Census-designated place · Texas
Monte Alto, Texas
Monte Alto, census-designated place, in Hidalgo County, Texas. Monte Alto had 1,930 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,350 (±721). GEOID 4849080.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,930
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,350 ±721
Median household income
$30,486
±$17,498 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$89,400
±$43,113 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$927
±$157 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Monte Alto and what county is it in?
Monte Alto is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Hidalgo County, Texas. It covers 2.2 square miles of land, 858 residents per square mile in 2020.
Monte Alto 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 Monte Alto, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,930 residents in Monte Alto, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,350 (±721).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Monte Alto is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Monte Alto | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,350 ±721 | 891,977 | no clear change |
| Households | 670 ±200 | 270,210 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.51 ±0.57 | 3.27 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 701 ±197 | 308,556 | no clear change |
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 Monte Alto?
The median resident of Monte Alto is 24.0 years old; 38.8% are under 18 and 8.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 96.2%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 2.9%. 34.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Monte Alto | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.0 ±10.7 | 30.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 38.8% ±8.6 pts | 31.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.1% ±3.8 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Male | 57.5% ±8.8 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 96.2% ±4.1 pts | 91.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.5 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±3.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 34.3% ±12.2 pts | 26.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 86.8% ±7.8 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±4.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
| With a disability | 25.8% ±10.7 pts | 13.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 35.7% ±10.4 pts | 28.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 62.6% ±12.2 pts | 70.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.1% ±5.8 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 0.8% ±1.4 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 99.8% ±0.4 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±2.2 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 Monte Alto earn?
Half of Monte Alto's 670 households earn less than $30,486 a year (±$17,498), against $54,338 in Hidalgo County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $44,613 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 67.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Monte Alto | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $30,486 ±$17,498 | $54,338 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $40,970 ±$9,443 | $74,303 | – |
| Per capita income | $12,321 ±$3,419 | $23,117 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 67.1% ±13.8 pts | 26.7% | +45.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 89.3% ±9.9 pts | 36.4% | +47.3 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 42.2% ±16.2 pts | 27.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 83.4% ±10.9 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.0% ±12.4 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 Monte Alto?
Owners occupy 78.7% of Monte Alto's occupied homes and renters 21.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $89,400 by its owner (±$43,113). The median renter pays $927 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Monte Alto | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $89,400 ±$43,113 | $140,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $927 ±$157 | $957 | +$227 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 15.7% ±33.0 pts | 40.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $976 ±$333 | $1,486 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.7% ±17.2 pts | 67.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.3% ±17.2 pts | 32.5% | – |
| Housing units | 701 ±197 | 308,556 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.5% ±2.5 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±28.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.6% ±20.5 pts | 64.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 27.5% ±21.2 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 24.3% ±12.8 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.1% ±3.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.0% ±6.0 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 do people in Monte Alto work and get to work?
81.3% of Monte Alto's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.8 minutes.
| Measure | Monte Alto | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.3% ±11.4 pts | 59.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% ±2.6 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.3% ±12.9 pts | 74.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.6% ±11.6 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±3.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.9% ±6.2 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.8 min ±7.5 | 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 Monte Alto?
No census tract lies mostly in Monte Alto; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 246Hidalgo County | 7,716 | $40,365 |
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 Monte Alto) · Census block assignment files
How does Monte Alto compare with other places in Texas?
Monte Alto ranks 923rd of 933 places in Texas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 680th | 979 |
| Residents per square mile | 613th | 979 |
| Median household income | 923rd | 933 |
| Per capita income | 971st | 978 |
| Median home value | 854th | 950 |
| Median gross rent | 618th | 852 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 781st | 877 |
| Median age | 958th | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 304th | 973 |
| Travel time to work | 694th | 976 |
Monte Alto's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Monte Alto 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 Monte Alto?
23 of the 57 figures for Monte Alto 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 Monte Alto 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' school search.