Overview
Balch Springs is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. The
population was 19,375 at the 2000 census. Balch Springs is a suburb of
Dallas. Before being renamed to Balch Springs, the city was known as Zip
City.
In the 1980s Balch Springs attempted to be annexed to another city, once to
Mesquite, Texas, and another time to Dallas. Neither vote was successful.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
20.9 km² (8.1 mi²). 20.9 km² (8.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.12% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 19,375 people, 6,175 households, and
4,828 families residing in the city. The population density was 928.1/km²
(2,404.7/mi²). There were 6,504 housing units at an average density of
311.6/km² (807.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 62.90% White,
18.52% African American, 0.98% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.03% Pacific
Islander, 14.05% from other races, and 2.89% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.72% of the population.
There were 6,175 households out of which 46.6% had children under the age of
18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 20.5% had a
female householder with no husband present, and 21.8% were non-families.
16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone
living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.49.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.1% under the age of 18,
10.7% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who
were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100
females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
were 92.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,087, and the median
income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $29,256 versus
$26,611 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,476. About
10.7% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line,
including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public schools
The southwest portion of Balch Springs is served by Dallas Independent
School District, while the northeast portion is served by Mesquite
Independent School District. The two portions are roughly each one half of
the city.
Mesquite Independent School District
Mesquite ISD students are zoned to one of the following elementary schools:
* Floyd Elementary School (PreK-5, Balch Springs)
* Gray Elementary School (PreK-5, Balch Springs)
* Hodges Elementary School (PreK-5, Balch Springs)
* Mackey Elementary School (PreK-5, Balch Springs)
* McWhorter Elementary School (PreK-5, Mesquite)
* Moss Elementary School (K-6, Mesquite)
Most Mesquite ISD students are zoned to A.C. New Middle School (grades 6-8)
and West Mesquite High School (9-12). Some MISD students (in the portion
zoned to McWhorter) are zoned to Wilkinson Middle School (6-8) and WMHS. A
small portion (the portion zoned to Moss) of Balch Springs is zoned to Agnew
Middle School (7-8) and Mesquite High School. All secondary schools
mentioned are in the city of Mesquite.
Dallas Independent School District
W. W. Samuell High School serves a portion of the DISD section of Balch
Springs
W. W. Samuell High School serves a portion of the DISD section of Balch
Springs
Dallas ISD students are zoned to:
* Cuellar Elementary School (PK-6)
* Lagow Elementary School (PK-6)
* Runyon Elementary School (PreK-6)
Students zoned to Lagow continue on to E.B. Comstock Middle School (7-8) and
H. Grady Spruce High School (9-12).
Students zoned to Cuellar and Runyon continue on to Fred F. Florence Middle
School (7-8) and W.W. Samuell High School (9-12). All DISD schools mentioned
are in the city of Dallas.
Some Balch Springs residents wish for the DISD portion to be rezoned into
MISD.
Private schools
There is also a private Christian school within the Balch Springs city
limits. Balch Springs Christian Academy serves students from Kindergarten to
12th grade. This school was also involved in a bus accident in the summer of
1987 near the Guadalupe River in south Texas.