The Plano Story

Overview

Plano, with a 2009 population of over 268,000, is a prosperous place. In 2008, the City received national attention as being the nation’s Most Affluent City and Best City to Create Wealth. JCPenney, EDS - an HP Company, Frito-Lay, Perot Systems and Rent-A-Center are all headquartered in Plano. Several technology giants have major R&D operations here including Texas Instruments, Ericsson, McAfee, CA, Intuit and Alcatel-Lucent. These companies attract highly skilled workers from throughout the US and abroad.

Plano, unlike other affluent locations, is affordable. It has low taxes, housing prices and unemployment compared to most metros in the U.S. The Plano Independent School District is nationally regarded and provides an education comparable in quality to many top private schools.

The Early Years

Before settlement, the area was Blackland Prairie covered horizon to horizon by tall grasses, wildflowers and grazing herds of bison. In the 1840s, the first settlers came to Plano to take advantage of land grants. Plano remained a small rural farming community throughout most of its early history. The arrival of the Houston and Texas Central Railway in 1872 linked the town to Dallas and Houston and new markets. Subsistence farming transitioned to large cotton farms and cattle ranches.

Rapid Boom

In 1970 Plano’s population was under 18,000. During the 1970’s, a large population migration to the Sun Belt led to rapid growth of Dallas. Dallas’ growth moved north, and Plano lay in the path. Expansion of the Central Expressway followed by the Dallas North Tollway ushered in a boom in residential construction. By 1975, Plano’s population more than doubled then doubled again by 1980, when the total surpassed 72,000. Over half of the population growth was from out-of-state residents. Fortunately, visionary civic leaders invested heavily in infrastructure in preparation for growth.

Corporations Relocate to Plano

In the early 1980’s, EDS founder Ross Perot sought a new home for his company. He purchased 2,700 acres in Plano and created Legacy business park. In 1985, EDS moved to Legacy. That same year, after discussions with EDS customer and potato chip mogul Herman Lay, Frito-Lay located its headquarters there. In 1987, JCPenney announced that it would move its corporate headquarters from New York to Plano. The announcement brought considerable national attention to Plano and signaled that Plano was a prime business location.

Plano Today

Plano now has a large, diversified economy. Well known for its impressive roster of corporations and technology giants, Plano is also home to small companies and start ups. Many of its residents are transplants from other regions of the U.S. and the world. As a result, Plano is a diverse place. Here, you will hear many foreign languages, see different places of worship and taste foods from throughout the world. Although Plano is made up of many people with different cultures, religions and ethnicity it shares common values. Here you will see an emphasis on educational excellence, friendliness, civic and personal responsibility, and hard work. We encourage you to learn more about why so many visionary people have chosen to set up their business here and make Plano their home.