City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

San Benito, TX

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

24,677
Residents
$41,445
Median income
$85,100
Median home
$1,047
Median rent (state)

San Benito - the verdict

San Benito ranks in the 9th percentile for household income and the 14th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

9th
percentile, household income
5th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
14th
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: San Benito, TX

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 24,677 residents in San Benito, a small city within Texas. Median household income here is $41,445 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 23.9%. San Benito's housing stock carries a median value of $85,100, and the median resident age is 32.3 years. About 13.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 48.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 111 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 131% from five years earlier. San Benito's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3162.2 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: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,047 monthly. 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

24,677 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$41,445 /yr

Poverty 23.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does San Benito compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 9% higher than other cities
Home value 5% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 14% 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, San Benito ranks #570 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 San Benito'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.

9thIncome percentile
14thSafety percentile

9th percentile nationally for median household income · 14th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

San Benito's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

San Benito'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
San Benito'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 San Benito's home value compares nationally

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

$85,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 95% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $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. San Benito $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 - San Benito, TX San Benito, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not San Benito, 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 San Benito, TX median $41,445/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%
San Benito, 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 San Benito, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 23.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.7%

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

Population
24,677
Median Income
$41,445
Median Home Value
$85,100
Median Age
32.3
Poverty Rate
23.9%
Labor force participation
48.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3162.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
262.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2899.7
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
32
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
24,700 residents24,800 residents24,900 residents25,000 residents25,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 24,960 residents 24,980 residents ▲ +0.1%
San Benito's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
111
housing units authorized
Single-Family
111
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 48
2020 52
2021 60
2022 55
2023 99
2024 111

Permit volume increased 131% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.6%
Carpool
12.4%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
9.7%
Other
0.8%

Based on 8,837 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 San Benito 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

Paris
24,678 people
Cloverleaf
24,630 people
Big Spring
24,769 people
Pecan Grove
24,798 people
Kerrville
24,532 people
Saginaw
24,467 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to San Benito's 24,677 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Morton Grove, IL
24,687 people
Suitland, MD
24,667 people
Socastee, SC
24,629 people
Zanesville, OH
24,726 people
Belton, MO
24,618 people
Port St. John, FL
24,617 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to San Benito's $41,445 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Clinton, AR
$41,447 median income
Galax, VA
$41,438 median income
Luttrell, TN
$41,453 median income
Elberton, GA
$41,454 median income
Cloverdale, MS
$41,436 median income
Unicoi, TN
$41,455 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - San Benito, 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 San Benito, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 48.3% 8.9% 40.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 90.5% White 48.3% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.2% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 8.9% Two or more races 40.8% 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 San Benito 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
San Benito (this city) 24,677 $41,445
Paris 24,678 $45,439
Cloverleaf 24,630 $56,371
Big Spring 24,769 $70,532
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about San Benito, TX?

What is the population of San Benito, TX? +

The population of San Benito, TX stands at 24,677 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in San Benito, TX? +

The median household income in San Benito is $41,445 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in San Benito? +

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

San Benito has a total crime rate of 3162.2 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 San Benito, TX? +

Homes in San Benito carry a median value of $85,100, 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 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.