McAllen is a city located in Hidalgo County Texas. McAllen has a 2024 population of 147,989. McAllen is currently growing at a rate of 0.95% annually and its population has increased by 3.92% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 142,404 in 2020.
The average household income in McAllen is $81,304 with a poverty rate of 20.98%. The median age in McAllen is 32.9 years: 30.2 years for males, and 35.8 years for females.
McAllen is within 80 miles of the Gulf of Mexico, and the city limits reach to the Rio Grande at the city of Reynosa, Mexico. The city’s population makes it the 22nd most populous in Texas.
More than one-quarter of the population lives below the federal poverty line. The city has struggled with high unemployment rates in recent years, but that number continues to drop. However, McAllen is still considered one of the poorest cities in the United States, and because of this, the cost of living is over 16% less than the national average.
Despite these struggles, however, the city’s population only continues to grow. A population of 150 in 1910 exploded to over 5,000 in 1920. By 1940, this figure had more than doubled. In 2000, the city’s population surpassed 100,000 and has only continued to grow larger. Recent estimates show that the population is up 9.5% since the last census in 2010, indicating that this city is continuing to experience rapid growth that is showing no signs of slowing down.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of McAllen was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 74,441 | 52.16% |
| Two or more races | 37,156 | 26.03% |
| Other race | 25,080 | 17.57% |
| Asian | 3,999 | 2.8% |
| Black or African American | 1,452 | 1.02% |
| Native American | 559 | 0.39% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 35 | 0.02% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 47,077 | 3.01 | 59.4 | 40.6 |
| Married | 22,899 | 3.73 | 71.4 | 28.6 |
| Non Family | 11,901 | 1.2 | 44.5 | 55.5 |
| Female | 9,615 | 3.43 | 52.1 | 47.9 |
| Male | 2,662 | 3.35 | 49.1 | 50.9 |
3.56
Average Family Size
3.01
Average Household Size
59.4%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 8,291 | 9.44% |
| Associates Degree | 5,605 | 6.38% |
| Bachelors Degree | 18,106 | 20.61% |
| Graduate Degree | 9,793 | 11.15% |
| High School Graduate | 18,108 | 20.61% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 10,383 | 11.82% |
| Some College | 17,578 | 20.01% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 75,008 | 57,078 | 21,540 |
| 2+ Races | 21,711 | 17,140 | 7,072 |
| Other Race | 16,584 | 10,349 | 3,144 |
| White | 8,841 | 8,601 | 4,220 |
| Asian | 2,553 | 2,346 | 1,676 |
| Black | 705 | 650 | 236 |
| Native American | 256 | 222 | 54 |
| Islander | 35 | 35 | 22 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 65.65%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $51,239 | $54,796 | $47,297 |
| Graduate Degree | $69,646 | $74,797 | $68,331 |
| High School Graduate | $27,005 | $31,383 | $20,528 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $17,459 | $20,291 | $14,321 |
| Overall | $36,302 | $44,439 | $29,832 |
| Some College | $33,284 | $41,910 | $28,355 |
$36,302
Average Earnings
$44,439
Average Male
$29,832
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
25.3% of McAllen residents speak only English, while 74.7% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 72.24% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 123,222 | 27,746 | 22.52% |
| Other | 24,643 | 7,171 | 29.1% |
| Multiple | 36,927 | 6,978 | 18.9% |
| White | 11,469 | 1,174 | 10.24% |
| Asian | 3,999 | 397 | 9.93% |
| Black | 1,447 | 276 | 19.07% |
| Native | 559 | 165 | 29.52% |
20.98%
Overall Poverty Rate
18.68%
Male Poverty Rate
23.22%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in McAllen is Native, with 29.52% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in McAllen is Asian, with 9.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 7.12%. Among those working part-time, it was 24.45%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.73%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 36.01% |
| High School | 19.34% |
| Some College | 13.54% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 6.64% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 33.78% |
| Male Unemployed | 29.81% |
| Female Employed | 15.56% |
| Male Employed | 9.97% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $63,255 | $90,892 |
| Households | $56,326 | $81,304 |
| Married Families | $83,486 | $112,661 |
| Non Families | $34,215 | $48,664 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
47.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
50.4%
Male Marriage Rate
44.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
3,619
Number of Veterans
3,404
Male Veterans
215
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 1,468 |
| First Gulf War | 972 |
| Second Gulf War | 879 |
| Korea | 166 |
| World War II | 34 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 1,043 |
| 35 to 54 | 1,010 |
| 75+ | 913 |
| 55 to 64 | 419 |
| 18 to 34 | 234 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,577 | 4.85% |
| Hispanic | 2,353 | 2.69% |
| 2+ Races | 804 | 3.17% |
| Other Race | 210 | 1.08% |
| Asian | 16 | 0.53% |
| Black | 12 | 1.43% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
9.16%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.96%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
62.2%
Labor Force Participation
58.8%
Employment Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
63.29%
Born in McAllen
74.68%
Native Born
25.32%
Foreign Born
15.6%
Non Citizen
9.72%
Naturalized
74.68% of McAllen residents were born in the United States, with 63.29% having been born in Texas. 15.6% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 154,971 | 1,397 | 0.91% |
| 2028 | 153,574 | 1,396 | 0.92% |
| 2027 | 152,178 | 1,396 | 0.93% |
| 2026 | 150,782 | 1,397 | 0.94% |
| 2025 | 149,385 | 1,396 | 0.94% |
| 2024 | 147,989 | 1,396 | 0.95% |
| 2023 | 146,593 | 2,011 | 1.39% |
| 2022 | 144,582 | 827 | 0.58% |
| 2021 | 143,755 | 1,351 | 0.95% |
| 2020 | 142,404 | -567 | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 142,971 | 756 | 0.53% |
| 2018 | 142,215 | 264 | 0.19% |
| 2017 | 141,951 | 299 | 0.21% |
| 2016 | 141,652 | 1,923 | 1.38% |
| 2015 | 139,729 | 1,150 | 0.83% |
| 2014 | 138,579 | 1,257 | 0.92% |
| 2013 | 137,322 | 1,106 | 0.81% |
| 2012 | 136,216 | 1,598 | 1.19% |
| 2011 | 134,618 | 2,514 | 1.9% |
| 2010 | 132,104 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 106,414 | 22,393 | 26.65% |
| 1990 | 84,021 | 17,740 | 26.76% |
| 1980 | 66,281 | 28,645 | 76.11% |
| 1970 | 37,636 | 4,908 | 15% |
| 1960 | 32,728 | 12,661 | 63.09% |
| 1950 | 20,067 | 8,190 | 68.96% |
| 1940 | 11,877 | 2,803 | 30.89% |
| 1930 | 9,074 | 3,743 | 70.21% |
| 1920 | 5,331 | -149,640 | -96.56% |