Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,355, settled in 1927.
The best of Santa Rosa’s subject grades is a B for cost of living; the weakest is a D for walkability. 39% of residents live below the poverty line in Santa Rosa, above both Texas’ towns (12%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 98 of Texas’ 999 towns score lower on walkability. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 92% of the country. Santa Rosa's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 100% of U.S. towns. Only 68 of Texas’ 1,000 towns score lower on history. Santa Rosa has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
2,873 counted in 2010 and 2,450 in 2020; an estimated 2,355 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Santa Rosa is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1939.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Santa Rosa, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Santa Rosa.
22% of Santa Rosa adults have diabetes, above both the Texas town median (13%) and the median of U.S. towns (12%). 44% of adults have obesity in Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa beats the Texas average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 20.
| Santa Rosa | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 24% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 13% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 30% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 20% | 14% |
| What stands out | Santa Rosa | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.5% | 6.1% |
| More uninsured adults | 42.7% | 19.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by Santa Rosa ISD. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elma E Barrera ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 377 | C− |
| Santa Rosa H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 291 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
The typical Santa Rosa home is worth about $146,000, up 1.8% in a year, 51% below the Texas typical home. Santa Rosa’s median rent is $919 a month.
| Santa Rosa | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 51% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $919 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Santa Rosa for work: only 3% work in town. The median household income in Santa Rosa is $37,000. Jobs based in Santa Rosa fell to 338 in 2023, 51 fewer than in 2013.
| Santa Rosa | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.2% | 8.3% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Santa Rosa has warm winters and hot summers. July afternoons reach 96°, January nights drop to 50° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 50 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Santa Rosa.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Santa Rosa; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Santa Rosa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
Where Santa Rosa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
One town shares a border with Santa Rosa.
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa | — | — | B | — | C+ | D |
| Tierra Bonita | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Santa Rosa has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Santa Rosa reports no FBI crime data of its own. Tierra Bonita isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Santa Rosa with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 2.8 years of the area's median household income ($52,601 across the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.