City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Harlingen, TX

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Harlingen - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

71,669
Residents
$55,891
Median income
$125,700
Median home
$1,047
Median rent (state)

Harlingen - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Harlingen places in the 29th percentile for household income and the 16th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

29th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
16th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Harlingen, TX

Harlingen is a small city in Texas, home to 71,669 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Harlingen brings in $55,891 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.9%. Home values in Harlingen run a median of $125,700, and the median resident age is 33.2 years. About 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 55.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 413 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 27% from five years earlier. Harlingen's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2976.6 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Harlingen's yearly average temperature at 75.6°F with 28.2 inches of precipitation per year and 0.1 inches of snowfall.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,047 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Texas's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). Workers in Harlingen report an average commute of 16.1 minutes, with 78.8% driving alone and 9.1% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

71,669 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$55,891 /yr

Poverty 19.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Harlingen compare to other US cities?

Harlingen measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 29% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 16% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Texas, Harlingen ranks #561 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Harlingen's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Texas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

29thIncome percentile
16thSafety percentile

29th percentile nationally for median household income · 16th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Harlingen's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Harlingen's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 41 Avg. percentile National median
Harlingen's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Harlingen's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$125,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Harlingen $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Harlingen, TX Harlingen, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Harlingen, TX-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Harlingen, TX median $55,891/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Harlingen, TX's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Harlingen, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
71,669
Median Income
$55,891
Median Home Value
$125,700
Median Age
33.2
Poverty Rate
19.9%
Labor force participation
55.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2976.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
257.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2718.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
75.6°F
Annual Precipitation
28.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"

Schools

Total Schools
34
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
71,800 residents72,000 residents72,200 residents72,400 residents72,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 71,924 residents 72,467 residents ▲ +0.8%
Harlingen's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
413
housing units authorized
Single-Family
239
detached homes
Multifamily
174
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 325
2020 309
2021 84
2022 296
2023 247
2024 413

Permit volume increased 27% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.1 minutes
Drive Alone
78.8%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
9.1%
Other
1.5%

Based on 29,199 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Texas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Texas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Harlingen sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,047/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

North Richland Hills
70,338 people
San Marcos
68,920 people
Missouri City
75,234 people
Mansfield
75,398 people
Leander
67,880 people
Spring
67,103 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Harlingen's 71,669 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Poinciana, FL
71,665 people
Greenville, SC
71,755 people
Marysville, WA
71,570 people
St. Joseph, MO
71,542 people
Lake Elsinore, CA
71,516 people
Camden, NJ
71,471 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Harlingen's $55,891 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Blairsville, PA
$55,893 median income
Garrett, PA
$55,893 median income
Belding, MI
$55,895 median income
Watervliet, NY
$55,897 median income
Waverly, IL
$55,882 median income
West Wareham, MA
$55,900 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Harlingen, TX Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Harlingen, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 58.9% 8.3% 29.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 82.2% White 58.9% Black or African American 1.8% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 8.3% Two or more races 29.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Harlingen compares to nearby Texas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Harlingen (this city) 71,669 $55,891
North Richland Hills 70,338 $93,434
San Marcos 68,920 $51,030
Missouri City 75,234 $96,746
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Harlingen, TX?

What is the population of Harlingen, TX? +

Harlingen, TX counts 71,669 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Harlingen, TX? +

The median household income in Harlingen is $55,891 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Harlingen? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Harlingen; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Harlingen, TX safe? +

Harlingen has a total crime rate of 2976.6 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Harlingen, TX? +

Homes in Harlingen carry a median value of $125,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Harlingen? +

The average annual temperature in Harlingen runs 75.6°F, 28.2 inches of precipitation, and 0.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.