Duncanville, Texas | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: City of Champions | |
 Location of Duncanville inDallas County,Texas | |
| Coordinates:32°38′05″N96°54′24″W / 32.63472°N 96.90667°W /32.63472; -96.90667 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Dallas |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| Area | |
• Total | 11.21 sq mi (29.04 km2) |
| • Land | 11.20 sq mi (29.01 km2) |
| • Water | 0.012 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 715 ft (218 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 40,706 |
| • Density | 3,634/sq mi (1,403/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central) |
| ZIP codes | 75116, 75137, 75138 |
| Area codes | 214, 469, 945, 972 |
| FIPS code | 48-21628[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410369[2] |
| Website | www.duncanvilletx.gov |
Duncanville is a city in southwesternDallas County, Texas, United States. Duncanville's population was 40,706 at the2020 census.[4] The city is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes Duncanville,Cedar Hill,DeSoto, andLancaster.
Settlement of the area began in 1845, whenIllinois resident Crawford Trees purchased several thousand acres south of Camp Dallas. In 1880, the Chicago, Texas, and Mexican Central Railway reached the area and built Duncan Switch, named for a line foreman. Charles P. Nance, the community's first postmaster, renamed the settlement Duncanville in 1882. By the late 19th century, Duncanville was home to a dry-goods stores, a pharmacy, adomino parlor, and a school. Between 1904 and 1933, the population of Duncanville increased from 113 to more than 300.[5]
DuringWorld War II, theArmy Air Corps established a landing field for flight training on property near the present-day intersection of Main St and Wheatland Road.[6]
Duncanville residents incorporated the city on August 2, 1947. During the postwar years, the military developed the Army's old landing field into theDuncanville Air Force Station, which was the headquarters for the fourNike-Hercules missile launch sites guarding Dallas/Fort Worth fromSoviet bomber attack. It also housed the Air Force tracking radars for the region.[7]
When the town's population reached 5,000 in 1962, citizens adopted a home-rule charter with council-manager city government. Sometimes regarded as a "white flight" suburb in the 1960s and 1970s, the city is now known for its racial diversity. Its population increased from about 13,000 in 1970 to more than 31,000 in 1988.[5]
The Texas Historical Commission has designated the City of Duncanville as an official Main Street City.[8]
Duncanville recognizes the importance of the formerDuncanville Air Force Station, which closed on July 1, 1964, but the Army continued to operate theNike Missile air defense operations until 1969, when the facility was turned over to the city. The WWII-era barracks and some other structures were initially repurposed for civic and community use. Over time, the buildings were systematically demolished, removing all signs of the historic base, but the history of the facility lives on in a monument that stands outside the library and community center.
The "stone igloo", aspring house originally located near the intersection of Center Street and Cedar Ridge Road, was preserved in a unique way. In the late 1960s or early 1970s, it was demolished, thereby producing a supply of rocks used to build a replica of the structure at a nearby park and paving the way for the construction of a neighborhood retail center.
Various pieces of the city's history are preserved at the Duncanville Historical Park, which is located on Wheatland Road in Armstrong Park on land that was once a part of the Duncanville Air Force Station. Historic buildings include the city's first Music Room.[6]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.3 square miles (29 km2), all land.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 841 | — | |
| 1960 | 3,774 | 348.8% | |
| 1970 | 14,105 | 273.7% | |
| 1980 | 27,781 | 97.0% | |
| 1990 | 35,748 | 28.7% | |
| 2000 | 36,081 | 0.9% | |
| 2010 | 38,524 | 6.8% | |
| 2020 | 40,706 | 5.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 8,729 | 21.44% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 12,085 | 29.69% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 107 | 0.26% |
| Asian (NH) | 550 | 1.35% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 17 | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 124 | 0.3% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 928 | 2.28% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18,166 | 44.63% |
| Total | 40,706 |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 40,706 people, 13,573 households, and 10,000 families residing in the city.
Duncanville City Hall is located at 203 E. Wheatland Road. Most city services are located in this facility, which also includes the Duncanville Recreation Center featuring meeting rooms, a double gymnasium, and an indoor walking track. Armstrong Park is also located next to City Hall. Duncanville has three walking trails, 17 city parks, and many other recreation spaces for team sports.[12]
U.S. Route 67 runs through the eastern portion of Duncanville.Interstate 20 passes through its northern portion.
TheUnited States Postal Service operates the Duncanville Post Office.[13]
The Duncanville Public Library is located at 201 James Collins Boulevard.
The city of Duncanville is a voluntary member of theNorth Central Texas Council of Governments association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 65.95%10,580 | 32.64%5,236 | 1.41%226 |
Duncanville is served by theDuncanville Independent School District.
The Duncanville ISD portion is zoned toDuncanville High School, which enrolls about 3,750 students annually, with over 4,000 students during the 2010–2011 school year.[15] At about 900,000 square feet (84,000 m2), the DHS campus is the largest in Texas, the largest in the nation, and the largest in the world in terms of physical size. In total, 13 of the 17 schools in the district are rated exemplary or recognized by theTexas Education Agency, and the district's ratings continue to outperform those of the surrounding districts (Cedar Hill,DeSoto,Lancaster,Dallas,Grand Prairie). They also outperform many of the school districts throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Duncanville is also home to the administrative offices ofAdvantage Academy.[16]
Dallas County residents are zoned toDallas College (formerly Dallas County Community College or DCCCD).[17]
Places adjacent to Duncanville, Texas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofDallas County, Texas,United States | ||
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| Historical communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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