The Town FilesAlton, Texas
City in Hidalgo County · population 18,198 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $156,300
- Household income
- $52,715
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 26.1
Alton is a city of 18,198 people in Hidalgo County, Texas. The median home is worth $156,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better transit than 81% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 80% of Texas towns, more walkable than 79% of Texas towns.
How Alton ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alton is worth $156,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $52,715, which is more affordable than 49% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,038 a month. 55.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,300 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,038 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $52,715 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 55.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 2006 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Alton
| People | Alton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 35.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.2% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.5% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 1.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 26.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Alton
July highs average 95.1°F and January lows 46.8°F. About 20.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 183 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alton since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 26, 1967 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 16, 2007.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 20, 2012.
Severe weather in Hidalgo County since 1996
Hidalgo County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4871: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 26, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3530: Hurricane Hanna |
Jobs and pay in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County had 291,901 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,905 a year. Unemployment was 6.1% in 2023; in Alton itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in Alton
8 public schools with 4,146 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALTON MEMORIAL J H | 6-8 | 828 | 13.8 |
| DOMINGO TREVINO MIDDLE | 6-8 | 594 | 12.9 |
| JESSIE L JENSEN EL | PK-6 | 567 | 16.7 |
| RAQUEL CAVAZOS EL | PK-5 | 539 | 17.4 |
| CANTU EL | PK-5 | 466 | 16.6 |
| MISSION COLLEGIATE H S | 9-12 | 420 | 13.5 |
| CARL C WAITZ EL | PK-5 | 395 | 15.2 |
| ALTON EL | PK-5 | 337 | 15.3 |
Towns near Alton
- Palmhurst, TX2.3 mi · 2,601 people · home $375,000
- La Homa, TX3.0 mi · 11,267 people · home $109,200
- Doffing, TX4.7 mi · 5,618 people · home $101,700
- Citrus City, TX5.7 mi · 3,291 people · home $93,800
- Palmview, TX5.9 mi · 15,830 people · home $113,600
- Mission, TX5.9 mi · 85,778 people · home $175,700
- McAllen, TX6.0 mi · 142,210 people · home $190,400
- Perezville, TX6.4 mi · 2,685 people · home $105,800
Alton questions
Is Alton, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alton scores better for retirees than 3% of Texas towns and quieter than 6%. 7.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.1).
How much does a house cost in Alton?
The median owner-occupied home in Alton is valued at $156,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,715, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,038 a month.
What is the weather like in Alton?
July highs average 95.1°F and January lows 46.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Alton get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 26, 1967. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)