City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

La Joya, TX

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

4,613
Residents
$50,652
Median income
$109,600
Median home
$1,060
Median rent (state)

La Joya - the verdict

La Joya ranks in the 20th percentile for household income and the 54th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
13th
percentile, home value
25th
percentile, median rent
54th
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: La Joya, TX

4,613 people live in La Joya, Texas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $50,652 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 23.3%. Home values in La Joya run a median of $109,600, and the median resident age is 29.4 years. About 19.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 79 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Slowing), down 9% from five years earlier. La Joya reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1241.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 73.4°F with 20.2 inches of precipitation per year and 0.2 inches of snowfall.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Texas at 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,060 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Texas run around $223, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

4,613 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$50,652 /yr

Poverty 23.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does La Joya compare to other US cities?

Where La Joya sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 13% pricier than other cities
Median rent 25% pricier than other cities
Safety 54% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Texas alone, La Joya ranks #287 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 La Joya'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.

20thIncome percentile
54thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 54th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

La Joya's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

La Joya'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 52 Avg. percentile National median
La Joya'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 La Joya's home value compares nationally

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

$109,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 87% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. La Joya $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 - La Joya, TX La Joya, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not La Joya, 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 La Joya, TX median $50,652/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%
La Joya, 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 La Joya, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 23.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.6%

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

Population
4,613
Median Income
$50,652
Median Home Value
$109,600
Median Age
29.4
Poverty Rate
23.3%
Labor force participation
56.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1241.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
120.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1121.6
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
73.4°F
Annual Precipitation
20.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,000 residents4,500 residents5,000 residents5,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,497 residents 5,257 residents ▲ +16.9%
La Joya's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
79
housing units authorized
Single-Family
59
detached homes
Multifamily
20
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 87
2020 40
2021 50
2022 85
2023 98
2024 79

Permit volume decreased 9% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
84.9%
Carpool
6.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
7.8%
Other
1.2%

Based on 1,675 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 La Joya sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,060/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

New Boston
4,593 people
Lake Worth
4,667 people
Post
4,552 people
Meadows Place
4,689 people
Horseshoe Bay
4,534 people
Diboll
4,531 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to La Joya's 4,613 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Beaufort, NC
4,613 people
Kalaheo, HI
4,612 people
Lake Montezuma, AZ
4,615 people
Lindale, GA
4,611 people
Centralia, MO
4,615 people
Blackwood, NJ
4,615 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to La Joya's $50,652 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Trenton, TN
$50,645 median income
Clarinda, IA
$50,644 median income
St. James, MO
$50,644 median income
Maytown, AL
$50,662 median income
Alba, MO
$50,662 median income
Ramsey, IL
$50,664 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - La Joya, 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 La Joya, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 26.9% 9.9% 61.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 96.0% White 26.9% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 9.9% Two or more races 61.7% 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 La Joya 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
La Joya (this city) 4,613 $50,652
New Boston 4,593 $57,344
Lake Worth 4,667 $83,869
Post 4,552 $40,606
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about La Joya, TX?

What is the population of La Joya, TX? +

La Joya, TX has a population of 4,613 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in La Joya, TX? +

In La Joya, the typical household earns $50,652 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in La Joya? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for La Joya; 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 La Joya, TX safe? +

La Joya has a total crime rate of 1241.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 La Joya, TX? +

The median home value in La Joya is $109,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in La Joya? +

Climate normals put La Joya's yearly average temperature at 73.4°F, 20.2 inches of precipitation, and 0.2 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 Editorial

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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.