USCGC Amberjack (WPB-87315) moored at South Padre Island -- 2001-02-07, 2001
South Padre Island’s story
South Padre Island in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2001.
Explore the history →South Padre IslandTX
A regional job hub with 3,678 jobs. The town, home to 2,086 people, lies in Texas.
Population
2,086
2025 Census estimate · +0.4% since 2020
Typical home
$450K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
60.8
years
Jobs based here
3,678
A job hub
Is South Padre Island a good place to live?
South Padre Island’s best subject grade is an A for walkability; its weakest is a D− for safety. 35% of working residents work locally in South Padre Island, above both the Texas town median (8.3%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Only 1 of Texas’ 576 towns score lower on safety. Homes are expensive, about $450K for a typical one and 8.6 times the Brownsville metro’s $53K median household income. South Padre Island has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes South Padre Island stand out
Where South Padre Island beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here3,678
Residents who work619
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 99% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
32.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
South Padre Island15.4
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Worth knowing · SafetyD−
4.4 times the violent crime than TX
More crime per resident than 99% of U.S. towns
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
A shrinking town
South Padre Island has shrunk 26% since 2010
2,816 counted in 2010 and 2,066 in 2020; an estimated 2,086 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How South Padre Island grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far South Padre Island is from typical.
SafetyMore crime per resident than almost any U.S. townD−Open →Cost of livingNear the bottom of the towns comparedD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.2 of 20; 3.6% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskHurricanes top the listDOpen →SchoolsBehind 81% of Texas districts on tests and graduationC−Open →Jobs & income$70K median household incomeC−Open →HealthHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns; Valley Regional Medical Center 23.6 miles awayB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 2% conserved landB+Open →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life6.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 92° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market163 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 60.8; 53% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to South Padre Island: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Padre Island, and how to reach them.
PowerMagic Valley Electric Coop10.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLaguna Madre Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have South Padre Island’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 hereCameron County Early Voting ClerkCameron County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code7859778597 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 South Padre Island.
SafetyD−
Compared with most of Texas and the rest of the country, violent crime in South Padre Island is higher
Only one of the 489 Texas towns we compare has a higher property crime rate than South Padre Island. The town reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 100% report less.
1%of U.S. towns report more crimeD−Safety Grade
| South Padre Island | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.4 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 108.3 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
South Padre Island15.4
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
South Padre Island108.3
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
1st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
32
violent crimes reported in 2025
225
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 5.9 jobs for every working resident, South Padre Island draws in 3,459 commuters
Among 643 Texas towns, just 5 have a lower mean commuting time than South Padre Island. Roughly one working resident in three has a job in South Padre Island itself. 16% of South Padre Island residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Brownsville (7%), McAllen (6%) and Harlingen (4%).
35%work in town
| South Padre Island | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 12% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In South Padre Island35%
Brownsville7%
McAllen6%
Harlingen4%
San Antonio4%
33 mi
median commute distance
3,678
jobs based in South Padre Island
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade D−
South Padre Island’s grade for cost of living is a D−
Zillow values the typical South Padre Island home at about $450,000, up 5.2% in a year, 52% above the Texas typical home. The rent at the middle of the market for South Padre Island comes to $1,521 a month. Also worth knowing: a home in South Padre Island typically sold within 163 days of listing.
$450KZillow home value
| South Padre Island | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,521 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
South Padre Island$450K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
163
days on market
92.8%
sale-to-list price
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
28
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
High risk in South Padre Island, with hurricanes at the top
Since 1978, 834 flood insurance claims have been paid out in South Padre Island. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage here than in nearly four fifths of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 60% come from hurricanes and 31% from inland flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in South Padre Island after 8 declared disasters, most recently in 2025.
79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingCoastal flooding
834
paid flood claims since 1978
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
A smaller share of adults in South Padre Island report frequent mental distress than in the typical Texas or U.S. town
The share of adults in South Padre Island who had a checkup this year: 80%. Of 31 CDC measures, South Padre Island beats the Texas average on 18 and trails it on 7. Two figures for adults here: 9.5% smoke cigarettes, 15% have diabetes.
72%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| South Padre Island | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 18% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.5% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 22% | 23% |
31 measures vs. Texas
18 better6 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | South Padre Island | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.9% | 16.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.5% | 19.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.8% | 6.1% |
Valley Regional Medical Center
23.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers: that is South Padre Island’s year
The midsummer high in South Padre Island is 91°F.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter55–70°
Spring68–81°
Summer78–91°
Fall69–83°
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
1.9% of South Padre Island is conserved land
Across 7 parks and preserves: 1.4 miles of trail. South Padre Island’s concentration of trails is 0.4 miles per square mile.
1.9%conserved
| South Padre Island | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.9% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.9%
conserved · 45 of 2,384 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Padre Island Convention Center Nature Trail | 0.4 mi | 26 |
| 2. South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center | 0.4 mi | 21 |
| 3. John L. Tompkins Park | 0.3 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Padre Island
20pages on South Padre Island
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 81% of TX districtsSafetyD−15.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than TX on 18 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$450K typical home · up 5.2% in a yearWork & commuteC−$70K median household income · 3,678 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 79% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of South Padre Island; the nearest are
Texas Southmost CollegeCommunity college · Public · Brownsville25.1 mi$3,148 in-state tuitionThe University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyUniversity or college · Public · Edinburg63.5 mi$9,987 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 South Padre Island residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
A job hub
Every workday, about 3,459 people come to South Padre Island for work
Where South Padre Island’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,678jobs based in South Padre Island
35%of working residents work in town
33 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about South Padre Island
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Padre Island, TX safe?
South Padre Island reports more crime per resident than 100% of U.S. towns, a D− Safety Grade: 32 violent and 225 property crimes in 2025.
Is South Padre Island, TX expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.