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Texas›Starr County

El ChaparralTX

The town has 282 residents and lies in Texas.

Is El Chaparral a good place to live?

El Chaparral’s average trip to work is 42 minutes, where Texas’ towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 643 Texas towns, just 3 have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than El Chaparral. El Chaparral has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

282 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Santa RosaSanta RosaEl Chaparral
Getting set up

Moving to El Chaparral: who provides what

El Chaparral is unincorporated, so Starr County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerMagic Valley Electric Coop10.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterUnion WSC1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesStarr CountyStarr County provides services here
SchoolsRio Grande City Grulla Independent School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereStarr County Early Voting ClerkStarr County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2022
ZIP code7858278582 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 El Chaparral.

Work & commute

El Chaparral has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in El Chaparral dropped by 36, to 15. The top destinations are Rio Grande City (23%), McAllen (12%) and Harlingen (6%). The median commute is under 35 miles.

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In El Chaparral0%
Rio Grande City23%
McAllen12%
Harlingen6%
Pharr5%
35 mi
median commute distance
15
jobs based in El Chaparral
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

A typical July afternoon in El Chaparral is hotter than in most of Texas or the rest of the country

Winters in El Chaparral are warm and summers hot, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 99°, January nights drop to 48° and snow is almost unheard of.

100°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter50–73°
Spring65–89°
Summer76–99°
Fall64–87°
Dec 17
typical first frost
Jan 31
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
100°
typical summer high

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy El Chaparral is

The share of adults in El Chaparral who have high blood pressure is 38%. Across all 31 CDC measures, El Chaparral beats Texas on 2 and trails on 17. In El Chaparral, just over a fifth of adults have diabetes, and 20% report frequent physical distress.

El ChaparralTypical Texas townTypical U.S. town
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)39%24%19%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)21%13%12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)20%15%14%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)46%30%25%
31 measures vs. Texas
2 better12 too close to call17 worse
What stands outEl ChaparralTX
Fewer adults who have had cancer4.3%6.1%
Fewer binge drinkers14%17%
More uninsured adults40.5%19.1%
Starr County Memorial Hospital
6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

El Chaparral faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves

In El Chaparral, the FEMA risk score is 57 of 100. Nearly two thirds of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by inland flooding at 26%.

57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
57Moderate riskLowerHigher
Cold wavesInland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about El Chaparral

14pages on El Chaparral
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of El Chaparral; the nearest are

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave El Chaparral for work

Where El Chaparral’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

23% → Rio Grande City Rio Grande City 23% 12% → McAllen McAllen 12% 6% → Harlingen Harlingen 6% 5% → Pharr Pharr 5% 5% → Mission Mission 5% 4% → Weslaco Weslaco 4% El Chaparral · 0% stay
15jobs based in El Chaparral
0%of working residents work in town
35 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Questions about El Chaparral

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is El Chaparral, TX a good place to live?

El Chaparral has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.