Arlington is a city located in Tarrant County Texas. With a 2023 population of 402,915, it is the 7th largest city in Texas and the 49th largest city in the United States.Arlington is currently growing at a rate of 0.72% annually and its population has increased by 2.19% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 394,266 in 2020. Spanning over 99 miles, Arlington has a population density of 4,207 people per square mile.
The average household income in Arlington is $79,268 with a poverty rate of 17.8%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Arlington is 32.9 years, 31.5 years for males, and 34.2 years for females.
The city’s top employer is Texas Health Resources, which employs over 8,000 people. Other top employers that are important to the city include Arlington Independent School District, the University of Texas at Arlington, Six Flags Over Texas, and the Parks at Arlington.
Arlington Population Growth
Arlington’s population has been on the rise since it was founded in the 19th century. The city’s population climbed to over 7,600 people at the time of the 1950 census. This was nothing compared to the boom that followed, with the population rising by over 482% in the ten years between 1950 and 1960. By 1980, the population had grown to over 160,000. At the time of the next census, this number jumped to over 261,000. The city’s estimated population increased 7.5% from the census taken in 2010, and this thriving city is well on its way to surpassing 400,000 residents very soon.
The Europeans first settled the city of Arlington in the mid-19th century. A trading post was established in 1841 under the name Marrow Bone Spring on the site of what is today Arlington. The city itself was founded years later in 1876. The city quickly developed a reputation for being a center for farming and cotton-ginning. By the end of the 19th century, many businesses in the agriculture industry were established.
Arlington was incorporated as a city in 1884. The city began to expand while the population continued to grow. By the early 20th century, the city was equipped with telephone service, natural gas, and electricity. A public school system was created as well. The population around the time of World War II grew to approximately 4,000.
A new industry came to Arlington during the 1950s with the construction of a General Motors plant. The automotive and aerospace sectors grew quite rapidly, leading to a population boom that lasted throughout the latter half of the 20th century. The city continued to expand with the addition of Six Flags Over Texas in the 1960s and the Texas Rangers baseball team, who transferred from Washington in 1972. The AT&T Stadium was constructed in the 21st century and became home to the Dallas Cowboys.
Today, the city continues to grow and thrive. There are many retail centers, museums, and other attractions that draw in visitors each year. Through the years, it has grown to become the largest city in Texas that is not a county seat, and it is the 48th most populated city in the country.