Harlingen receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pharr
Harlingen
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
58 · Top 35%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Access
75 · Bottom 17%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 12%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Pharr | Harlingen | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 80,333 | 72,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,814 | $53,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,195 | $26,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,324/sq mi | 1,790/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $121,900 | $140,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,037 | $928 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% | 6.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.6% | 25.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 228 | 336 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 15.7% | -0.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 50°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 24.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.7 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 35 | 33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.57 | 14.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.9% | 27.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 30.8% | 34.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.1% | 77.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Pharr
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Harlingen
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Pharr, TX · Harlingen, TX · How this is calculated: methodology