By the late nineteenth century the Irving area was the site of churches, two cotton gins, a blacksmith shop and a general store.

A number of manufacturing plants operated in Irving, along with transportation, retail and financial businesses.

Four years later high-school student Ahmed Mohamed was the subject of a hoax bomb incident which ignited allegations of racial profiling and Islamophobia from many media and commentators.

[18] The entertainment district also includes the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas[19] and the Toyota Music Factory, an entertainment complex with numerous restaurants, an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the Texas Lottery Plaza open-air performance stage and the Pavilion at the Toyota Music Factory concert venue.

[20] On May 8, 2020, the city's local poultry plant run by Westfield, Wisconsin-based Brakebush Bros. Inc reported 40 cases of COVID-19 among its workers during the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic.

[30] According to the 2020 United States census, there were 256,684 people, 86,023 households, and 57,330 families residing in the city.

[32] As of 2009 the Indians have mainly settled in proximity to high technology companies,[34] into an area in western Irving along Texas State Highway 114.

[35] To absorb the Indian population, dense condominium and rental properties have opened in western Irving.

[36] According to the city's 2021–2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[38] the city's top employers are: Several large businesses have headquarters in Irving, including Nexstar Media Group, Aeroxchange, Caliber Home Loans, Nautilus Hyosung America, Inc., Chuck E. Cheese,[39] Cicis,[40] Commercial Metals,[41] Envoy Air (formerly American Eagle),[42] Gruma,[43] H.D.

[58] In June 2022, Caterpillar Inc, a construction and mining equipment manufacturer, announced it would move its headquarters to Irving.

[63] Perhaps as a result of the Nokia-Irving connection, Irving is twinned with Nokia's headquarters city, Espoo in Finland.

OSG is a leading provider of high end cutting tools used in industries such as automotive and aerospace.

Resident Organizations provide cultural programs for the community, and opportunities to participate in the creative process.

Community members can play a role in front of the curtain as musicians, actors, and artists, or behind the scenes as planners, technicians, directors and more.

[71][72] Prior to the November 2008 elections, Irving banned the sale of alcoholic beverages in stores, making it the largest in population dry suburb in North Texas.

On the third attempt, with heavy monetary backing by retailers, voters narrowly voted in favor of the measure in 2008.

On July 15, 2009, a federal judge ruled that Irving is required to create a new electoral system so that racial minority representatives may be voted into office.

[76][77] The city of Irving 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.

[85] The United States Postal Service operates post offices in Irving.

[86] Other post offices in the city include Central Irving, Las Colinas, and Valley Ranch.

[92] Uplift Education, a charter school operator, has its administrative offices in Irving.

John Carpenter Freeway, SH 114, and the President George Bush Turnpike create an X running northwest-to-southeast and southwest-to-northeast respectively.

[107] In addition, DART's Orange Line through runs through Irving and Las Colinas to DFW Airport.

[108] This connects northern Irving with Dallas through rail in addition to bus routes.