The Town FilesMercedes, Texas
City in Hidalgo County · population 16,258 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $111,800
- Household income
- $46,904
- Jan low / Jul high
- 50° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 33.2
Mercedes is a city of 16,258 people in Hidalgo County, Texas. The median home is worth $111,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Texas towns, better transit than 90% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 80% of Texas towns.
How Mercedes 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 Mercedes is worth $111,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $46,904, which is more affordable than 69% of Texas towns. Median rent is $812 a month. 62.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mercedes | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $111,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $812 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $46,904 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 62.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.1% | — |
Who lives in Mercedes
| People | Mercedes | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.2 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 31.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.6% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Mercedes
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 50.0°F. About 25.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 160 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercedes since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 24, 1970 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 27, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 29, 1991.
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 Mercedes itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Mercedes
14 public schools with 6,203 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MERCEDES H S | 8-12 | 895 | 13.0 |
| SOUTH TEXAS ISD SCIENCE ACADEMY | 9-12 | 846 | 15.4 |
| SOUTH TEXAS ISD HEALTH PROFESSIONS | 9-12 | 797 | 14.5 |
| SGT MANUEL CHACON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 587 | 14.7 |
| TRAVIS EL | PK-5 | 494 | 13.4 |
| RUBEN HINOJOSA EL | PK-5 | 487 | 13.5 |
| TAYLOR EL | PK-5 | 426 | 13.7 |
| JOHN F KENNEDY EL | PK-5 | 414 | 13.8 |
| SGT WILLIAM G HARRELL MIDDLE | 6-8 | 388 | 9.9 |
| MERCEDES EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY | 9-12 | 349 | 15.9 |
| MERCEDES EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM | PK-PK | 205 | 34.2 |
| MERCEDES ACADEMIC ACADEMY | 9-12 | 148 | 24.7 |
Towns near Mercedes
- Llano Grande, TX3.8 mi · 2,952 people · home $77,400
- Indian Hills, TX4.0 mi · 2,694 people · home $54,400
- Weslaco, TX4.7 mi · 40,160 people · home $140,000
- Progreso, TX4.8 mi · 4,807 people · home $69,300
- La Feria, TX5.5 mi · 6,817 people · home $106,900
- Mila Doce, TX5.6 mi · 6,162 people · home $67,700
- Midway North, TX7.0 mi · 4,232 people · home $112,200
- Olivarez, TX7.2 mi · 4,248 people · home $79,300
Mercedes questions
Is Mercedes, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mercedes scores better for retirees than 15% of Texas towns and quieter than 22%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.2).
How much does a house cost in Mercedes?
The median owner-occupied home in Mercedes is valued at $111,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,904, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $812 a month.
What is the weather like in Mercedes?
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 50.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Mercedes get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercedes since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 24, 1970. 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)