Hutchins is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. Its population was 5,607 at the 2020 census.

History The area was first inhabited by families around 1860 as a trading place for immigrants who settled along the west bank of the Trinity River and new arrivals who crossed the Trinity at Dowd's Ferry from the east.

The town received its name from railroad developer William J. Hutchins, who was then president and general manager of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. The railway was completed through Hutchins in 1872. That same year, a post office opened in the community. The population of Hutchins grew to around 250 residents in 1884 and topped 300 by 1890. That figure declined slightly to 204 in 1904, but had risen to 500 in 1926.

Hutchins was officially incorporated in 1945. In the first census conducted after incorporation in 1950, the population stood at 743. Despite the rapid growth of Dallas County and most of its suburban communities during the latter half of the 20th century, Hutchins has grown at a much slower pace, and today, it is one of the smallest municipalities in the county. As of 2000, the city of Hutchins had 133 businesses and a population of 2,805. Many of the businesses in the city are industrial or manufacturing related. A number of its residents are employed in the city of Dallas.

Geography Hutchins is located at (32.643784, –96.707538), about south of downtown Dallas. It is bordered by Dallas on the north and northwest, Lancaster on the southwest, Wilmer to the south, and the Trinity River to the east. Interstate Highways 20 and 45 pass through the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 2.35%, is covered by water.

Thomas Korosec of the Dallas Observer wrote that the main street of Hutchins had "a faded, smalltown feel" due to the shops along it.Korosec, Thomas. "Last in the Class." Dallas Observer. October 3, 1996. Retrieved on May 27, 2016.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Hutchins had a population of 5,607, with a median age of 30.9 years; 30.1% of residents under 18 and 7.7% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 111.3 males, and for every 100 females 18 and over, there were 114.2 males 18 and over.

About 90.1% of the residents lived in urban areas, while 9.9% lived in rural areas. Of the 1,598 households, 51.4% had children under 18; 38.0% were married-couple households, 16.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 37.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

Of the 1,664 housing units, 4.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 1,252 22.3% Black or African American 2,180 38.9% American Indian and Alaska Native 81 1.4% Asian 18 0.3% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 1 0.0% Some other race 1,298 23.1% Two or more races 777 13.9% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 2,550 45.5%

Government and infrastructure The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Hutchins State Jail for men in Hutchins."Hutchins Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Most of Hutchins is within the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). - Text list As of fall 2011, the area is zoned to Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary School,"Fall 2011 Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary Attendance Zone Grades PK-5." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on July 15, 2011. Kennedy-Curry Middle School,"Fall 2011 Kennedy-Curry Middle School Attendance Zone Grades 6-8." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on July 15, 2011. and Wilmer-Hutchins High School."Fall 2011 Wilmer-Hutchins High School Attendance Zone Grades 9-12." llas Independent School District. Retrieved on July 15, 2011.

A portion of Hutchins is within Lancaster Independent School District. The zoned high school of that section is Lancaster High School.

School histories

Most of Hutchins was served by the Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District (WHISD).Map of Dallas County showing area school districts prior to WHISD consolidation - Texas Education Agency - Web version - 2000 U.S. Census maps of Hutchins - 1990 index of Dallas County: Hutchins is on pages 67, 76, 77, 86, and 87

Until the end of the school district, C.S. Winn Elementary School was located in Hutchins."Campuses." Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District. April 5, 2002. Retrieved on September 3, 2011."Our Schools." Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District. Retrieved on September 3, 2011. "C.S. Winn Elementary 1701 S. Millers Ferry Road Hutchins, Texas 75141" and "Hutchins Academic 500 Palestine Street Hutchins, Texas 75241" The Hutchins Academic Elementary School was also located in Hutchins. In 2004, the WHISD board voted to close Hutchins Academic, which had 82 students at the time.Benton, Joshua. "Wilmer-Hutchins board votes to close 3 schools; Police Department also gets ax as district tries to rein in costs ." The Dallas Morning News. December 14, 2004. 1B. Retrieved on August 22, 2009.Benton, Joshua. "Wilmer-Hutchins district plans to close 3 campuses to cut costs; Schools chief says arts magnet, elementary, learning center to shut ." The Dallas Morning News. December 7, 2004. 1B. Retrieved on September 3, 2011. the former students moved to C.S. Winn and Wilmer Elementary School in Wilmer in January 2005. In addition the Hutchins 5th Grade Center opened in 2000."Chapter 2 EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DELIVERY Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District." Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts. Retrieved on September 3, 2011. In addition, Kennedy-Curry Middle School and Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas, then under WHISD control, served Wilmer.

The DISD took over all of WHISD for the 2005–2006 school year. WHISD closed shortly afterwards, with official termination in spring 2006. After the closure of WHISD, property values in the district increased."W-H property values increase: Schools' negative publicity had scared development, some say.." The Dallas Morning News. July 1, 2006. For the 2005–2006 school year until the 2010–2011 school year, the WHISD portion of Hutchins was served by several schools located in Dallas.Schechter, David. "DISD reopens an old school to much excitement". WFAA. August 18, 2011. Retrieved on September 6, 2011. "When the Wilmer-Hutchins District collapsed six years ago, many of the students of the defunct district were absorbed throughout DISD, which sometimes led to long commutes." The final 12th-grade class of WHISD attended South Oak Cliff High School.Gordon, Jennifer. "Wilmer -Hutchins seniors will go to South Oak Cliff High." The Dallas Morning News. Wednesday July 27, 2005. Retrieved on July 15, 2011. Other than that class, zoned high schools with sections of Hutchins included A. Maceo Smith and David W. Carter High Schools."Fall 2006 David W. Carter High School (9-12) Attendance Zone with Wilmer-Hutchins." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on July 15, 2011."Fall 2006 A. Maceo Smith High School (9-12) Attendance Zone with Wilmer-Hutchins." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on July 15, 2011."Fall 2010 David W. Carter High School Attendance Zone with Wilmer-Hutchins — Grades 9-12." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on July 15, 2011."Fall 2010 A. Maceo Smith High School Attendance Zone with Wilmer-Hutchins — Grades 9-12." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on July 15, 2011.

The DISD considered opening a new Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary School building, restoring the Wilmer-Hutchins High School building, and demolishing the Kennedy-Curry Middle School building as part of its 2008 bond campaign."Summary of Recommendations for 2008 Bond Program ." Dallas Independent School District. The Wilmer Hutchins Elementary School was to open in an area of the City of Dallas in 2011."New Schools-2008 Bond Program ." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on January 8, 2010. In November 2010, DISD announced that three schools (Wilmer Hutchins ES, Kennedy-Curry Middle School, and Wilmer-Hutchins HS) would open/reopen in the Wilmer-Hutchins area in 2011.Hobbs, Tawnell D. "Dallas school district to open 3 Wilmer-Hutchins campuses, close 2 others." The Dallas Morning News. November 24, 2010. Retrieved on July 15, 2011.

Public libraries

The Atwell Public Library serves Hutchins."About Hutchins, Texas." City of Hutchins. Retrieved on April 27, 2009.

Colleges and universities

Dallas County residents are zoned to Dallas College (formerly Dallas County Community College or DCCC).Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.176. DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.

Miscellaneous Union Pacific's Dallas Intermodal Terminal is located partly in the city of Hutchins and partly in the city of Wilmer.

References

External links City of Hutchins official website Hutchins Fire Department Hutchins Police Department Hutchins Economic Development Corporation Hutchins Economic Development Corporation (Archive)