United States › Texas › South Padre Island CITY
South Padre Island Texas · 2,086 residents (2025 est.) · 2.69 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
South Padre Island is a city of 2,891 people in Texas. At a median age of 60.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 53% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. The average commute runs 13 minutes. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $516,900. Growth has run 19% since 2000, or 469 more people.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 60.8
US median: 38.9
More educated
53% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 84%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 2,422 in 2000
2,086 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,075 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 1,007 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 46.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 2K 2K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 South Padre Island Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $70,472
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,417 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $31,708 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 36.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.495 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 20.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.1%
Education & health services 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$516,900
+84%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $154,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,521
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $702 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.5% in 2000
30.2% rent
from 77.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
1.79 people
−13%since 2009
from 2.05 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 33.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 75%(1,817)
Hispanic / Latino 22.8%(553)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 73.6%(2,127)
Hispanic / Latino 13.6%(392)
from 46 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 35.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 92.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 16.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 67.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 0.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 42.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 50.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 100.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 71.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 28.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 28.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 9.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 62.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 35.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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) 19.5%(65)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.1%(57)
Share of the 334 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to South Padre Island Head to head
Compare South Padre Island to nearby cities SOUTH PADRE ISLAND VS
Brownsville
Income $52,130 −26%
Home value $139,900 −73%
Population 192,957 +9150%
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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND VS
Los Fresnos
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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND VS
San Benito
Income $43,639 −38%
Home value $85,300 −83%
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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND VS
Harlingen
Income $53,645 −24%
Home value $140,600 −73%
Population 72,467 +3374%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in South Padre Island, Texas? South Padre Island, Texas has about 2,891 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in South Padre Island, Texas? The typical household in South Padre Island, Texas earns about $70,472 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is South Padre Island, Texas expensive? In South Padre Island, Texas, the median home is worth about $516,900, and the typical rent is about $1,521 a month.
How educated are people in South Padre Island, Texas? About 52.7% of adults age 25 and over in South Padre Island, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in South Padre Island, Texas? About 16.0% of people in South Padre Island, Texas live below the federal poverty line.
Has South Padre Island, Texas grown since 1990? Yes, South Padre Island, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,214 residents, a change of about 72 percent over that period.
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