The Town FilesRio Grande City, Texas
City in Starr County · population 15,317 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,200
- Household income
- $44,577
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 99°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 29.9
Rio Grande City is a city of 15,317 people in Starr County, Texas. The median home is worth $113,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 75% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 74% of Texas towns, hipper than 73% of Texas towns.
How Rio Grande City 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 Rio Grande City is worth $113,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $44,577, which is more affordable than 66% of Texas towns. Median rent is $767 a month. 69.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rio Grande City | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,200 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $767 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $44,577 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 69.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Rio Grande City
| People | Rio Grande City | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 31.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.8% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Rio Grande City
July highs average 99.0°F and January lows 45.2°F. About 22.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 187 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Rio Grande City since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 7, 2026.
Severe weather in Starr County since 1996
Starr County has been included in 23 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 |
| 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 |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Starr County
Starr County had 14,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,754 a year. Unemployment was 9.3% in 2023; in Rio Grande City itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Rio Grande City
16 public schools with 10,510 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIO GRANDE CITY H S | 9-12 | 1,674 | 13.4 |
| VETERANS MIDDLE | 6-8 | 795 | 12.8 |
| GRULLA H S | 9-12 | 770 | 14.3 |
| IDEA RIO GRANDE CITY ACADEMY (charter) | K-5 | 733 | 22.2 |
| GENERAL RICARDO SANCHEZ EL | PK-5 | 733 | 15.9 |
| IDEA RIO GRANDE CITY COLLEGE PREPARATORY (charter) | 6-12 | 661 | 15.4 |
| RINGGOLD MIDDLE | 6-8 | 635 | 10.2 |
| ROQUE GUERRA JR EL | PK-5 | 626 | 14.2 |
| ALTO BONITO EL | PK-5 | 584 | 15.4 |
| RAMIRO BARRERA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 534 | 10.3 |
| DELIA GONZALEZ GARCIA EL | PK-5 | 495 | 14.1 |
| DR MARIO E RAMIREZ EL | PK-5 | 481 | 13.7 |
Towns near Rio Grande City
- Las Lomas, TX3.1 mi · 3,054 people · home $87,200
- Escobares, TX8.8 mi · 2,588 people · home $72,800
- Roma, TX11.5 mi · 11,561 people · home $94,400
- Sullivan City, TX17.5 mi · 3,908 people · home $94,600
- La Joya, TX23.1 mi · 4,457 people · home $108,000
- Salida del Sol Estates, TX23.5 mi · 6,496 people · home $96,800
- Penitas, TX25.2 mi · 6,460 people · home $167,000
- Citrus City, TX26.8 mi · 3,291 people · home $93,800
Rio Grande City questions
Is Rio Grande City, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rio Grande City scores better for retirees than 15% of Texas towns and quieter than 19%. 10.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.9).
How much does a house cost in Rio Grande City?
The median owner-occupied home in Rio Grande City is valued at $113,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,577, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $767 a month.
What is the weather like in Rio Grande City?
July highs average 99.0°F and January lows 45.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Rio Grande City get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Rio Grande City in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)