San Juan receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
San Juan
Pharr
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 18%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs58 · Top 35%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 21%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs18 · Bottom 9%
Access
77 · Bottom 19%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | San Juan | Pharr | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,149 | 80,333 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,562 | $52,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,047 | $21,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,984/sq mi | 3,324/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $126,700 | $121,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $961 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.8% | 59.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2% | 7.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% | 27.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 228 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -36.0% | 15.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 22.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 22.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.7 | 29.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.38 | 15.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 16.2% | 18.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.7% | 30.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.1% | 92.1% | 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
San Juan
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Pharr
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: San Juan, TX · Pharr, TX · How this is calculated: methodology