El RefugioTX
Population 780: a town in Texas.
Is El Refugio a good place to live?
61% of residents live below the poverty line in El Refugio, above both the Texas town median (12%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 643 Texas towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than El Refugio. 63% of the land in El Refugio is conserved, against 1.9% in Texas’ towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. El Refugio has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
780 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to El Refugio: who provides what
El Refugio is unincorporated, so Starr County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Refugio.
In El Refugio, nearly a third of the land is conserved
For El Refugio, the trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile. Walkers can cover 1.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Parks and preserves in the town: one, of 246 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge | 0.5 mi | 246 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
El Refugio stands out in Texas and nationally, with the average trip to work shorter than most
Jobs in El Refugio fell by 34 from 2013 to 2023, to 2. The top destinations are Rio Grande City (20%), McAllen (10%) and Mission (6%). For half of commuters, work is under 33 miles away.
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Compared with most of Texas and the rest of the country, a typical July afternoon in El Refugio is hotter
Summers in El Refugio are hot, and winters warm, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 99°, January nights drop to 48° and snow is almost unheard of.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy El Refugio is
El Refugio: 38% of adults have high blood pressure. In El Refugio, 21% of adults have diabetes, and 20% report frequent physical distress.
| El Refugio | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| What stands out | El Refugio | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.9% | 6.1% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.7% | 17% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 42.4% | 19.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The biggest natural risk in El Refugio is cold waves, at a moderate overall level
On expected storm and flood damage, El Refugio sits above 57% of U.S. communities. 65% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by inland flooding at 26%. Flood insurance has paid out on 11 claims in the town since 1998.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about El Refugio
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of El Refugio; the nearest are
About 12 of every 100 El Refugio residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
100% of working residents leave El Refugio for work
Where El Refugio’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About El Refugio
CDP in Texas, United States
El Refugio ("The Refuge") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Starr County, Texas, United States. The population was 407 at the 2020 census. El Refugio gained area in the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 151 ft
Questions about El Refugio
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is El Refugio, TX a good place to live?
El Refugio has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.