Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 423,192 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area

What is the median household income in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area?: The median household income in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area is $51,334 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area is 21.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area?: $120,000 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area is $899 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 20.6% of adults in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

423,192

Median Income

$51,334

Median Home Value

$120,000

Poverty Rate

21.0%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

5.7%

Median Age

32.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$12,576 (+32.4%) Home Value: +$34,200 (+39.9%) Poverty Rate: -4.6 pp (-18%) Bachelor's+: +3.3 pp (+19.1%) Unemployment: -0.1 pp (-1.7%)

Demographics

Total Population 423,192

Median Age 32.0

Female 50.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 89.3% White (non-Hisp.) 8.8% Black 0.6% Asian 0.7% Two or More 39.7% Other 8.5%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

0.2%

Filipino

0.2%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

84.2%

Puerto Rican

0.3%

Cuban

0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $51,334 ±$1,640

Per Capita Income $71,992

Median Family Income $58,672

Poverty Rate 21.0%

Child Poverty Rate 28.7%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 25.2%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 17.1%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

7.2%

$10–15k

6.4%

$15–25k

11.9%

$25–35k

10.3%

$35–50k

13.4%

$50–75k

17.1%

$75–100k

12.1%

$100–150k

12.6%

$150–200k

5.3%

$200k+

3.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 157,565

Owner-Occupied 65.2%

Renter-Occupied 34.8%

Vacancy Rate 14.0%

Median Home Value $120,000

Median Gross Rent $899

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 22.4%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 40.5%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

15.1%

$50–100k

25.6%

$100–200k

19.5%

$200–300k

15.0%

$300–500k

7.8%

$500k–$1M

2.6%

$1M+

0.3%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

14.1%

$500–1k

47.6%

$1–1.5k

29.9%

$1.5–2k

5.4%

$2–2.5k

1.8%

$2.5–3.5k

0.7%

$3.5k+

0.6%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

6.4%

1 vehicle

34.8%

2 vehicles

36.0%

22.8%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

64.4%

Single-fam. att.

2.9%

2–4 units

3.5%

5–19 units

3.4%

20+ units

7.6%

Mobile home

10.9%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

2.0%

1940–1969

2.5%

1970–1999

15.0%

2000–2009

21.4%

2010+

13.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 71.6%

Bachelor's or Higher 20.6%

Graduate Degree 6.6%

Some College / Associate 17.5%

Less Than High School 16.0%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 58.1%

Unemployment Rate 5.7%

Work from Home 8.1%

Self-Employed 8.9%

Government Workers 19.1%

Private For-Profit 71.9%

Industry

Edu/Health

31.5%

Retail

11.4%

Prof. Services

8.9%

Arts/Entmt.

8.3%

Construction

7.5%

Manufacturing

6.6%

Public Admin

5.6%

Transportation

5.5%

Finance

4.8%

Wholesale

1.9%

Agriculture

1.7%

Information

1.1%

Occupation

Management

30.2%

Food Prep

25.2%

Sales

20.9%

Production

12.4%

Construction

11.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 20.6 min

Drove Alone 77.7%

Carpool 10.7%

Public Transit 0.5%

Work from Home 8.1%

Walked 1.7%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 135,435

Avg. Household Size 3.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 48.1%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 21.0%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

7.3%

5–9

8.0%

10–14

8.6%

15–19

8.6%

20–24

7.6%

25–34

12.8%

35–44

11.8%

45–54

11.6%

55–64

5.1%

65–74

4.7%

75–84

8.1%

85+

4.4%

Under 18: 29.1% Working age (18–64): 70.9% 65 and over: 14.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 22.7%

Naturalized Citizen 38.4%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 23.7%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

95.4%

Asia

2.9%

Europe

1.0%

Africa

0.1%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 4.2%

With a Disability 12.3%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 73.3%

Uninsured 26.7%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 80.1%

Has a Computer 89.5%

Same House 1 Year Ago 91.2%

Moved from Abroad 0.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023