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Living in
Pharr.
About
Life in Pharr
If you're considering Pharr, understand upfront that this is a working-class community in the Rio Grande Valley where cost of living is genuinely low—median home values hover around $121,900 and rent runs about $1,037 monthly. The median household income is around $52,814, and while jobs exist locally, many residents commute about 22 minutes to neighboring McAllen or Edinburg for employment opportunities. The Latino community makes up the vast majority of the population and defines the character of daily life, from food to culture to local institutions.
Pharr at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
29.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
27.6%
Foreign-Born
29.4%
Broadband Internet
88.3%
of households
Population Growth
+1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Pharr: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pharr, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (95.5%), and 82.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
32.7%
of residents
65 and Older
10.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
49.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.6%
of households
Married Couples
48.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.36
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 Pharr
In Pharr, rent runs 26% below the TX average, and home values are 57% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,537
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2001
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $160,714 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.3 pts above TX average
Unemployment in Pharr
Unemployment in Pharr is 2.3 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 Pharr Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.1 min avg
How Pharr residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pharr, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 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 35% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Pharr runs 35% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
213.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,086.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Pharr 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 Pharr, 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 Pharr, 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
Climate99°F summers, 55°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pharr has hot summers (avg high 99°F) and warm winters (avg low 55°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
88°/68°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
99°/79°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
88°/68°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
75°/55°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
22.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
177
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
62
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73°F | 53°F | 0.77" |
| Feb | 77°F | 57°F | 0.72" |
| Mar | 83°F | 63°F | 1.38" |
| Apr | 88°F | 68°F | 1.43" |
| May | 93°F | 74°F | 2.03" |
| Jun | 97°F | 78°F | 3.05" |
| Jul | 99°F | 79°F | 2.03" |
| Aug | 100°F | 79°F | 1.81" |
| Sep | 94°F | 76°F | 4.61" |
| Oct | 89°F | 69°F | 2.10" |
| Nov | 80°F | 60°F | 1.17" |
| Dec | 74°F | 54°F | 1.06" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pharr
Uninsured
29.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Pharr's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Rio Grande Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.5 mi away · Mcallen
Doctors Hosptal at Renaissance
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Edinburg
South Texas Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 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.
Education15.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pharr
Pharr's student/teacher ratio is 15.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
35
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Pharr (within 15 miles)
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
9.8 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, 46 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pharr
Pharr has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (46 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
46 mi awayPadre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pharr
Pharr Memorial Library
121 E Cherokee Ave, Pharr
Pharr Development And Research Center
850 W Dicker Rd, Pharr
Cities Near Pharr
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pharr?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pharr FAQ
Is Pharr, Texas affordable?⌄
Pharr's median rent is $1,037/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $52,814/year. Median home value is $121,900.
Is Pharr, Texas safe?⌄
Pharr's violent crime rate was 214 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1086 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pharr, Texas?⌄
Pharr has an unemployment rate of 6.5%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pharr, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Pharr is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,037/month and median household income is $52,814/year. The median home value is $121,900. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pharr, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Pharr is 21 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