© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Mercedes.
About
Life in Mercedes
This is a working-class Rio Grande Valley community where your money stretches further than most of Texas—median rent hovers around $812 a month and home values sit near $112,000, making homeownership genuinely achievable if you're priced out of bigger metros. Mercedes is deeply rooted in Latino community identity—about 90% of residents are Latino, with rich cultural heritage tied to the Chicano Movement (the area's Colegio Jacinto Treviño was a pioneering bilingual institution back in 1970)—and that shapes everything from local institutions to the feel of neighborhoods and family-centered culture. The heat is legitimately intense with hot, humid summers and mild winters—this is the Valley, so you're living with that subtropical climate year-round.
Mercedes at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
28.6%
Foreign-Born
16.6%
Broadband Internet
78.0%
of households
Population Growth
+10.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Mercedes: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mercedes, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (95.1%), and 68.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
31.5%
of residents
65 and Older
15.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.4%
of households
Married Couples
47.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.20
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 42% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Mercedes
In Mercedes, rent runs 42% below the TX average, and home values are 61% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,920
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
13.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $136,508 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.1 pts above TX average
Unemployment in Mercedes
Unemployment in Hidalgo County, which includes Mercedes, is 2.1 percentage points higher than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Mercedes: Hidalgo County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Hidalgo County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Mercedes is about 2% of Hidalgo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Mercedes Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.6 min avg
How Mercedes residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mercedes, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 17 mi
Valley International Airport (HRL)
Small hub597k 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.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mercedes is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
341.4
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,818.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mercedes 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 Mercedes, 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
Mercedes 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 Mercedes, 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
Mercedes is about 2% of Hidalgo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate96°F summers, 52°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Mercedes has hot summers (avg high 96°F) and warm winters (avg low 52°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
86°/66°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
96°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/66°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
73°/52°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
25.7"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
160
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
57
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°F | 50°F | 1.02" |
| Feb | 75°F | 54°F | 0.95" |
| Mar | 81°F | 60°F | 1.45" |
| Apr | 86°F | 65°F | 1.46" |
| May | 90°F | 72°F | 2.61" |
| Jun | 95°F | 76°F | 2.79" |
| Jul | 96°F | 77°F | 2.24" |
| Aug | 97°F | 76°F | 1.87" |
| Sep | 92°F | 73°F | 5.64" |
| Oct | 87°F | 66°F | 2.84" |
| Nov | 80°F | 58°F | 1.61" |
| Dec | 72°F | 52°F | 1.25" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Mercedes
Uninsured
23.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Mercedes's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Knapp Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.1 mi away · Weslaco
Rio Grande State Center
Psychiatric · 12.7 mi away · Harlingen
Palms Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 14.9 mi away · Harlingen
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.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mercedes
Mercedes's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 15.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, 29 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mercedes
Mercedes has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (29 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
29 mi awayPadre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mercedes
Dr Hector P Garcia Memorial Library
434 S Ohio St, Mercedes
Cities Near Mercedes
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mercedes?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mercedes FAQ
Is Mercedes, Texas affordable?⌄
Mercedes's median rent is $812/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $46,904/year. Median home value is $111,800.
Is Mercedes, Texas safe?⌄
Mercedes's violent crime rate was 341 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1819 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mercedes, Texas?⌄
Hidalgo County, which includes Mercedes, has an unemployment rate of 6.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mercedes, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Mercedes is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $812/month and median household income is $46,904/year. The median home value is $111,800. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mercedes, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Mercedes is 19 minutes, which is shorter than 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