Melissa, Texas
Melissa is a growing city in Collin County, Texas, about 40 miles north of Dallas. The population has climbed from 1,350 in 2000 to 4,695 in 2010, and 13,901 in 2020. The city covers a little over 10 square miles, mostly land.
Major roads run through Melissa: State Highway 5 in the center, State Highway 121 in the east, and U.S. Route 75 on the west. These highways meet in the southwest part of town and head toward McKinney, about 6 miles away.
History highlights: People have lived in the area for thousands of years, including Paleo-Indians around 9,500 BC and later tribes. A post office opened in 1853, and the Houston and Texas Central Railroad arrived in 1872, helping the town grow. The town may be named after Melissa Huntington or Melissa, daughter of a railroad executive. The first school started in 1882, and a brick schoolhouse was built in 1910. Melissa was an important shipping point in the early 1900s. A devastating tornado struck in 1921, followed by a large fire in 1929, and the population declined for many years afterward.
Government and schools: Melissa uses a council-manager form of government; the mayor is Jay Northcut. It is served by the Melissa Independent School District. Melissa High School began in 2007, with its first graduating class that year. Over the years, several elementary and middle schools were built, and in 2019 the district reorganized campuses to serve pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
Quick facts: ZIP codes 75071 and 75454. Area codes 214, 469, 945, and 972.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:29 (CET).