Richland Hills operates under a charter adopted in 1986, which provides for a "Council-Manager" form of government. The Council is composed of a Mayor and five Council Members elected at large. The Council determines the overall goals and objectives for the city, establishes policies and adopts the city's annual operating budget. Richland Hills is a member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments association.
Geography
Richland Hills is located at , and has a total area of, all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,132 people, 3,197 households, and 2,196 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,584.6 people per square mile. There were 3,334 housing units at an average density of 1,059.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 90.41% White, 1.44% African American, 0.61% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 4.06% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.15% of the population. There were 3,197 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $43,377, and the median income for a family was $50,377. Males had a median income of $35,635 versus $28,066 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,247. About 3.9% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
There are 5 parks in Richland Hills – Including the city's newest location at 6750 Baker Blvd. This park site, The Link Plaza, hosts a water feature, pavilion and The Link – Event and Recreation Center. The other parks in the system include:
