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Living in
San Juan.
About
Life in San Juan
San Juan offers genuine affordability in a region where that's increasingly rare—median home values sit around $127,000 and median rent is under $950 a month. The job market is softer than you'd want, with 6.9% unemployment and median household income around $57,000, so unless you're relocating with established employment, you'll need to look carefully at opportunities in the broader McAllen-Edinburg metro area, where most commutes run 25 minutes or so. The community is solidly family-oriented with nearly 50% of households raising children, and the religious and cultural life centers around the iconic basilica and strong Latino traditions.
San Juan at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
22.4%
Foreign-Born
25.8%
Broadband Internet
90.5%
of households
Population Growth
+7.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in San Juan: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In San Juan, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (97.5%), and 84.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
31.1%
of residents
65 and Older
12.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
48.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
12.4%
of households
Married Couples
60.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.45
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 San Juan
In San Juan, rent runs 32% below the TX average, and home values are 55% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.5%
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
$2,464
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1999
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $177,735 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.7 pts above TX average
Unemployment in San Juan
Unemployment in San Juan is 2.7 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 San Juan Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.6 min avg
How San Juan residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In San Juan, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 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 49% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in San Juan runs 49% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
166.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,109.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
San Juan 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 San Juan, 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
San Juan is about 4% 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 San Juan, 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
San Juan is about 4% of Hidalgo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate99°F summers, 55°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
San Juan 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
27.4"
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 San Juan
Uninsured
26.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside San Juan's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Rio Grande Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.5 mi away · Mcallen
Doctors Hosptal at Renaissance
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.4 mi away · Edinburg
South Texas Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 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.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in San Juan
San Juan's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 14.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near San Juan (within 15 miles)
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
8.2 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, 44 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for San Juan
San Juan has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (44 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
44 mi awayPadre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in San Juan
San Juan Memorial Library
1010 S Standard Ave, San Juan
Cities Near San Juan
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to San Juan?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
San Juan FAQ
Is San Juan, Texas affordable?⌄
San Juan's median rent is $961/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,562/year. Median home value is $126,700.
Is San Juan, Texas safe?⌄
San Juan's violent crime rate was 166 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 1110 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in San Juan, Texas?⌄
San Juan has an unemployment rate of 6.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in San Juan, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in San Juan is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $961/month and median household income is $56,562/year. The median home value is $126,700. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in San Juan, Texas?⌄
The average commute in San Juan is 25 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