The Town FilesLa Joya, Texas
City in Hidalgo County · population 4,457 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $108,000
- Household income
- $53,526
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 32.2
La Joya is a city of 4,457 people in Hidalgo County, Texas. The median home is worth $108,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 89% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 74% of Texas towns.
How La Joya 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 La Joya is worth $108,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $53,526, which is more affordable than 80% of Texas towns. Median rent is $884 a month. 53.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Joya | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $884 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $53,526 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 53.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in La Joya
| People | La Joya | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.2 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 1.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in La Joya
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
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Joya 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 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on March 14, 1997.
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 La Joya itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in La Joya
9 public schools with 5,454 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LA JOYA H S | 9-12 | 2,624 | 11.8 |
| LORENZO DE ZAVALA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 608 | 14.5 |
| TABASCO EL | PK-5 | 579 | 17.0 |
| IDEA LA JOYA ACADEMY (charter) | K-5 | 548 | 20.3 |
| THELMA ROSA SALINAS STEM EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 439 | 14.2 |
| JIMMY CARTER EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 362 | 11.7 |
| IDEA LA JOYA COLLEGE PREPARATORY (charter) | 6-8 | 243 | 15.2 |
| HOPE ACADEMY | 6-12 | 51 | 5.7 |
| LA JOYA ISD HEAD START PROGRAM | PK-K | — | — |
Towns near La Joya
- Penitas, TX2.2 mi · 6,460 people · home $167,000
- Perezville, TX4.6 mi · 2,685 people · home $105,800
- Salida del Sol Estates, TX4.9 mi · 6,496 people · home $96,800
- Sullivan City, TX5.7 mi · 3,908 people · home $94,600
- Doffing, TX5.7 mi · 5,618 people · home $101,700
- Palmview, TX6.1 mi · 15,830 people · home $113,600
- Citrus City, TX7.0 mi · 3,291 people · home $93,800
- La Homa, TX7.4 mi · 11,267 people · home $109,200
La Joya questions
Is La Joya, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Joya scores better for retirees than 56% of Texas towns and quieter than 27%. 10.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.2).
How much does a house cost in La Joya?
The median owner-occupied home in La Joya is valued at $108,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,526, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $884 a month.
What is the weather like in La Joya?
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 La Joya get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Joya 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)