With 72,087 people, Harlingen is a city in Texas. The median age is 33.4, younger than the US median of 38.9. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 25.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $140,600. Households here earn about 32% less than in Texas as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $53,645, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 41%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Harlingen
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree14.8% → 22.6%(+7.8 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$101,283 → $140,600(+39%)US over the same years: +67%
Harlingen's population equals 17% of Cameron County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 11% of the county's. Its number of veterans equals 26% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)16%(525)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.6%(611)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.2%(1,317)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(83)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3.4%(112)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,279 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Harlingen, decade by decade
Harlingen population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
48,735
$50,061
$101,283
14.8%
52.9
2000
57,564
$55,189
$99,462
16.8%
51.0
2010
64,849
$49,987
$108,612
18.5%
41.8
2020
71,829
$52,121
$111,508
18.5%
38.6
2024
72,087
$53,645
$140,600
22.6%
37.9
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
