McAllen is home to 145,385 people in Texas. The median age is 33.5, younger than the US median of 38.9. The population is up 37% since 2000. The foreign-born share is 26%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $190,400. There are 2,332 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $61,579, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.5
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about McAllen
What changed most since 1990
Poverty rate32.7% → 20.0%(−12.8 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Population84,021 → 145,385(+73%)US over the same years: +35%
McAllen's population equals 16% of Hidalgo County's. Its number of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher equals 28% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 24% 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)28%(1,004)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)29.8%(1,069)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.7%(1,171)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.4%(159)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(18)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,582 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
McAllen, decade by decade
McAllen 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
84,021
$52,965
$132,724
19.1%
45.2
2000
106,414
$61,282
$127,152
23.6%
40.8
2010
129,877
$56,891
$143,857
27.7%
33.7
2020
142,210
$59,704
$159,383
31.3%
29.9
2024
145,385
$61,579
$190,400
32.5%
29.3
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.
