City · Texas
Penitas, Texas
Penitas, city, in Hidalgo County, Texas. Penitas had 6,495 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 6,460 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,444 (±18). GEOID 4856696.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,495
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 6,460 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,444 ±18
Median household income
$48,993
±$14,016 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$167,000
±$27,977 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$697
±$627 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Penitas and what county is it in?
Penitas is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas. It covers 9.4 square miles of land, 690 residents per square mile in 2020.
Penitas 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 Penitas, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,495 people lived in Penitas on July 1, 2025, up 0.5% since 2020, slower than Texas (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 6,460 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,444 (±18).
| Measure | Penitas | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,444 ±18 | 891,977 | +1,675 |
| Households | 1,808 ±229 | 270,210 | +658 |
| Average household size | 3.56 ±0.46 | 3.27 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,980 ±269 | 308,556 | +719 |
Penitas's population since 2000
From 1,167 in 2000 to 6,495 in 2025: up 456.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Penitas 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 Penitas?
The median resident of Penitas is 32.6 years old; 31.7% are under 18 and 10.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 97.7%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 2.3%. 31.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Penitas | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.6 ±6.0 | 30.5 | +10.9 |
| Under 18 years | 31.7% ±5.9 pts | 31.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.8% ±4.8 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Male | 51.0% ±3.7 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 97.7% ±3.0 pts | 91.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±3.0 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 31.0% ±7.0 pts | 26.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 93.4% ±3.9 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.5% ±2.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| With a disability | 12.2% ±4.9 pts | 13.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 40.6% ±8.4 pts | 28.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 56.1% ±12.7 pts | 70.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.7% ±7.1 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.4% ±3.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 97.0% ±2.2 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±1.3 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 Penitas earn?
Half of Penitas's 1,808 households earn less than $48,993 a year (±$14,016), against $54,338 in Hidalgo County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $56,159 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Penitas | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,993 ±$14,016 | $54,338 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $73,967 ±$16,664 | $74,303 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,466 ±$5,458 | $23,117 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.8% ±10.2 pts | 26.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 36.7% ±19.0 pts | 36.4% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 21.1% ±9.1 pts | 27.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.6% ±3.2 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.9% ±6.2 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 Penitas?
Owners occupy 85.8% of Penitas's occupied homes and renters 14.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $167,000 by its owner (±$27,977).
| Measure | Penitas | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $167,000 ±$27,977 | $140,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $697 ±$627 | $957 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.9% ±35.8 pts | 40.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,236 ±$525 | $1,486 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.8% ±8.9 pts | 67.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.2% ±8.9 pts | 32.5% | – |
| Housing units | 1,980 ±269 | 308,556 | +719 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 24.3% ±25.8 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.2% ±9.4 pts | 64.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.6% ±4.9 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 24.0% ±13.9 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.3% ±3.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.6% ±0.9 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 many new homes is Penitas building?
Builders took permits for 25 new housing units in Penitas in 2025 (17 in single-family houses), 3.8 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 Penitas work and get to work?
77.6% of Penitas's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.1 minutes.
| Measure | Penitas | Hidalgo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.0% ±7.3 pts | 59.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4% ±6.6 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.6% ±12.7 pts | 74.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.1% ±5.4 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.5% ±1.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.2% ±12.2 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.1 min ±4.0 | 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 Penitas?
No census tract lies mostly in Penitas; 7 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 242.08Hidalgo County | 4,540 | $61,974 |
| Tract 242.11Hidalgo County | 8,491 | $58,172 |
| Tract 242.09Hidalgo County | 3,830 | $44,094 |
| Tract 242.10Hidalgo County | 5,019 | $49,593 |
| Tract 242.12Hidalgo County | 6,025 | $41,272 |
| Tract 242.04Hidalgo County | 3,746 | $51,895 |
| Tract 242.07Hidalgo County | 2,585 | $48,938 |
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 Penitas) · Census block assignment files
How does Penitas compare with other places in Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Penitas is the 4,244th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 335th-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Penitas ranks 771st 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 | 335th | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 554th | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 720th | 979 |
| Median household income | 771st | 933 |
| Per capita income | 864th | 978 |
| Median home value | 589th | 950 |
| Poverty rate | 159th | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 759th | 877 |
| Median age | 765th | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 174th | 973 |
| Travel time to work | 682nd | 976 |
Penitas's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Penitas 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 Penitas?
23 of the 57 figures for Penitas 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 Penitas 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 Penitas.