Texas›Starr County

Santa CruzTX

The town, home to 285 people, lies in Texas.

Population

285

Census survey, 2020–24

Is Santa Cruz a good place to live?

Santa Cruz’s typical July afternoon high is 99°F, above both the Texas town median (95°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). No town among the 643 in Texas we compare has a higher median age than Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

285 people, and everyone knows the way

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

Nearby towns

Rio Grande City · 4 mi La Grulla · 9 mi Escobares · 13 mi Sullivan City · 14 mi Roma · 15 mi La Joya · 19 mi

Rio Grande CitySanta Cruz

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Santa Cruz.

Climate

Santa Cruz: mild winters and hot summers

100°summer high

Its January low is 48°F.

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

Full pageSanta Cruz’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

A year of weatherJuly highs 99°, January lows 48°Rain & snow21″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingMostly a cooling bill Then and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

Compared with most of Texas and the rest of the country, more of Santa Cruz’s adults get no exercise outside work

Nearly two in five adults say their health is fair or poor in Santa Cruz. CDC measures, 31 in all: Santa Cruz beats Texas on 1 and trails on 20.

	Santa Cruz	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	39%	24%	19%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	20%	13%	12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	20%	15%	14%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	46%	30%	25%

31 measures vs. Texas

1 better10 too close to call20 worse

What stands out	Santa Cruz	TX
Fewer adults who have had cancer	4%	6.1%
More uninsured adults	42.6%	19.1%

Starr County Memorial Hospital

5.9 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

Full pageSanta Cruz’s health reportOpen the full Health report

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby5.9 miles to an ER · Starr County Memorial Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than TX on 1 of 31

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

Natural hazards

Natural hazards: moderate risk in Santa Cruz, mostly cold waves

57risk score of 100

Of the losses FEMA expects in Santa Cruz, 65% come from cold waves and 26% from inland flooding. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage here than in 57% of U.S. communities.

FEMA risk score

Cold wavesInland flooding

Full pageSanta Cruz’s hazards pageOpen the full Hazards page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters19 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready2.5 events a year, on average · Ready for cold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Santa Cruz

13pages on Santa Cruz

The big questions

HealthBetter than TX on 1 of 31 CDC measures Work & commute$73K median household income Natural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 57% of U.S. communities · cold waves

Out and about

PlacesAttractions6 nearby · Border Theater 29 mi LibraryRio Grande City Public Library Colleges

The story

Climate100° summer highs

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors

Getting set up

Moving to Santa Cruz: who provides what

Santa Cruz 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

Internet6 providers94% 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.

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Santa Cruz; the nearest are

South Texas CollegeCommunity college · Public · McAllen33.2 mi$4,920 in-state tuition The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyUniversity or college · Public · Edinburg36.9 mi$9,987 in-state tuition Texas Southmost CollegeCommunity college · Public · Brownsville85.1 mi$3,148 in-state tuition

About 0 of every 100 Santa Cruz residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Questions about Santa Cruz

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Santa Cruz, TX a good place to live?

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

Santa Cruz is in here

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