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Living in
Mission.
About
Life in Mission
If you're considering Mission, you're looking at an affordable South Texas community where median home values hover around $176k and rent runs about $950 monthly—genuine advantages if budget matters. The reality check: this is hot and humid Rio Grande Valley territory with the weather extremes that come with it, and you'll definitely need a car for daily life. The area's citrus heritage still shows up in local culture and annual events, but this is a working community first, not a destination.
Mission at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
19.4%
Foreign-Born
25.7%
Broadband Internet
90.5%
of households
Population Growth
+3.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Mission: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mission, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (88.7%), and 76.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.5%
of residents
65 and Older
15.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.4%
of households
Married Couples
51.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.01
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 32% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Mission
In Mission, rent runs 32% below the TX average, and home values are 38% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,151
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
13.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $216,831 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above TX average
Unemployment in Mission
Unemployment in Mission is 1.4 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 Mission Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.5 min avg
How Mission residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mission, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 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 59% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mission runs 59% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
134.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,163.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mission 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 Mission, 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 Mission, 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
Mission 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
18.7"
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 Mission
Mission has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
26.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Mission Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Rio Grande Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Mcallen
Doctors Hosptal at Renaissance
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.2 mi away · Edinburg
Cornerstone Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.9 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.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mission
Mission's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
34
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Mission (within 15 miles)
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
11.8 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, 55 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mission
Mission has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (55 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
55 mi awayPadre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mission
Speer Memorial Library
801 E 12th St, Mission
Cities Near Mission
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mission?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mission FAQ
Is Mission, Texas affordable?⌄
Mission's median rent is $950/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $60,767/year. Median home value is $175,700.
Is Mission, Texas safe?⌄
Mission's violent crime rate was 134 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 1164 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mission, Texas?⌄
Mission has an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mission, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Mission is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $950/month and median household income is $60,767/year. The median home value is $175,700. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mission, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Mission is 21 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