Harlingen, TX

Census place 4832372 · pop 72,087

D−37/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in TX
📍 Texas ranks #38 of 50 states →
🏆 Rent$1,150/mo · top 10%
🚽 Uninsured33.1% · bottom 1%
Taxes
1.46% property · US 0.99%8.20% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Uninsured adults33.1%1

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

33.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level61 days6

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

61 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level61 AQI7

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

61 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity36.2%7

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

36.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poverty rate25.1%8

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

25.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Broadband access84.8%12

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

84.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Unemployment rateCounty-level5.0%12

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

5.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level98/10017

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Median household income$53,64518

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$53,645 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity40.1%19

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

40.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Homeownership56.1%28

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

56.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property-tax burden1.46%28

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.46% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher22.6%30

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

22.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Income inequality0.4630

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult smoking13.3%49

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

13.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poor mental health16.4%61

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

16.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Population growth (5yr)+10.7%82

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+10.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Commute time18 min87

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$140,60088

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$140,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,150/mo90

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,150/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Not measured for Harlingen: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Harlingen, TX a good place to live?
By the numbers, Harlingen scores 37/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is uninsured adults. Texas overall ranks #38 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Harlingen, TX expensive to live in?
Harlingen has a median home value of $140,600 and typical rent around $1,150/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Harlingen, TX?
Its weakest measured area is uninsured adults (33.1%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Harlingen, TX best at?
Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,150/mo) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.