Wylie is a city in Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 15,132, but
recent rapid growth has 2004 estimates suggesting the population is already 25,850. Once solely
located in Collin County, Wylie has extended into neighboring Dallas and Rockwall counties. Both Lake Lavon and Lake Ray Hubbard are
within easy reach of the city. Since the 2000 census the population has grown 109.3%, making Wylie number 8 on the list of
fastest growing cities in the nation [1]. Current population is now listed at 32,696.
Geography
Wylie is located at 33°1′7″N, 96°31′44″W (33.018727,
-96.528910)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 86.2 km² (33.3 mi²). 50.2 km² (19.4 mi²) of it
is land and 36.1 km² (13.9 mi²) of it (41.83%) is water.
History of Wylie
Wylie was organized in the early 1870s and originally called Nickelville, reportedly after the name of the first store.
In 1886 the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway laid tracks a half mile north of the original townsite. Within a year the
businesses of Nickelville had moved to take advantage of the railroad and had named their new location Wylie, in honor of W.
D. Wylie, a right-of-way agent for the railroad.
Early Development
That same year Wylie received a post office branch and incorporated, choosing an alderman form of government. Two years later
the St. Louis Southwestern Railway reached the town. The two railroads and the rich agricultural region of the Blackland Prairies
contributed to the town's growth. Wylie had a population of 400 in 1890 and 773 in 1900. Before 1920 the community had over
thirty-five businesses, including two banks, a school, and a weekly newspaper. Unlike many rural Texas communities, Wylie grew
during the Great Depression years, reaching 914 residents by 1940. In part this was a result of increased dairy farming to meet
the demands of nearby Dallas. Following World War IIqv the population continued to increase. The construction of Lake Lavon five
miles north of town and the selection of Wylie to house the offices of the North Texas Municipal Water District, designed to
provide water for towns in four counties, pushed the population to 1,804 in 1960. [1]
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 15,132 people, 5,085 households, and 4,108 families residing
in the city. The population density was 301.6/km² (781.2/mi²). There were 5,326
housing units at an average density of 106.2/km² (275.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.45% White, 2.07% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.30% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.44% of the population.
There were 5,085 households out of which 50.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were
non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 37.6% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from
45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $58,393, and the median income for a family was $62,903. Males had a median
income of $44,239 versus $31,084 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$22,987. About 2.4% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2006 census, the North Texas Central Council of Governments has placed the city's population at 33,000. Most recent
estimates show the population approaching 39,000.
Local Government
Wylie has a council-manager form of government composed of a Mayor and seven council members (elected at large) along with an
appointed City Manager. The city has operated under a city charter (home rule) since 1985 when voters approved the measure in a
referendum. Wylie has received recognition for both its Police and Fire Departments in recent years.
Education
Most of the Collin County portion of Wylie is served by Wylie Independent School District. A minuscule portion in
Collin County is served by Princeton Independent School District.
The Dallas County portion is served by Garland Independent School
District. The Rockwall County portion is served by Rockwall
Independent School District.
References
External links
Coordinates:
33.018727° N 96.52891°
W
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
