Garland is a suburb of Dallas, Texas, located in Dallas County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 215,768. Garland is somewhat famous for being one of the inspirations for former Garland resident Mike Judge's television show, King of the Hill, which is set in "Arlen, Texas." In addition to Mike Judge previously taking residence in Garland, singer LeAnn Rimes also grew up in Garland.
Following World War II, the suburban population boom that the nation experienced also reached Garland. By 1960, the population had more than tripled from 1950 numbers to 38,501. By 1970, it more than doubled again to 81,437. By 1980, the population crossed the 100,000-person threshold with 138,857 people and nearly doubled again in 20 years to 215,768 in 2000.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Garland was home to one of the two Dallas-area Wet N' Wild facilities before the company's purchase by Six Flags and eventual closure of the Garland facility in 1993 (the Arlington facility was renamed Six Flags Hurricane Harbor).
Garland is also home to 3D Realms, the video game company that created and developed Duke Nukem 3D, developed Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne. They are currently working on Duke Nukem Forever.