Census tract · Hidalgo County
Census Tract 242.09, Hidalgo County, Texas
Census Tract 242.09, GEOID 48215024209, in Hidalgo County, Texas, partly within Penitas, Palmview, Abram and Perezville. 3,830 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±645); the 2020 Census counted 3,767.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,830
±645 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,767
Median household income
$44,094
±$10,576 (90% margin)
Hidalgo County: $54,338
Median home value
$145,300
±$65,527 (90% margin)
Hidalgo County: $140,900
Median gross rent
$766
±$71 (90% margin)
Hidalgo County: $957
Where is Census Tract 242.09?
Census Tract 242.09 is one of 212 census tracts in Hidalgo County, Texas. It covers 2.65 square miles of land, 1,424 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 48215024209, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Penitas | 39% |
| Palmview | 21% |
| Abram | 13% |
| Perezville | 3% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 242.09: Tract 202.06 ($48,574), Tract 242.04 ($51,895), Tract 242.07 ($48,938), Tract 242.08 ($61,974) and Tract 242.10 ($49,593). 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 242.09?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 242.09's population at 3,830 (±645) in 1,137 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,767 residents and 1,164 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 242.09 | Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,830 ±645 | 891,977 |
| Households | 1,137 ±151 | 270,210 |
| Average household size | 3.37 ±0.41 | 3.27 |
| Housing units | 1,189 ±143 | 308,556 |
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 242.09?
The median resident of Census Tract 242.09 is 30.0 years old; 26.9% are under 18 and 7.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 97.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 2.7%. 33.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 242.09 | Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.0 ±5.4 | 30.5 |
| Under 18 years | 26.9% ±8.8 pts | 31.0% |
| 65 years and over | 7.3% ±3.2 pts | 11.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 97.3% ±2.7 pts | 91.9% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±2.7 pts | 6.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.6% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.1% |
| Born outside the United States | 33.3% ±9.4 pts | 26.1% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 91.7% ±5.4 pts | 80.1% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 3.2% |
| With a disability | 10.3% ±5.9 pts | 13.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 42.9% ±7.1 pts | 28.2% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 73.6% ±11.8 pts | 70.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.2% ±10.3 pts | 20.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.1% ±3.8 pts | 6.6% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.0% ±5.5 pts | 90.3% |
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 242.09 earn?
Half of the 1,137 households in Census Tract 242.09 earn less than $44,094 a year (±$10,576), against $54,338 across Hidalgo County: 136th highest of the county's 192 tracts with a reliable estimate. 32.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 242.09 | Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,094 ±$10,576 | $54,338 |
| Mean household income | $58,441 ±$13,520 | $74,303 |
| Per capita income | $18,365 ±$5,120 | $23,117 |
| People below the poverty line | 32.8% ±13.9 pts | 26.7% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 60.4% ±19.8 pts | 36.4% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 36.0% ±11.7 pts | 27.8% |
| Households with a computer | 91.3% ±8.5 pts | 93.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.7% ±5.2 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 Census Tract 242.09?
Owners occupy 65.4% of Census Tract 242.09's occupied homes and renters 34.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $145,300 by its owner (±$65,527). The median renter pays $766 a month including utilities, and 60.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 242.09 | Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $145,300 ±$65,527 | $140,900 |
| Median gross rent | $766 ±$71 | $957 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 60.5% ±24.1 pts | 40.7% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,138 ±$280 | $1,486 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.4% ±12.3 pts | 67.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.6% ±12.3 pts | 32.5% |
| Housing units | 1,189 ±143 | 308,556 |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.3% ±11.3 pts | 64.9% |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±5.1 pts | 13.9% |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.5% ±4.4 pts | 3.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 16.2% ±9.6 pts | 19.4% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.5% ±6.5 pts | 1.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.1% ±3.0 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 Census Tract 242.09 get to work?
90.0% of Census Tract 242.09's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 25.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.7%.
| Measure | Tract 242.09 | Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.3% ±8.6 pts | 59.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.7% ±5.9 pts | 7.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 90.0% ±7.7 pts | 74.7% |
| Carpooled | 5.1% ±4.3 pts | 10.9% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.2% |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 1.2% |
| Worked from home | 3.2% ±4.2 pts | 9.2% |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.0 min ±5.4 | 22.5 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 242.09 compare with the other tracts in Hidalgo County?
Among Hidalgo County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 242.09 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Hidalgo County |
|---|---|
| Population | 106th of 211 |
| Residents per square mile | 144th of 212 |
| Median household income | 136th of 192 |
| Per capita income | 135th of 210 |
| Median home value | 91st of 198 |
| Median gross rent | 155th of 185 |
| Poverty rate | 70th of 165 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 94th of 183 |
| Median age | 126th of 210 |
| Owner-occupied share | 129th of 210 |
The tracts next to it on Hidalgo County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 240.01 | 133rd | $45,217±$11,237 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 244.03 | 134th | $44,704±$11,676 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 241.26 | 135th | $44,182±$13,246 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 242.09 | 136th | $44,094±$10,576 |
| Tract 221.09 | 137th | $43,750±$17,340 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 214.07 | 138th | $43,240±$18,415 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 220.08 | 139th | $42,716±$17,603 · 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 242.09?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 242.09 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