City · Texas
Alton, Texas
Alton, city, in Hidalgo County, Texas. Alton had 24,138 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 32.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 18,198 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 20,214 (±42). GEOID 4802212.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
24,138
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 18,198 · ACS 2020-2024: 20,214 ±42
Median household income
$52,715
±$6,981 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$156,300
±$10,586 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$1,038
±$67 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Alton and what county is it in?
Alton is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas. It covers 7.6 square miles of land, 2,395 residents per square mile in 2020.
Alton is in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Alton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 24,138 people lived in Alton on July 1, 2025, up 32.5% since 2020, faster than Texas (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 18,198 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 20,214 (±42).
| Measure | Alton | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 20,214 ±42 | 891,977 | +3,238 |
| Households | 5,349 ±327 | 270,210 | +880 |
| Average household size | 3.78 ±0.23 | 3.27 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 6,029 ±381 | 308,556 | +1,236 |
Alton's population since 2000
From 4,384 in 2000 to 24,138 in 2025: up 450.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Alton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Alton?
The median resident of Alton is 26.1 years old; 35.5% are under 18 and 7.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 96.8%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 2.8%. 26.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Alton | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.1 ±2.4 | 30.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 35.5% ±3.1 pts | 31.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 7.1% ±1.8 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Male | 51.2% ±3.4 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 96.8% ±2.5 pts | 91.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±2.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 26.1% ±3.8 pts | 26.1% | −6.0 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 87.0% ±4.2 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.2% ±0.8 pts | 3.2% | – |
| With a disability | 10.6% ±2.1 pts | 13.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 32.7% ±4.4 pts | 28.2% | −8.4 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 67.2% ±4.7 pts | 70.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.2% ±4.4 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.3% ±1.5 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.0% ±5.4 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Alton earn?
Half of Alton's 5,349 households earn less than $52,715 a year (±$6,981), against $54,338 in Hidalgo County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $39,991 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 27.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Alton | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,715 ±$6,981 | $54,338 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $68,124 ±$6,085 | $74,303 | – |
| Per capita income | $18,575 ±$1,949 | $23,117 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 27.5% ±6.0 pts | 26.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 33.8% ±9.2 pts | 36.4% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 36.1% ±7.1 pts | 27.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.3% ±2.2 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.0% ±3.3 pts | 88.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Alton?
Owners occupy 55.0% of Alton's occupied homes and renters 45.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $156,300 by its owner (±$10,586). The median renter pays $1,038 a month including utilities, and 29.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Alton | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $156,300 ±$10,586 | $140,900 | +$65,352 |
| Median gross rent | $1,038 ±$67 | $957 | +$136 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 29.7% ±9.6 pts | 40.7% | −31.8 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,492 ±$343 | $1,486 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.0% ±5.3 pts | 67.5% | −14.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.0% ±5.3 pts | 32.5% | – |
| Housing units | 6,029 ±381 | 308,556 | +1,236 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.8% ±6.0 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.1% ±5.4 pts | 64.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.4% ±2.6 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.9% ±3.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 34.4% ±5.3 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.4% ±2.1 pts | 5.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Alton building?
Builders took permits for 224 new housing units in Alton in 2025 (144 in single-family houses), 9.3 per 1,000 residents against 6.6 across Texas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Alton work and get to work?
75.7% of Alton's workers drive alone and 11.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 8.3%.
| Measure | Alton | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.0% ±4.1 pts | 59.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.3% ±3.0 pts | 7.6% | −4.7 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 75.7% ±3.8 pts | 74.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.6% ±3.8 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±1.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.5% ±3.3 pts | 9.2% | +7.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.4 min ±2.5 | 22.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Alton?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Alton, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $49,517 (Tract 241.28) to $67,917 (Tract 241.24).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 241.28Hidalgo County | 9,567 | $49,517 |
| Tract 241.09Hidalgo County | 7,201 | $53,708 |
| Tract 241.24Hidalgo County | 4,921 | $67,917 |
| Tract 241.17Hidalgo County | 2,990 | $62,424 |
| Tract 241.15Hidalgo County | 7,329 | $78,830 |
| Tract 241.18Hidalgo County | 3,614 | $46,569 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Alton) · Census block assignment files
How does Alton compare with other places in Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Alton is the 1,657th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 139th-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Alton ranks 712th of 933 places in Texas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 139th | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 80th | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 154th | 979 |
| Median household income | 712th | 933 |
| Per capita income | 915th | 978 |
| Median home value | 639th | 950 |
| Median gross rent | 497th | 852 |
| Poverty rate | 91st | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 669th | 877 |
| Median age | 945th | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 849th | 973 |
| Work from home | 294th | 557 |
| Travel time to work | 558th | 976 |
Alton's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Alton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Alton?
13 of the 57 figures for Alton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Alton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Alton.