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Texas›Kleberg County

RicardoTX

A town of 1,132, settled in 1909. Public schools that outperform most of Texas.

Is Ricardo a good place to live?

The best of Ricardo’s subject grades is an A− for schools; the weakest is a D for walkability. 40% of residents live below the poverty line in Ricardo, above both the Texas town median (12%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On hazard risk, just 20 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do worse. The median household income is $70K, and 40% of residents live below the poverty line. On history, just 42 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do worse. Ricardo has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

What makes Ricardo stand out

Where Ricardo beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Small town

1,132 people, and everyone knows the way

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

Nearby towns

How Ricardo grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Ricardo is from typical.

How grading works

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Ricardo: who provides what

Ricardo is unincorporated, so Kleberg County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerNueces Electric Cooperative11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRicardo WSC1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesKleberg CountyKleberg County provides services here
SchoolsRicardo 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 hereKleberg County Early Voting ClerkKleberg County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code7836378363 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 Ricardo.

SchoolsA−

On state tests, Ricardo’s schools beat 83% of Texas districts

Its public schools are run by Ricardo ISD. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.

83%of TX districts it outscoresA−School Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Ricardo ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5449B−

NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D

In Ricardo, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical Texas or U.S. town

At 86 of 100, Ricardo’s FEMA risk score is against 47 of 100 in Texas’ towns and 44 of 100 across U.S. towns.

86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
86Very high riskLowerHigher
HurricanesCold wavesInland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Who lives here

Fewer young adults than Texas overall

Adults 18 to 34 are 8% of residents (24% statewide); children under 18 are 35% of residents (25% statewide). 22% of Ricardo residents are 65 or older. 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Texas.

43.8median age · TX 35.6
RicardoTexas townsU.S. towns
Aged 65 or older22%14%18%
Median age43.8 years35.9 years40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+28%23%29%
RicardoTexasUnited States

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma27%
High school24%
Some college19%
Associate’s2%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate10%

Women and men · all residents

Somewhere between 34% and 87% women

The Census survey reached too few of Ricardo’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±26.2 points. Across Texas, 50.1% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Ricardo
RicardoTXU.S.
Under 1026.1%13.3%11.6%
10 to 178.4%11.7%10.3%
18 to 245.5%9.7%9.1%
25 to 342.6%14.5%13.7%
35 to 447.9%14.1%13.2%
45 to 5412.1%12.3%12.2%
55 to 6415.2%11.1%12.7%
65 to 7410.2%8.2%10.2%
75 and older12.1%5.2%7%
No diploma26.8%14%10.4%
High school23.6%24.3%26%
Some college19.1%20.1%19.1%
Associate’s2.4%7.7%8.8%
Bachelor’s17.8%21.5%21.6%
Graduate10.3%12.3%14.1%

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Ricardo’s workers commute out

Most working residents leave Ricardo for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Ricardo has added 62 jobs, to 98 in 2023. The top destinations are Kingsville (24%), Corpus Christi (15%) and Alice (4%).

1%work in town
RicardoTexas townsU.S. towns
Working residents who work in town1.5%8.3%8%
Average trip to work24 minutes25 minutes25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Ricardo1%
Kingsville24%
Corpus Christi15%
Alice4%
Houston3%
32 mi
median commute distance
98
jobs based in Ricardo
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 8% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HealthC

Ricardo is less healthy than 69% of U.S. towns

Ricardo beats the Texas average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 27% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Ricardo.

31%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
RicardoTexas townsU.S. towns
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)27%18%8.1%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)27%20%14%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)16%13%12%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)34%30%25%
31 measures vs. Texas
0 better24 too close to call7 worse
What stands outRicardoTX
More uninsured adults27.1%19.1%
More adults facing food insecurity27%19.3%
More adults facing housing insecurity21.5%16.4%
Christus Spohn Hospital Kleberg
5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

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

Climate

Mild winters and hot summers in Ricardo

Ricardo has warm winters and hot summers. Ricardo’s July high is 95°F.

96°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter50–70°
Spring64–83°
Summer75–95°
Fall64–85°
Dec 14
typical first frost
Feb 3
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade B−

The median home in Ricardo sells for about $140K

$140Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Ricardo

16pages on Ricardo
After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Ricardo

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Ricardo for work

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

24% → Kingsville Kingsville 24% 15% → Corpus Christi Corpus Christi 15% 4% → Alice Alice 4% 3% → Houston Houston 3% 2% → San Antonio San Antonio 2% 2% → Laredo Laredo 2% Ricardo · 1% stay
98jobs based in Ricardo
1%of working residents work in town
32 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Questions about Ricardo

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Ricardo, TX a good place to live?

Public schools that outperform most of Texas.

Is Ricardo, TX expensive?

The typical home is worth about $247,000, 17% below the Texas typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.