Census tract · Hidalgo County
Census Tract 231.05, Hidalgo County, Texas
Census Tract 231.05, GEOID 48215023105, in Hidalgo County, Texas, mostly within Mercedes (81% of its census blocks). 5,815 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,130); the 2020 Census counted 4,598.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,815
±1,130 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,598
Median household income
$68,583
±$20,473 (90% margin)
Hidalgo County: $54,338
Median home value
$115,800
±$33,858 (90% margin)
Hidalgo County: $140,900
Median gross rent
$1,196
±$396 (90% margin)
Hidalgo County: $957
Where is Census Tract 231.05?
Census Tract 231.05 is one of 212 census tracts in Hidalgo County, Texas. It covers 5.83 square miles of land, 789 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 48215023105, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Mercedes | 81% |
| Heidelberg | 7% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 231.05: Tract 103.03 in Cameron County ($77,247), Tract 119.07 in Cameron County ($37,292), Tract 229 ($49,971), Tract 230, Tract 231.04 ($28,327) and Tract 231.06 ($34,098). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 231.05?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 231.05's population at 5,815 (±1,130) in 1,409 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,598 residents and 1,391 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 231.05 | Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,815 ±1,130 | 16,733 |
| Households | 1,409 ±186 | 5,205 |
| Average household size | 4.13 ±0.66 | 3.20 |
| Housing units | 1,551 ±176 | 6,031 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 231.05?
The median resident of Census Tract 231.05 is 31.4 years old; 34.8% are under 18 and 12.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 99.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 0.6%. 14.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 231.05 | Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.4 ±9.9 | 33.2 |
| Under 18 years | 34.8% ±7.9 pts | 31.5% |
| 65 years and over | 12.2% ±5.8 pts | 15.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 99.2% ±0.9 pts | 92.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 7.1% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.4% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 14.1% ±5.8 pts | 16.6% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 72.7% ±9.1 pts | 69.3% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.5% ±2.8 pts | 4.1% |
| With a disability | 9.4% ±3.6 pts | 15.0% |
| No health insurance coverage | 18.6% ±4.5 pts | 23.9% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 75.2% ±7.2 pts | 72.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.0% ±10.6 pts | 15.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.8% ±9.9 pts | 4.6% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.7% ±3.9 pts | 92.0% |
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 Census Tract 231.05 earn?
Half of the 1,409 households in Census Tract 231.05 earn less than $68,583 a year (±$20,473), against $54,338 across Hidalgo County: 50th highest of the county's 192 tracts with a reliable estimate. 17.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 231.05 | Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,583 ±$20,473 | $46,904 |
| Mean household income | $79,516 ±$11,591 | $61,830 |
| Per capita income | $21,027 ±$4,093 | $20,044 |
| People below the poverty line | 17.7% ±9.6 pts | 28.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 27.6% ±18.0 pts | 46.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 32.6% ±12.1 pts | 35.9% |
| Households with a computer | 99.1% ±1.5 pts | 86.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.9% ±5.7 pts | 78.0% |
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 Census Tract 231.05?
Owners occupy 80.6% of Census Tract 231.05's occupied homes and renters 19.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $115,800 by its owner (±$33,858). The median renter pays $1,196 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 231.05 | Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $115,800 ±$33,858 | $111,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,196 ±$396 | $812 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 3.8% ±5.5 pts | 54.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,235 ±$239 | $1,306 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.6% ±9.4 pts | 62.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.4% ±9.4 pts | 37.2% |
| Housing units | 1,551 ±176 | 6,031 |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.0% ±10.8 pts | 61.7% |
| Mobile homes | 8.4% ±6.2 pts | 14.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.6% ±2.7 pts | 1.9% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.0% ±5.9 pts | 9.5% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.3% ±5.4 pts | 5.3% |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.9% ±1.6 pts | 9.8% |
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 Census Tract 231.05 get to work?
81.0% of Census Tract 231.05's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.4%.
| Measure | Tract 231.05 | Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.8% ±8.4 pts | 56.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.4% ±6.7 pts | 6.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 81.0% ±9.0 pts | 71.7% |
| Carpooled | 9.9% ±5.9 pts | 13.2% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.4% |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.8% |
| Worked from home | 9.1% ±7.4 pts | 9.5% |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.1 min ±3.1 | 18.6 min |
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
How does Census Tract 231.05 compare with the other tracts in Hidalgo County?
Among Hidalgo County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 231.05 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Hidalgo County | In Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 35th of 211 | 2nd of 4 |
| Residents per square mile | 171st of 212 | 3rd of 4 |
| Median household income | 50th of 192 | 1st of 3 |
| Per capita income | 100th of 210 | 2nd of 4 |
| Median home value | 115th of 198 | 2nd of 4 |
| Median gross rent | 31st of 185 | 1st of 4 |
| Poverty rate | 144th of 165 | 4th of 4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 98th of 183 | 2nd of 3 |
| Median age | 105th of 210 | 3rd of 4 |
| Owner-occupied share | 61st of 210 | 1st of 4 |
The tracts next to it on Hidalgo County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 235.22 | 47th | $68,944±$13,545 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 203.07 | 48th | $68,824±$21,069 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 224.02 | 49th | $68,790±$8,783 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 231.05 | 50th | $68,583±$20,473 |
| Tract 241.24 | 51st | $67,917±$13,361 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 214.09 | 52nd | $67,045±$16,989 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 217.04 | 53rd | $66,918±$12,312 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 231.05?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 231.05 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections