| Official Name: | Italy, Texas |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Motto: | "The biggest little town in Texas" |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Texas |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Ellis |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 4.67 |
| Area Land Km2: | 4.67 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1.80 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1.80 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 1926 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Elevation M: | 174 |
| Elevation Ft: | 571 |
| Coordinates: | 32.1828°N -96.885°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 76651 |
| Area Code: | 214, 469, 972 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 48-37072[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1338518[3] |
Italy (unlike the country) is a town in Ellis County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,926 in 2020. The community was named after Italy by a settler who had visited the European country.[4]
Italy was founded in 1879 by settlers who found the surrounding land suitable for growing cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, and wheat. The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad reached Italy in 1890, with the railroad stop making the town an important market center. The population grew steadily, from 1,061 in 1900 to 1,500 in 1925, until the Great Depression sparked a decline lasting over three decades. The town began to see economic and population growth again in the 1970s, with the population rising to nearly 2,000 residents by 2000.
Italy is located in southwestern Ellis County at 32.1827°N -96.885°W (32.182705, –96.884967).[5] Interstate 35E crosses the northwestern corner of the town at exit 386; it leads north to Waxahachie, the county seat, north to downtown Dallas, and southwestward to its junction with I-35W near Hillsboro. U.S. Route 77 passes through the center of Italy and parallels I-35E. Texas State Highway 34 leads northeast from the center of Italy to Ennis.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Italy has a total area of 4.7km2, all land.[6]
| White (NH) | 1,133 | 58.83% | |
| Black or African American (NH) | 234 | 12.15% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 8 | 0.42% | |
| Asian (NH) | 7 | 0.36% | |
| Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 56 | 2.91% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 488 | 25.34% | |
| Total | 1,926 |
The town is served by the Italy Independent School District, which includes Italy High School (grades 7–12) and Stafford Elementary (prekindergarten - grade 6), and the S.M. Dunlap Memorial Library.[8]
In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.[9]
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Italy has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.[10]