The Town FilesPort Isabel, Texas
City in Cameron County · population 5,028 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,600
- Household income
- $32,222
- Jan low / Jul high
- 52° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 37.8
Port Isabel is a city of 5,028 people in Cameron County, Texas. The median home is worth $182,600, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more seaside character than 99% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 92% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Texas towns.
How Port Isabel 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 Port Isabel is worth $182,600, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $32,222, which is more affordable than 4% of Texas towns. Median rent is $748 a month. 60.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Port Isabel | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,600 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $748 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $32,222 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 60.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.9% | — |
Who lives in Port Isabel
| People | Port Isabel | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 34.2% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 13.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Port Isabel
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 51.7°F. About 28.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 95 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port Isabel since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 13, 2023 about 3.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 11 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 27, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 9, 2026.
Severe weather in Cameron County since 1996
Cameron County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| 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 |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Cameron County
Cameron County had 156,619 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,590 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Port Isabel itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Port Isabel
4 public schools with 1,847 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PORT ISABEL EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 593 | 13.8 |
| GARRIGA EL | PK-5 | 432 | 14.9 |
| PORT ISABEL J H | 6-8 | 413 | 12.9 |
| DERRY EL | PK-5 | 409 | 14.6 |
Towns near Port Isabel
- Laguna Vista, TX2.9 mi · 3,520 people · home $255,900
- Los Fresnos, TX11.1 mi · 8,114 people · home $152,200
- Laureles, TX11.7 mi · 4,111 people · home $152,400
- Brownsville, TX11.8 mi · 186,738 people · home $139,900
- Cameron Park, TX12.3 mi · 6,099 people · home $74,800
- Rancho Viejo, TX15.4 mi · 2,838 people · home $264,500
- San Benito, TX21.2 mi · 24,861 people · home $85,300
- La Paloma, TX21.5 mi · 3,218 people · home $82,400
Port Isabel questions
Is Port Isabel, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Port Isabel scores better for retirees than 34% of Texas towns and quieter than 22%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Port Isabel?
The median owner-occupied home in Port Isabel is valued at $182,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,222, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $748 a month.
What is the weather like in Port Isabel?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 51.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Port Isabel get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port Isabel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 13, 2023. 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)