City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Port Isabel, TX

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

5,098
Residents
$50,775
Median income
$120,900
Median home
$1,047
Median rent (state)

Port Isabel - the verdict

Nationally, Port Isabel sits in the 21st percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

21st
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
7th
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: Port Isabel, TX

Texas's Port Isabel is a small town, with 5,098 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $50,775 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.6%. Home values in Port Isabel run a median of $120,900, and the median resident age is 38.8 years. 15.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 56.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 40 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1900% from five years earlier. Port Isabel's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4194.1 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 74.0°F with 28.8 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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,047 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Texas's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

5,098 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$50,775 /yr

Poverty 14.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Port Isabel compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% 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, Port Isabel ranks #604 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

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 Port Isabel'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.

21stIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Port Isabel's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Port Isabel'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 36 Avg. percentile National median
Port Isabel'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 Port Isabel's home value compares nationally

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

$120,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% 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. Port Isabel $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 - Port Isabel, TX Port Isabel, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Port Isabel, 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 Port Isabel, TX median $50,775/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%
Port Isabel, 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 Port Isabel, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.8%

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

Population
5,098
Median Income
$50,775
Median Home Value
$120,900
Median Age
38.8
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Labor force participation
56.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4194.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
368.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3825.2
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
74.0°F
Annual Precipitation
28.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,000 residents5,100 residents5,200 residents5,300 residents5,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,030 residents 5,302 residents ▲ +5.4%
Port Isabel's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
40
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
29
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 45
2021 22
2022 30
2023 38
2024 40

Permit volume increased 1900% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.7%
Carpool
14.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
1.5%
Other
2.6%

Based on 2,270 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 Port Isabel sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,047/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Giddings
5,085 people
Doffing
5,126 people
Justin
5,068 people
Terrell Hills
5,050 people
Hickory Creek
5,161 people
Hudson
5,017 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Port Isabel's 5,098 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Heeia, HI
5,099 people
Saranac Lake, NY
5,099 people
Midfield, AL
5,101 people
Yosemite Lakes, CA
5,095 people
Eureka, IL
5,095 people
El Cerro Mission, NM
5,101 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Port Isabel's $50,775 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sebewaing, MI
$50,779 median income
Kiron, IA
$50,781 median income
St. Ignatius, MT
$50,781 median income
Point Marion, PA
$50,781 median income
Watonga, OK
$50,765 median income
Trinidad, CO
$50,792 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Port Isabel, 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 Port Isabel, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 73.3% 6.8% 19.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 84.7% White 73.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.8% Two or more races 19.9% 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 Port Isabel 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
Port Isabel (this city) 5,098 $50,775
Giddings 5,085 $51,397
Doffing 5,126 $26,525
Justin 5,068 $93,887
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Port Isabel, TX?

What is the population of Port Isabel, TX? +

The population of Port Isabel, TX stands at 5,098 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Port Isabel, TX? +

In Port Isabel, the typical household earns $50,775 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Port Isabel? +

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

Port Isabel has a total crime rate of 4194.1 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 Port Isabel, TX? +

A typical home in Port Isabel is worth $120,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Port Isabel? +

The average annual temperature in Port Isabel runs 74.0°F, 28.8 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.