City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Mercedes, TX

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

16,449
Residents
$41,753
Median income
$107,700
Median home
$1,060
Median rent (state)

Mercedes - the verdict

Nationally, Mercedes sits in the 9th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

9th
percentile, household income
12th
percentile, home value
25th
percentile, median rent
10th
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: Mercedes, TX

16,449 people live in Mercedes, Texas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $41,753 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 24.5%. Typical homes in Mercedes are valued around $107,700, and the median resident age is 31.4 years. 14.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 50.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 268 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 347% from five years earlier. Mercedes's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3610.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,060 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Texas run around $223, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 16.2 minutes, with 72.4% driving alone and 8.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

16,449 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$41,753 /yr

Poverty 24.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Mercedes compare to other US cities?

Here's how Mercedes stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 9% higher than other cities
Home value 12% pricier than other cities
Median rent 25% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% 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, Mercedes ranks #587 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

Each percentile compares Mercedes against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Texas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Texas-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Mercedes toward the top of Texas's cities

Among the 1,663 Texas cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Mercedes ranks #203 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Mercedes only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,332 of 1,520
12th percentile in Texas
Median Gross Rent
#1,027 of 1,663
35th percentile in Texas
Median Home Value
#1,077 of 1,505
28th percentile in Texas
Poverty Rate
#203 of 1,663
88th percentile in Texas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#968 of 1,663
41st percentile in Texas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Texas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

9thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

9th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Mercedes's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Mercedes'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 34 Avg. percentile National median
Mercedes'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 Mercedes's home value compares nationally

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

$107,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 88% 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. Mercedes $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 - Mercedes, TX Mercedes, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mercedes, 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 Mercedes, TX median $41,753/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%
Mercedes, 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 Mercedes, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 24.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.6%

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

Population
16,449
Median Income
$41,753
Median Home Value
$107,700
Median Age
31.4
Poverty Rate
24.5%
Labor force participation
50.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3610.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
402.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3208.4
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.

Schools

Total Schools
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
16,000 residents16,500 residents17,000 residents17,500 residents18,000 residents18,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 16,267 residents 17,915 residents ▲ +10.1%
Mercedes's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
268
housing units authorized
Single-Family
182
detached homes
Multifamily
86
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
16.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 60
2020 68
2021 228
2022 64
2023 326
2024 268

Permit volume increased 347% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.2 minutes
Drive Alone
72.4%
Carpool
10.8%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
8.8%
Other
6.0%

Based on 5,837 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 Mercedes 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

Humble
16,489 people
Hewitt
16,244 people
Sulphur Springs
16,185 people
Pampa
16,735 people
Taylor
16,767 people
Donna
16,774 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mercedes's 16,449 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

White Oak, MD
16,458 people
Madison, NJ
16,464 people
Lemay, MO
16,431 people
Havelock, NC
16,471 people
Three Lakes, FL
16,426 people
Jasper, IN
16,421 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mercedes's $41,753 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Charlotte Harbor, FL
$41,750 median income
Joppa, IL
$41,750 median income
Catahoula, LA
$41,750 median income
Ridgecrest, LA
$41,750 median income
Cook, MN
$41,750 median income
Richland, MO
$41,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mercedes, 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 Mercedes, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 53.7% 7.3% 38.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 92.2% White 53.7% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 7.3% Two or more races 38.9% 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 Mercedes 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
Mercedes (this city) 16,449 $41,753
Humble 16,489 $52,927
Hewitt 16,244 $83,798
Sulphur Springs 16,185 $56,457
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mercedes, TX?

What is the population of Mercedes, TX? +

The population of Mercedes, TX stands at 16,449 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Mercedes runs $41,753, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mercedes? +

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

Mercedes has a total crime rate of 3610.9 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 Mercedes, TX? +

A typical home in Mercedes is worth $107,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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