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. 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.
| align = right
| align-fn = center
thumb|JP Morgan Chase Bank in Farmers Branch
2020 census
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.<br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic)
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|White (NH)
|12,957
|36.0%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|2,925
|8.13%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|104
|0.29%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|3,132
|8.7%
|-
|Pacific Islander (NH)
|11
|0.03%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|180
|0.5%
|-
|Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)
|1,008
|2.8%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino
|15,674
|43.55%
|-
|Total
|35,991
|
|}
Economy
According to <!-- Table 14 on page 98 of --> the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report the top employers in the city are:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|Internal Revenue Service
|1,200
|-
|2
|Feizy
|1,170
|-
|3
|Anserteam LLC
|1,001
|-
|4
|Telvista
|1,000
|-
|5
|TDIndustries
|900
|-
|6
|Haggar Clothing Company
|750
|-
|7
|IBM
|700
|-
|7
|MONI Smart Security
|700
|-
|9
|Encore Enterprises, Inc.
|650
|-
|9
|Glazer's Wholesale Drug Company
|650
|}
As of 2012, Farmers Branch had 3,500 companies. Celanese Corporation, Eyemart Express, I2 Technologies, OxyChem, and Varsity Brands have their headquarters in Farmers Branch. Maxim Integrated Products has an office in Farmers Branch.<!--The Maxim HQ is actually in California, despite what the page says--> All Smiles Dental Centers formerly had its headquarters in Farmers Branch.
Excellence Health Inc. has an office in Farmers Branch that covers the Dallas life sciences cluster.
North Central Texas Council of Governments 2018 estimated total employment for the City of Farmers Branch is 78,393. The report is adjusted by the City of Farmers Branch finance department for businesses closed or moved prior to the reporting year.
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
! Year
! Democratic
! Republican
! Third Parties
|-
|align="center" |2024
|align="center" |55.42% 8,319
|align="center" |42.41% 6,366
|align="center" |2.17% 326
|-
|align="center" |2020
|align="center" |58.42% 8,588
|align="center" |39.80% 5,851
|align="center" |1.78% 261
|-
|align="center" |2016
|align="center" |49.56% 5,364
|align="center" |45.52% 4,927
|align="center" |4.92% 533
|-
|align="center" |2012
|align="center" |41.14% 3,838
|align="center" |57.13% 5,329
|align="center" |1.73% 161
|}
Local government
According to the city's most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fund Financial Statements, the city's various funds had $50.0 million in revenues, $64.5 million in expenditures, $33.8 million in total assets, $6.5 million in total liabilities, and $38.2 million in investments.
The structure of the management and co-ordination of city services is:
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Department
! Director
|-
|City Manager
|Ben Williamson
|-
|Deputy City Manager
|Stacy Henderson
|-
|Municipal Judge
|Terry L. Carnes
|-
|Communications
|Vacant
|-
|Community Services
|Vacant
|-
|Neighborhood Services
|Vacant
|-
|Planning & Zoning
|Vacant
|-
|Economic Development & Tourism
|Vacant
|-
|Finance
|Jay Patel
|-
|Human Resources
|Jeffrey Ross
|-
|Innovation & Technology
|Joseph Brock
|-
|Manske Library
|Vacant
|-
|Fire Chief
|Daniel Latimer
|-
|Police Chief
|Kevin McCoy
|-
|Parks & Recreation
|Robert Diaz
|-
|Public Works
|Vacant
|-
|Fleet & Facilities Management
|Vacant
|-
|}
The city has its own police department.
Farmers Branch is a voluntary member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments association, the purpose of which is to co-ordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.
Education
Public school districts
Residential areas in Farmers Branch are within two school districts.<!--Note the zoning map as several areas are not zoned for residential housing. In regards to school zoning specifics, only count areas zoned to residential use!! For tax reasons school districts only are relevant for commercial areas, not individual schools // http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st48_tx/c48113_dallas/DC10SD_C48113_001.pdf shows eastern areas in Farmers Branch and Dallas ISD, but they are only zoned for commercial use.-->
Most of Farmers Branch is a part of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District. Dave Blair Elementary School, Farmers Branch Elementary School, Janie Stark Elementary School, and Nancy H. Strickland Intermediate School (3–5) are in Farmers Branch. Sections zoned to Strickland for grades 3–5 are zoned to Neil Ray McLaughlin Elementary School (K–2) in Carrollton Vivian C. Field Middle School is in Farmers Branch and serves almost all of the CFBISD portion. R. L. Turner High School in Carrollton also serves almost all of CFBISD Farmers Branch. Residential areas south of Interstate 635 and west of Interstate 35E<!--See land use map--> are zoned to La Villita Elementary School, Barbara Bush Middle School and Ranchview High School in Irving. CFBISD's Early College High School, an alternative high school, is on the property of Brookhaven College.
Dallas Independent School District includes a small portion of Farmers Branch. One DISD elementary school, Chapel Hill Preparatory School, known as William L. Cabell Elementary School until its 2018 renaming, is in Farmers Branch. Its current name is a reference to the Chapel Hill community; it was renamed since the former namesake, Mayor of Dallas William Lewis Cabell, served in the Confederate States of America. Other residential portions of DISD Farmers Branch are served by Gooch Elementary. Residential areas in DISD are zoned to Marsh Middle School and W.T. White High School.
Mayor Tim O'Hare proposed making a new municipal Farmers Branch school district with the portions currently in CFBISD and DISD. In 2011, about 66% of voters decided against the referendum. At the time, the city did not have the 8,000 children required under Texas law as a requirement for forming a new district, so KTVT stated, "Even if the proposal had passed, there would have been little, if anything, the city could have done to move forward".
Private schools
Mary Immaculate Catholic School, a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas, is in Farmers Branch. In addition, German International School of Dallas, established in 2009 and serving preschool and elementary school, is in the city limits.
Colleges and universities
The Texas Legislature defines all of Dallas County (Farmers Branch included) as in the service area of Dallas College, as well as all of CFBISD. Brookhaven College of Dallas College is in the Farmers Branch city limits.
Additionally Farmers Branch is home to Dallas Christian College, a four-year Bible college.
Weekend supplementary education
The Japanese School of Dallas, a supplementary Japanese school, previously had its main office in Farmers Branch. The school conducts its classes at Ted Polk Middle School in Carrollton.
Transportation
Farmers Branch was one of fifteen cities to approve services of Dallas Area Rapid Transit in 1983 by levying a 1 cent sales tax. The city currently receives DART bus service, with service to downtown Dallas (by both regular route and express bus), the adjacent suburb of Carrollton, and crosstown routes as well. On December 6, 2010, the city received light rail transit service with a station near the northeast corner of Interstates 635 and 35E on the , which runs from Pleasant Grove in southeast Dallas through downtown Dallas following I-35E up to Carrollton at Frankford Road.
The city is between Interstate 35E to the west, the Dallas North Tollway on the east, and Interstate 635 to the south.
Sister cities
Farmers Branch maintains a sister city relationship with Bassetlaw, United Kingdom, and Garbsen, Germany.
Notable person
- Julie Johnson – U.S. representative, former Texas state representative
Notes
References
External links
- City of Farmers Branch official website