The Town FilesPharr, Texas
City in Hidalgo County · population 79,715 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $121,900
- Household income
- $52,814
- Jan low / Jul high
- 53° / 99°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 29.7
Pharr is a city of 79,715 people in Hidalgo County, Texas. The median home is worth $121,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more vibrant than 92% of Texas towns, more walkable than 91% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 91% of Texas towns.
How Pharr 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 Pharr is worth $121,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $52,814, which is more affordable than 72% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,037 a month. 59.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pharr | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $121,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,037 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $52,814 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 59.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Pharr
| People | Pharr | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.8% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 32.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.6% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Pharr
July highs average 98.5°F and January lows 52.7°F. About 22.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 177 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pharr 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 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 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 Pharr itself the ACS puts it at 7.2%.
Public schools in Pharr
36 public schools with 23,443 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSJA NORTH EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 2,229 | 14.9 |
| VANGUARD REMBRANDT (charter) | PK-12 | 1,965 | 16.1 |
| PSJA SOUTHWEST EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 1,597 | 12.6 |
| LYNDON B JOHNSON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 971 | 13.5 |
| VANGUARD VAN GOGH (charter) | PK-8 | 959 | 18.1 |
| IDEA COLLEGE PREPARATORY PHARR (charter) | 6-12 | 863 | 20.1 |
| DR WILLIAM LONG EL | PK-5 | 797 | 18.5 |
| LIBERTY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 795 | 12.2 |
| IDEA ACADEMY PHARR (charter) | K-5 | 758 | 25.3 |
| AIDA C ESCOBAR EL | PK-5 | 715 | 17.0 |
| IDEA OWASSA ACADEMY (charter) | K-5 | 708 | 24.4 |
| HENRY FORD EL | PK-5 | 693 | 17.8 |
Towns near Pharr
- San Juan, TX3.2 mi · 35,294 people · home $126,700
- Alamo, TX4.9 mi · 19,493 people · home $145,100
- Hidalgo, TX5.0 mi · 13,964 people · home $163,600
- McAllen, TX5.3 mi · 142,210 people · home $190,400
- South Alamo, TX5.4 mi · 3,414 people · home $69,600
- North Alamo, TX5.5 mi · 3,722 people · home $82,900
- Murillo, TX8.2 mi · 9,158 people · home $164,100
- Mission, TX8.6 mi · 85,778 people · home $175,700
Pharr questions
Is Pharr, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pharr scores better for retirees than 12% of Texas towns and quieter than 1%. 10.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.7).
How much does a house cost in Pharr?
The median owner-occupied home in Pharr is valued at $121,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,814, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,037 a month.
What is the weather like in Pharr?
July highs average 98.5°F and January lows 52.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Pharr get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pharr 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)