Alamo, San Antonio, in big citites, 1860
Alamo’s story
117 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,018 in 1930, 19,493 in 2020. The archive holds 16 old photos and papers going back to 1860 and 3 maps from 1914 on.
- 1909Alamo is laid out
Population
20,625
2025 Census estimate · +5.7% since 2020
Typical home
$170K
+2.9% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
29.2
years
Jobs based here
3,787
A commuter town
TownGrade
D−
#620 of 640 in TX
Is Alamo a good place to live?
Alamo earns a D−, ranked 620th of 640 in Texas, mostly because of safety and health. It reports more crime per resident than 95% of U.S. towns, including 137 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. Residents are less healthy than 90% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Alamo’s violent crime rate is 6.5 per 1,000 residents, above both the Texas town median (1.9) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). Alamo's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 100% of U.S. towns. Only 51 of Texas’ 1,000 towns score lower on history.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Alamo for work
Where Alamo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,787jobs based in Alamo
6%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Alamo grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Alamo is from typical.
SafetyDOpen →HealthRio Grande Regional Hospital 6.6 miles awayDOpen →Jobs & income$57K median household incomeC−Open →Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.1 of 20; 3% of households have no car; 1.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 1% conserved landCOpen →HistoryLaid out 1909; 2 notable people born hereD−Open →Civic life1.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 99° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives here19% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Alamo: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Alamo, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Alamo water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
SchoolsPharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School DistrictDonna Independent School District2 districts serve Alamo; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHidalgo County Early Voting ClerkHidalgo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7851678516 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Alamo.
Alamo has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has home values rising while Texas’s fall, but it has poverty well above the Texas rate.
SafetyD
Alamo’s grade for safety is a D
Reported crimes fell from 990 to 749 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Alamo’s property crime rate is 29.2 per 1,000 residents. Alamo reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 95% report less.
5%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Alamo6.5
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Alamo29.2
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
5th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
4th
percentile among TX towns
137
violent crimes reported in 2025
612
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC+
Alamo’s public schools trail 63% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. Two of its 14 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
37%of TX districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audie Murphy MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 790 | D |
| Psja Memorial Early College H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,997 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HealthD
Alamo’s grade for health is a D
37% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Alamo. Alamo beats the Texas average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 20% of adults have diabetes in Alamo.
10%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Alamo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 24% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 30% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 20% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Texas
1 better9 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Alamo | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.2% | 74.1% |
| More uninsured adults | 39.7% | 19.1% |
Rio Grande Regional Hospital
6.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
14th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C+
The typical home in Alamo is valued at about $170K
Values rose 2.9% in the past year while the Texas typical home fell 1.5%. Home values rose 34% in five years, to about $170K, against 10% across Texas.
The typical Alamo home is worth about $170,000, 43% below the Texas typical home. The median rent in Alamo is $811 a month.
$170KZillow home value
| Alamo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $811 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Alamo$170K
Texas$296K
+2.9%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Alamo has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Jobs based here grew from 2,840 in 2013 to 3,787.
Most working residents leave Alamo for work: only 6% work in town. 25% of Alamo residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Alamo grew to 3,787 in 2023, 947 more than in 2013.
6%work in town
| Alamo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 25% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.5% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Alamo6%
McAllen20%
Pharr16%
Edinburg9%
Weslaco6%
8 mi
median commute distance
3,787
jobs based in Alamo
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 50% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC
Alamo has set aside 1.3% of its land for conservation
1.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
#290for trails in TX
| Alamo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.3%
conserved · 62 of 4,908 acres
1.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Alamo Sports Complex | 0.6 mi | 31 |
| 2. Lions Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
In Alamo, expect mild winters and hot summers
The Mcallen weather station, 8 miles away, records that about 170 days a year reach 90°, more than in 99% of U.S. towns. January nights average 50.2°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 97°.
Alamo has warm winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
99°summer high
| Alamo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 50°F | 37°F | 22°F |
| July high | 97°F | 95°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter52–73°
Spring66–87°
Summer76–97°
Fall66–87°
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
99°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Hurricanes leads a high hazard risk in Alamo
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 65% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 15 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Alamo.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesCold wavesInland flooding
15
paid flood claims since 1979
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 11 attractions →Bert Ogden Arena and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Alamo. Close and well known come first.
6 mi Stadium & arenaBert Ogden Arena7 mi Stadium & arenaRobert and Janet Vackar Stadium
9 mi Stadium & arenaPayne Arena9 mi MuseumMuseum of South Texas History
8 mi GardenMcAllen Botanical Gardens
13 mi TheatreBorder TheaterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Bert Ogden Arena: Wikidude10000, CC0 · Payne Arena: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 · McAllen Botanical Gardens: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, United States, CC BY 3.0 us · Border Theater: Andres Gonzalez, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Alamo
20pages on Alamo
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 63% of TX districts · 14 schoolsSafetyD6.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than TX on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$170K typical home · up 2.9% in a yearWork & commuteC−$57K median household income · 3,787 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 65% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Alamo
South Texas CollegeCommunity college · Public · McAllen8.8 mi$4,920 in-state tuitionThe University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyUniversity or college · Public · Edinburg9.4 mi$9,987 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Alamo residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
About Alamo
City in Texas
Alamo ( AL-ə-moh), located in the Rio Grande Valley is a city in the irrigated area of southern Hidalgo County, Texas, United States in an area of vegetable farming and citrus groves, and is a noted winter resort/retirement town near the Mexico–U.S. border. Alamo is one of the Rio Grande Valley's gateways to Mexico, via U.S. Route 281 and Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas, as well as a gateway to the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Alamo's population was 19,493 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1924
- Area
- 7.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 98 ft
- ZIP code
- 78516
- Area code
- 956
Alamo’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Alamo.
North AlamoAlamo
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo | #620 | D− | C+ | D | C+ | D |
| North Alamo | #278 | C+ | A | — | B− | D |
North Alamo reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Alamo with a neighbor →
Questions about Alamo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Alamo, TX a good place to live?
Alamo grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns and #620 of 640 in Texas. It grades D for health, D for safety and C+ for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Alamo, TX expensive?
That is 3.1 years of the area's median household income ($54,338 across the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
What is Alamo, TX known for?
Alamo was laid out in 1909. 2 notable people were born here, including Michael David Pfeifer and Gilberto Hinojosa.