[5] The area was first settled by Jared Ford in 1842 by William and Mary Larner on a site within the Peters Colony grant.

[6] Early on, Carrollton's livelihood was exclusively agricultural, but following the construction of the Dallas-Wichita Railroad through Trinity Mills in 1878, the community began to grow in its industrial significance.

[7][6] As a suburb of Dallas, in 2006, Carrollton was included in Relocate America's "Top 100 Places to Live" list.

With a 2010 population density of 3,209.8 people per square mile (1,239.3/km2), the city had a median age of 37.8 in 2020 and for every 100 females there were 94.6 males.

With continued immigration and birth rates among traditional minorities,[20] Carrollton's population became more racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse;[21] according to the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the city was 63.6% White, 8.4% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 13.4% Asian, 0.03% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 10.8% some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races.

Pacific Islanders and people of other races made up a constituent minority of 0.07% and 0.4% each, and multiracial Americans increased to 3.53% of the population.

As a suburb of Dallas, the city of Carrollton has sustained its own economic identity with the growing metropolitan area within North Texas.

Carrollton is home to the largest Korean community in Texas and the southern United States.

[26] Koreatown Carrollton, located at the intersection of Old Denton Road and President George Bush Turnpike, is home to a large number of Asian restaurants and businesses further stimulating the local and regional economies.

[27]Carrollton is a voluntary member of the North 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.

[29] Most of Carrollton is a part of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District which is within Dallas and Denton counties.

The 13,000-capacity Tommy Standridge Stadium is located in Carrollton; it is mostly used for high school football and soccer.

[39][40] Carrollton is connected to the Metroplex's highway network by Interstate 35E and the President George Bush Turnpike, as well as the Sam Rayburn Tollway at the far north end of the city.

The Green Line of Dallas Area Rapid Transit's DART light rail system terminates at North Carrollton/Frankford Station and has additional stops within the city limits at Trinity Mills and Downtown Carrollton.

Downtown Carrollton is a planned stop on DART's Silver Line, which is under construction and expected to open in 2023.