
- Location: United States, Northeast in Texas
- County: Colin, Denton
- Land Area: 71.69 square mile/ 185.67 square kilometer
- Zipcodes: 75023-26, 75074-75
- Population: 285, 494
- Crime rate: 1 800.6 per 100 000 people
- Average Temperature June: 81⁰ Fahrenheit
- Average Temperature January: 45⁰ Fahrenheit
- Universities: Naveen Jindal School of Management, Southern Methodist University
- Airports: Air Park Airport, Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Love Field Airport
- Best hotels: Dallas/ Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center, Homewood Suites by Hilton North Dallas-Plano
- Best Restaurants: Whiskey Cake, Mexican Sugar, Haywire
What’s Plano Known For?
For permanent residents, the low cost of living and continuous successful efforts to increase job opportunities is enormously beneficial. Since 2015, Liberty Mutual and JP Morgan Chase have collectively created more than 12’000 jobs.
CNN Money once called it the best place to live in the western United States, especially for job opportunities and salary-earning potential.
In addition, famous trademarks of Plano include:
- The Plano, Texas, Electric railway is now a famous museum of the historic train station that operated from 1908 to 1948.
- The heritage Farmstead Museum, Ammie Wilson House, is a national historic place previously owned by an award-winning livestock breeder from the 1930s.
- Although Plano is flat and quite devoid of trees, there are many nature reserves and parks to enjoy that host various events and festivals throughout the year, like the Balloon festival. Bob Woodruff Park even has a tree older than 200 years.
People From Plano?
- Lance Armstrong, an infamous professional cyclist.
- Nastia Liukin – is an Olympic gymnast with five medals.
- Per Lindstrand – an aeronautical engineer who set a record for hot air balloons in Plano.
- Zig Ziglar – famous businessman and religious motivational speaker.
- John Herrington, Former Astronaut
Where is Plano?
Plano is in the northeast region of Texas and directly in front of Dallas when facing north. Plano is around 20 miles north of Dallas and is approximately 30 min away from the Dallas Love Field Airport on the Dallas North Tollway connecting to the Interstate 635 TEXpress. The coordinates are latitude 33.019844 and longitude -96.698883.
Nearby Locations
Cities nearby Plano, excluding Dallas, are:
- Frisco is 20 miles away
- Lewisville, 24 miles away
- Arlington, 24 miles away
- Denton is 38 miles away
- Fort Worth is 54 miles away
Layout Of Plano
As you enter Plano, Texas, via the Interstate 635 TEXpress from Dallas, the urbanized area will be on the right, and the heritage farm museum to the far left. Both Woodruff Park and Oak Point Park And Nature reserve are also on the right past the urbanized area filling the 71.6 square miles of land.
Areas In Plano Texas
- Willow Blend
- Whiffletree
- Normandy Estates
- Lakeside on Preston
- Indian Creek
Getting About In Plano
Due to Plano growing exponentially, one-way commuting time grew above the US average. Plano’s one-way commuting time is 26.5 min compared to the US average of 26.4, partly due to most residents using their cars.
| Transportation Means | Plano Population | USA Population |
| Driving A Car Alone | 81.7% | 76.4% |
| Carpooling | 6.7% | 9.2% |
| Public Transportation | 1.3% | 5.1% |
| Riding A Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Walking | 1.1% | 2.7% |
Walking And Cycling
Although some neighborhoods are being constructed with a new urbanism philosophy meaning houses and businesses will be within walking distance of each other, for the time being, walking is not an ideal option for an area predominantly focused on business.
Public Transport
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit has bus and train services, some of which work seven days a week. The trinity railway express will get you to Dallas with the red and orange line to Plano.
Dart buses also have routes that specifically serve Plano, especially the FLEX service routes. However, most residents prefer their own car for convenience.
Driving Alone And Carpooling
Most residents in Plano prefer having their own car as various business opportunities continue to expand. Most workers require the convenience of transporting themselves to different locations at inconvenient times to stay involved with the changes.
What To Do In Plano
Although Plano is more geared towards business owners than tourists, there are a few attractions like museums and parks and award-winning festivals like the ‘Boo Bash’ and ‘Arbor Day Celebration’ that you can visit and attend throughout the year.
- Arbor Hills Nature Reserve
- Oak Point Park & Nature reserve
- The Interurban Railway Museum
- Southfork Ranch
Stroll Through The Arbor Hills Nature Reserve
Arbor Hills Nature Reserve has a trail you can follow on foot, or a bicycle, to explore the exciting wildlife species, ponds, and rich tree and plant life.
Learn About The Interurban Railway Museum
Located in Plano’s famous and historic downtown area, you can attend the museum to learn about the post office system, electric rail travel, and regional history. Moreover, entertainment is available for the children, and there are opportunities to book special field trips.
Visit Oak Point Park
In a park with more than 800 acres of natural beauty, you can ‘go ape’ on five industrial sections with ladders and crossings. In addition, it’s a popular canoeing spot to explore the scenery if you don’t prefer hiking.
Visit Southfork Ranch
Commonly known as the ‘world’s famous ranch’ due to the popular television series ‘Dallas,’ you can enjoy horseback rides across the ranch or even explore memorabilia made famous from the series.
Where To Eat
- Haywire
- Kona Grill
- Suburban Yacht Club
- Urban Rio & On the rocks
Where To Stay
- Aloft Plano
- Baymont by Wyndham Plano
- Cambria Hotel Plano-Frisco
- Candlewood Suites Dallas Plano East Richardson
Plano FAQs
Is Plano Texas A Safe Place to Live?
Plano is among the top five safest cities in the nation, and the crime rate is 23% lower than the national average. The FBI statistics indicate that Plano’s crime rate is 1801 per 100k people compared to the national average of 2346 per 100k people.
What Demographic Of People Live In Plano?
Regarding race and ethnicity, the most prominent groups are 46.3% white, 24.08% Asian, 16.04% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.77% black or African American. The remaining percentages of the total number of people (285.494) are Native American, Pacific Islander, and Multi-racial.
References:
- About Plano Texas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plano,_Texas#Demographics
- What to do in Plano: https://www.plano.gov/
Christian Linden is a seasoned writer and contributor at Texas View, specializing in topics that resonate with the Texan community. With over a decade of experience in journalism, Christian brings a wealth of knowledge in local politics, culture, and lifestyle. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Texas. When he's not writing, Christian enjoys spending weekends traveling across Texas with his family, exploring everything from bustling cities to serene landscapes.
