Housing decision brief
Hidalgo County, TX Housing Market
Hidalgo County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
79th lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 121st lowest rent out of 246
Median home value
$124,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$925/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$699/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$226/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$124,000 median home value is 22% below Texas county median
Lower rent
$925/mo is At the Texas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $226/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$52,281 median income is 17% below Texas county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.76% effective property-tax rate is 76% above Texas county median
Health context
Health score is 24.5 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Hidalgo County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $124,000 | $158,050 | $281,900 | 22% favorable22% below Texas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $925 | $928 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Texas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $699 | $753 | $1,672 | 7% favorable7% below Texas county median |
Median household income | $52,281 | $63,367 | $74,755 | 17% pressure17% below Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.76% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 76% pressure76% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median29.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$15,281
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$22,324
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Hidalgo County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $925/month representing approximately 21.2% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 29.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Hidalgo County is $925/month, while owner costs run $699/month. Owning saves approximately $226/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $37,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $29,957/year. With a median household income of $52,281, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Hidalgo County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Texas, Hidalgo County is more affordable than Dawson County by roughly 6% ($925/mo vs $873/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron County, TX | $120,000 | $899/mo | Same-state comparison near $120,000 home value and $899/mo rent. |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | $116,000 | $919/mo | Same-state comparison near $116,000 home value and $919/mo rent. |
| Hamilton County, TX | $124,800 | $847/mo | Same-state comparison near $124,800 home value and $847/mo rent. |
| Lynn County, TX | $130,800 | $933/mo | Same-state comparison near $130,800 home value and $933/mo rent. |
| Tyler County, TX | $138,400 | $951/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,400 home value and $951/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Hidalgo County
Is Hidalgo County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Hidalgo County?
How much income do you need for housing in Hidalgo County?
What should I double-check before moving to Hidalgo County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.