Richardson is a city in North Texas, located primarily in Dallas County with a portion extending into Collin County, about 18 miles north of downtown Dallas. With a population of roughly 119,000, it is a mature, well-established suburb that has evolved into one of the region's most important technology and education centers. The city's economic identity is the Telecom Corridor, a technology business district along U.S. Highway 75 that began forming in the 1970s as telecommunications and high-tech firms clustered along Central Expressway. Today the corridor contains more than 25 million square feet of office space and accounts for over 130,000 jobs, making Richardson a major employment node in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Major technology and telecommunications employers have long anchored the area, earning it a place in the region's "Silicon Prairie." The University of Texas at Dallas, a public research university, is located in Richardson and adds a strong academic and research presence, as well as a steady stream of students and graduates. The university's growth has reinforced the city's technology economy and its youthful demographics. Residential Richardson spans established mid-century neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, and a growing stock of apartments and townhomes near CityLine, a transit-oriented district at the President George Bush Turnpike. Richardson ISD serves most of the city, and DART's Red Line stops at CityLine/Bush and UT Dallas, providing rail access to downtown Dallas and the wider metro. Richardson suits technology professionals, academics, and families seeking an established suburb with strong schools, major employers, and genuine rail connectivity throughout the region.