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Living in
McAllen.
About
Life in McAllen
Life in McAllen means embracing genuine affordability in a region that's genuinely transformed itself. Housing costs here are genuinely exceptional—median home prices hover around $190,400 and rent averages around $1,049 monthly, making this one of the most budget-friendly metros in the country. The median household income sits at $61,579, and the overall cost of living remains substantially lower than the national average, which means your paycheck stretches further whether you're buying groceries, paying utilities, or saving for a house.
McAllen at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.0%
Foreign-Born
26.2%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Population Growth
+5.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics26.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in McAllen: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In McAllen, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (84.9%), and 71.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.2%
of residents
65 and Older
13.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.3%
of households
Married Couples
48.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.95
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 25% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in McAllen
In McAllen, rent runs 25% below the TX average, and home values are 33% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,287
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1995
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $226,801 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above TX average
Unemployment in McAllen
Unemployment in McAllen is 0.5 percentage points higher than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What McAllen Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.9 min avg
How McAllen residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In McAllen, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 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 62% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in McAllen runs 62% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
126.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,422
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
McAllen 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 McAllen, 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
Air Quality52 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Hidalgo County, which includes McAllen, 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
Climate98°F summers, 51°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
McAllen has hot summers (avg high 98°F) and warm winters (avg low 51°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
87°/65°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
98°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
88°/66°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
73°/51°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
27.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
170
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
43
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°F | 49°F | 0.65" |
| Feb | 76°F | 53°F | 0.64" |
| Mar | 82°F | 59°F | 1.04" |
| Apr | 87°F | 65°F | 1.37" |
| May | 92°F | 71°F | 1.39" |
| Jun | 96°F | 76°F | 3.05" |
| Jul | 98°F | 77°F | 1.62" |
| Aug | 99°F | 77°F | 1.45" |
| Sep | 94°F | 73°F | 3.81" |
| Oct | 89°F | 66°F | 2.04" |
| Nov | 80°F | 57°F | 1.05" |
| Dec | 73°F | 51°F | 0.57" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in McAllen
McAllen has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
24.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Rio Grande Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Doctors Hosptal at Renaissance
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Edinburg
Cornerstone Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4 mi away · Edinburg
Mission Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.5 mi away · Mission
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.
Education14.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in McAllen
McAllen's student/teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
51
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in McAllen
Public · 2-year · 15,856 students · in-state tuition $4,920 · 32% graduate · median earnings $39,609 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
7.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 28,666 students · in-state tuition $9,993 · 56% graduate · median earnings $52,947 (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, 51 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for McAllen
McAllen has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (51 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
51 mi awayPadre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in McAllen
Mcallen Public Library
4001 N 23rd St, Mcallen
Lark Branch Library
2601 Lark Ave, Mcallen
Palm View Branch Library
3401 Jordan Ave, Mcallen
Cities Near McAllen
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to McAllen?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
McAllen FAQ
Is McAllen, Texas affordable?⌄
McAllen's median rent is $1,049/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,579/year. Median home value is $190,400.
Is McAllen, Texas safe?⌄
McAllen's violent crime rate was 126 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1422 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in McAllen, Texas?⌄
McAllen has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in McAllen, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in McAllen is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,049/month and median household income is $61,579/year. The median home value is $190,400. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in McAllen, Texas?⌄
The average commute in McAllen is 22 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