The Western Hills community encompasses the urban area surrounding the school, the Benbrook City area, parts of Fort Worth, and the rural section west to the Tarrant County line. Formerly, the city of Benbrook had its own school system. In 1954, all Benbrook students above the sixth grade were transferred to the Fort Worth ISD. In 1962, the Benbrook School District was consolidated into the Fort Worth system, busing the high school students to North Side High School or Arlington Heights High School and its junior high schools to J.P. Elder or William Monnig Junior High. Western Hills was first opened on the campus of Arlington Heights High School in the fall of 1968 with 714 students crowded into thirteen temporary buildings. In January 1969, this student body proudly moved into its new home on the twenty-five acre tract in north Benbrook at 3600 Boston Avenue. In 1972, the steady growth and development of the district was reflected by the increase in enrollment from the original 714 to 2,243. The student body was housed not only in the main building with one level but also in 23 portable buildings. In 1980, the student population started a steady decline to 2,052. At the beginning of the 1980-1981 school year, the school building was expanded to two floors and eliminated the portable buildings. In 1991, the decline of student enrollment had topped off to 1,503. At the present time, the school enrollment fluctuates from 1,503 to 1,461 and 14 portable buildings have been added to the campus.