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Living in
Alton.
About
Life in Alton
This small city in the Rio Grande Valley sits squarely in the McAllen metropolitan area, putting you right at the intersection of affordability and proximity to regional job centers. With a median home value around $156,300 and median rent at $1,038 a month, your cost of living stays genuinely low—though that's reflected in median household income around $52,715, so it's a tradeoff worth understanding upfront. The community is overwhelmingly Latino, with family-oriented neighborhoods where roughly half of households have children under 18 and over 62% of homes are owner-occupied, creating a stable, rooted feel rather than transient apartment sprawl.
Alton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
26.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
27.5%
Foreign-Born
26.1%
Broadband Internet
91.0%
of households
Population Growth
+32.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics26.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Alton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (94.4%), and 86.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
35.5%
of residents
65 and Older
7.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
55.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
11.7%
of households
Married Couples
53.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.78
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 26% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Alton
In Alton, rent runs 26% below the TX average, and home values are 45% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
31.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,245
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2006
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $187,600 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.1 pts above TX average
Unemployment in Alton
Unemployment in Hidalgo County, which includes Alton, is 2.1 percentage points higher than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Alton: Hidalgo County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Hidalgo County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Alton is about 2% of Hidalgo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Alton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.4 min avg
How Alton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alton, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 62% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
McAllen Miller International Airport (MFE)
Small hub568k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 182% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Alton runs 182% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
929.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
673.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Alton Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Hidalgo County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Hidalgo County, which includes Alton, the most common type is drought, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Drought | $53.1M |
| 2024 | 19 | Heat | $3,000 |
| 2023 | 32 | Drought | $2.1M |
| 2022 | 17 | Frost/Freeze | $140,000 |
| 2021 | 33 | Drought | $528,240 |
| 2020 | 40 | Drought | $370.2M |
| 2019 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30.2M |
| 2018 | 12 | Frost/Freeze | $51.1M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Hidalgo County, county-wide
Alton is about 2% of Hidalgo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality52 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Hidalgo County, which includes Alton, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
52
Good Days
162
per year
Moderate Days
199
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Hidalgo County, county-wide
Alton is about 2% of Hidalgo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate95°F summers, 49°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alton has hot summers (avg high 95°F) and warm winters (avg low 49°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
85°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
95°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/63°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
71°/49°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
20.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
183
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
39
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 47°F | 0.82" |
| Feb | 74°F | 51°F | 0.86" |
| Mar | 79°F | 57°F | 1.40" |
| Apr | 85°F | 63°F | 1.66" |
| May | 90°F | 70°F | 1.87" |
| Jun | 95°F | 74°F | 1.95" |
| Jul | 95°F | 75°F | 2.23" |
| Aug | 97°F | 75°F | 1.20" |
| Sep | 92°F | 71°F | 3.50" |
| Oct | 87°F | 64°F | 2.20" |
| Nov | 78°F | 55°F | 1.05" |
| Dec | 71°F | 48°F | 1.42" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alton
Uninsured
32.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Alton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mission Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · Mission
Doctors Hosptal at Renaissance
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7 mi away · Edinburg
Cornerstone Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.1 mi away · Edinburg
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Alton
Alton's student/teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 14.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Alton (within 15 miles)
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
8.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 28,666 students · in-state tuition $9,993 · 56% graduate · median earnings $52,947 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 15,856 students · in-state tuition $4,920 · 32% graduate · median earnings $39,609 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, 56 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alton
Alton has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (56 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
56 mi awayPadre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
79 mi awayCities Near Alton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Alton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alton FAQ
Is Alton, Texas affordable?⌄
Alton's median rent is $1,038/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $52,715/year. Median home value is $156,300.
Is Alton, Texas safe?⌄
Alton's violent crime rate was 929 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 673 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alton, Texas?⌄
Hidalgo County, which includes Alton, has an unemployment rate of 6.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alton, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Alton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,038/month and median household income is $52,715/year. The median home value is $156,300. About 31% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alton, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Alton is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from