Encinal, 2008
Encinal’s story
143 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2008.
- 1883Encinal is settled
EncinalTX
This town of 543 people was settled in 1883.
Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
543
2025 Census estimate · +0.7% since 2020
Median home value
$87K
Census ACS
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
38.5
years
Jobs based here
136
Balanced
Is Encinal a good place to live?
Encinal’s typical July afternoon high is 99°F, against 95°F in Texas’ towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Encinal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
543 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Encinal: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Encinal, and how to reach them.
PowerMedina Electric Coop12.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEncinal WSCNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Encinal’s trash rules yet
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 hereLa Salle County Early Voting ClerkLa Salle County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7801978019 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 Encinal.
Schools
The schools Encinal’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by Cotulla ISD. 74 students attend Encinal’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encinal ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 74 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Encinal has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from cold waves
FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in Encinal than in 71% of U.S. communities. 38% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by inland flooding at 36%.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
99°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter45–69°
Spring61–86°
Summer74–98°
Fall61–85°
Dec 9
typical first frost
Feb 21
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
99°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most of Encinal’s workers leave town for work
Half of commuters travel less than 83 miles. In Encinal, the average trip to work is 16 minutes. Only 4% of working residents stay in Encinal for work; the rest commute out. Encinal: nearly a fifth of residents live below the poverty line.
4%work in town
| Encinal | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $51,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.2% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Encinal4%
Cotulla19%
San Antonio13%
Eagle Pass4%
Laredo4%
83 mi
median commute distance
136
jobs based in Encinal
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Encinal
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Encinal is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
4
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
Compared with most of Texas and the rest of the country, fewer of Encinal’s adults have been diagnosed with depression
In Encinal, just over a third of adults worry about having enough food. Of 31 CDC measures, Encinal beats the Texas average on 1 and trails it on 17. Two figures for adults locally: 20% have diabetes, 43% get no exercise outside work.
| Encinal | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 24% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 30% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 20% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Texas
1 better13 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Encinal | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.5% | 74.1% |
| More uninsured adults | 38.7% | 19.1% |
Laredo Medical Center
24.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Encinal
17pages on Encinal
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Encinal; the nearest are
Texas A & M International UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Laredo32.8 mi$7,894 in-state tuitionSouthwest Texas CollegeCommunity college · Public · Uvalde84.8 mi$2,646 in-state tuition
About 13 of every 100 Encinal residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
About Encinal
City in Texas, United States
Encinal ( EN-sin-AWL) is a city in La Salle County, Texas, United States. The population was 540 at the 2020 census. Interstate 35 Business runs through the community. There are few businesses in Encinal; most have closed along the main street. Railroad officials named the town for the Spanish word for oak grove. The population peaked in 1937 at eight hundred residents.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 558 ft
- ZIP code
- 78019
- Area code
- 956
Questions about Encinal
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Encinal, TX a good place to live?
Encinal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.