City · Texas
Harlingen, Texas
Harlingen, city, in Cameron County, Texas. Harlingen had 72,467 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 71,829 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 72,087 (±50). GEOID 4832372.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
72,467
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 71,829 · ACS 2020-2024: 72,087 ±50
Median household income
$53,645
±$5,116 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$140,600
±$10,004 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$928
±$40 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Harlingen and what county is it in?
Harlingen is a city in Cameron County, Texas. It covers 40.3 square miles of land, 1,784 residents per square mile in 2020.
Harlingen is in the Brownsville-Harlingen, 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 Harlingen, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 72,467 people lived in Harlingen on July 1, 2025, up 0.8% since 2020, slower than Texas (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 71,829 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 72,087 (±50).
| Measure | Harlingen | Cameron County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 72,087 ±50 | 426,120 | +6,958 |
| Households | 26,007 ±779 | 138,433 | +4,556 |
| Average household size | 2.73 ±0.08 | 3.05 | −0.23 |
| Housing units | 29,595 ±812 | 159,679 | +4,364 |
Harlingen's population since 2000
From 57,564 in 2000 to 72,467 in 2025: up 25.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Harlingen 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 Harlingen?
The median resident of Harlingen is 33.4 years old; 28.8% are under 18 and 16.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 82.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 13.9%. 14.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Harlingen | Cameron County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.4 ±0.9 | 32.7 | +1.8 |
| Under 18 years | 28.8% ±1.6 pts | 28.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.4% ±1.3 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Male | 49.7% ±1.1 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 82.3% ±1.4 pts | 89.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 13.9% ±1.1 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.8% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 14.6% ±1.6 pts | 23.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 52.4% ±2.6 pts | 72.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.4% ±1.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| With a disability | 15.4% ±1.1 pts | 12.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 22.6% ±2.1 pts | 25.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 79.7% ±1.9 pts | 72.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.6% ±1.8 pts | 22.1% | +4.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.1% ±1.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.2% ±1.7 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
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 Harlingen earn?
Half of Harlingen's 26,007 households earn less than $53,645 a year (±$5,116), against $52,601 in Cameron County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $48,923 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Harlingen | Cameron County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,645 ±$5,116 | $52,601 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $72,228 ±$4,109 | $71,924 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,512 ±$1,555 | $24,089 | +$2,841 |
| People below the poverty line | 25.1% ±2.8 pts | 24.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 39.9% ±6.0 pts | 35.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.4% ±2.4 pts | 24.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.9% ±1.3 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.8% ±2.1 pts | 84.4% | – |
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 Harlingen?
Owners occupy 56.1% of Harlingen's occupied homes and renters 43.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $140,600 by its owner (±$10,004). The median renter pays $928 a month including utilities, and 39.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Harlingen | Cameron County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $140,600 ±$10,004 | $136,500 | +$32,914 |
| Median gross rent | $928 ±$40 | $912 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.8% ±4.9 pts | 40.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,378 ±$52 | $1,449 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.1% ±2.5 pts | 65.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.9% ±2.5 pts | 34.8% | – |
| Housing units | 29,595 ±812 | 159,679 | +4,364 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.2% ±0.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.4% ±1.7 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 59.7% ±2.0 pts | 64.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.3% ±1.5 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.6% ±0.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.7% ±1.5 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.2% ±0.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.4% ±1.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
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 Harlingen building?
Builders took permits for 361 new housing units in Harlingen in 2025 (225 in single-family houses; the permit office reported 8 of 12 months), 5.0 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 Harlingen work and get to work?
76.2% of Harlingen's workers drive alone and 10.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.2%.
| Measure | Harlingen | Cameron County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.6% ±2.1 pts | 58.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% ±1.2 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 76.2% ±2.2 pts | 75.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.9% ±1.5 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.5% ±0.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.4% ±1.2 pts | 9.1% | +5.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.9 min ±0.8 | 21.3 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 Harlingen?
21 census tracts lie mostly in Harlingen, and 11 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $29,550 (Tract 109) to $101,484 (Tract 120.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 118.01Cameron County | 5,374 | $41,107 |
| Tract 118.02Cameron County | 5,007 | $43,660 |
| Tract 108.01Cameron County | 4,981 | $42,402 |
| Tract 113.02Cameron County | 4,705 | $87,083 |
| Tract 106.03Cameron County | 4,321 | $34,295 |
| Tract 102.04Cameron County | 4,148 | $78,341 |
| Tract 120.03Cameron County | 3,985 | $57,943 |
| Tract 106.04Cameron County | 4,334 | $57,925 |
| Tract 107Cameron County | 3,320 | $45,461 |
| Tract 108.02Cameron County | 3,706 | $34,226 |
| Tract 103.04Cameron County | 5,752 | $66,973 |
| Tract 110Cameron County | 2,575 | $45,378 |
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 Harlingen) · Census block assignment files
How does Harlingen compare with other places in Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Harlingen is the 535th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 57th-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Harlingen ranks 695th 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 | 57th | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 530th | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 234th | 979 |
| Median household income | 695th | 933 |
| Per capita income | 684th | 978 |
| Median home value | 679th | 950 |
| Median gross rent | 616th | 852 |
| Poverty rate | 132nd | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 409th | 877 |
| Median age | 710th | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 832nd | 973 |
| Work from home | 331st | 557 |
| Travel time to work | 865th | 976 |
Harlingen's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Harlingen 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 Harlingen?
3 of the 57 figures for Harlingen 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 Harlingen 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 Harlingen.