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COUNTY

Hidalgo County

Texas · 921,549 residents (2025 est.) · 1,571 sq mi
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Part of the McAllen metro area
The short version

Hidalgo County is home to 891,977 people in Texas. This skews young, with a median age of 30.5. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 322,514 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The poverty rate is 26.7%, above the 12.5% national rate. The typical home is worth $140,900, having roughly tripled since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $54,338, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Hidalgo County

What changed most since 1990

  • Population383,545 → 891,977 (+133%)US over the same years: +35%
  • Poverty rate41.9% → 26.7% (−15.2 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
  • White share14.1% → 6.0% (−8.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts

Among the 254 counties in Texas

  • 205th in household income$54,338
  • 127th in share with a bachelor's degree20.6%
  • 166th in home value$140,900
  • 248th in diversity score18.9
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
891,977
+57%since 2000
from 569,463 in 2000
921,549 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
568 / sq mi
+57%since 2000
from 362 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
30.5
+12%since 2000
from 27.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,571 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
333K485K638K790K943K19902000201020202024Hidalgo County
2024892K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57.8%(69,846)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 98.3%(74,011)
US avg: 6%
10 to 149.5%(84,401)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.7%(77,918)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.8%(69,800)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.7%(122,284)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.2%(109,072)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(102,439)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 648.7%(77,671)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 746.6%(58,777)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.8%(34,011)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(11,747)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,338
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,863 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$23,117
+134%since 2000
from $9,899 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.5%
+20.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
26.7%
−9.2 ptssince 2000
from 35.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.477
−3%since 2010
from 0.491 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade10.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Retail trade5.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3%
US avg: 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration2.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Manufacturing1.7%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction1.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$140,900
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$957
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $401 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
67.5%
−5.6 ptssince 2000
from 73.1% in 2000
32.5% rent
Vacancy rate
12.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
3.27 people
−2%since 2009
from 3.35 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.7%
−8.6 ptssince 2009
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
43.5%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.6
+12%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
71
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic10.4%(59,423)
Black0.3%(1,934)
Hispanic / Latino88.3%(503,100)
Asian0.6%(3,207)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic6%(53,400)
Black0.6%(5,099)
Hispanic / Latino91.9%(819,984)
Asian1%(9,017)
Other0.5%(4,477)
Diversity Score
19
−22%since 2009
from 24 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
44
−4%since 2020
from 46 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican87.3%(779,106)
Central American0.6%(5,433)
Puerto Rican0.4%(3,148)
South American0.3%(2,912)
Spaniard0.2%(2,224)
Honduran0.2%(2,094)
Salvadoran0.2%(1,646)
Cuban0.1%(1,297)
Guatemalan0.1%(1,121)
Colombian0.1%(1,006)
Dominican0.1%(987)
Venezuelan0.1%(573)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(562)
Nicaraguan0%(424)
Chilean0%(325)
Argentine0%(178)
Ecuadorian0%(174)
Bolivian0%(47)
Uruguayan0%(15)
Asian origin
Filipino0.4%(3,319)
Asian Indian0.2%(1,644)
Korean0.1%(1,238)
Chinese0.1%(788)
Japanese0.1%(646)
Vietnamese0.1%(561)
Nepalese0%(202)
Cambodian0%(187)
Taiwanese0%(84)
Pakistani0%(59)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(39)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(99)
Guamanian0%(12)
Fijian0%(12)
Ancestry
American2.4%(21,113)
German1.7%(15,203)
English1.1%(9,478)
Irish1%(9,096)
Italian0.4%(3,888)
French0.3%(2,952)
Scottish0.2%(1,867)
Polish0.2%(1,520)
Norwegian0.1%(1,318)
Swedish0.1%(1,316)
Dutch0.1%(1,074)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.1%(925)
Nigerian0.1%(839)
Portuguese0.1%(820)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(819)
British0.1%(650)
Welsh0.1%(493)
Lebanese0%(435)
Canadian0%(398)
Czech0%(383)
Danish0%(318)
Egyptian0%(267)
Brazilian0%(206)
Belgian0%(161)
Hungarian0%(149)
Russian0%(147)
Swiss0%(144)
Jamaican0%(129)
Ukrainian0%(128)
Iranian0%(127)
Slovak0%(121)
Slovene0%(119)
Finnish0%(117)
Moroccan0%(80)
Austrian0%(74)
Haitian0%(73)
Croatian0%(72)
Greek0%(60)
Kenyan0%(55)
Israeli0%(54)
Ethiopian0%(49)
Syrian0%(34)
Latvian0%(26)
Bulgarian0%(10)
Turkish0%(8)
Serbian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.6%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 12.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
70.2%
+19.8 ptssince 2000
from 50.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.6%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.5 min
+69%since 2000
from 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
74.7%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 76.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.9%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.2%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.6%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 10.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2011
from 58.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
63.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 63.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.8%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.8% in 2009
Female
50.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
Foreign born
26.1%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 28.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.2%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.2%
−0.8 ptssince 2012
from 14.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
28.2%
−8.5 ptssince 2013
from 36.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.0%
+25.6 ptssince 2017
from 62.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.7%
+5.3 ptssince 2020
from 88.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 90.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
19.9%
+4.5 ptssince 2016
from 15.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
78.9%
−4.5 ptssince 2016
from 83.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married40.1%(129,733)
Married51.4%(166,411)
Widowed2.3%(7,580)
Divorced6.2%(20,116)
Women 15+
Never married34.9%(118,723)
Married48.2%(163,681)
Widowed7.6%(25,854)
Divorced9.3%(31,621)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
28.2%
−8.5 ptssince 2013
from 36.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
27.2%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 28.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 9.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
12.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
28.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 29.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
39.4%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 37.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
37.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 37.0% 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)29.9%(5,806)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.7%(4,590)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.4%(6,485)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.7%(711)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(150)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 19,401 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

Hidalgo County, decade by decade

Hidalgo County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990383,545$40,088$85,44211.5%31.7
2000569,463$45,292$83,79612.9%26.1
2010774,769$45,860$105,01615.1%21.5
2020870,781$50,719$109,08419.3%19.0
2024891,977$54,338$140,90020.6%18.9

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.

Drill deeper

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Pop 877,858
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Places similar to Hidalgo County
Head to head

Compare Hidalgo County to nearby counties

HIDALGO COUNTY VS
Starr County
Income$37,639−31%
Home value$95,100−33%
Population66,319−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HIDALGO COUNTY VS
Willacy County
Income$54,180same
Home value$73,600−48%
Population19,971−98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HIDALGO COUNTY VS
Brooks County
Income$47,764−12%
Home value$81,000−43%
Population6,579−99%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HIDALGO COUNTY VS
Cameron County
Income$52,601−3%
Home value$136,500−3%
Population433,946−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Hidalgo County, Texas?

Hidalgo County, Texas has about 891,977 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Hidalgo County, Texas?

The typical household in Hidalgo County, Texas earns about $54,338 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Hidalgo County, Texas expensive?

In Hidalgo County, Texas, the median home is worth about $140,900, and the typical rent is about $957 a month.

How educated are people in Hidalgo County, Texas?

About 20.6% of adults age 25 and over in Hidalgo County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Hidalgo County, Texas?

About 26.7% of people in Hidalgo County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Hidalgo County, Texas grown since 1990?

Yes, Hidalgo County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 508,432 residents, a change of about 133 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →