McAllen, Texas Population 2021

144,744

McAllen is a city located in Texas. With a 2020 population of 144,744, it is the 23rd largest city in Texas and the 184th largest city in the United States. McAllen is currently growing at a rate of 0.51% annually and its population has increased by 11.45% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 129,877 in 2010. McAllen reached it's highest population of 144,744 in 2021. Spanning over 66 miles, McAllen has a population density of 2,203 people per square mile.

The average household income in McAllen is $69,053 with a poverty rate of 23.05%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $789 per month, and the median house value is $126,000. The median age in McAllen is 33.4 years, 30.9 years for males, and 36.1 years for females. For every 100 females there are 97.6 males.

McAllen is within 80 miles of the Gulf of Mexico, and the city limits reach to the Rio Grande at the city of Reynosa, Mexico. The city’s population makes it the 22nd most populous in Texas.

Unemployment and Poverty in McAllen

More than one-quarter of the population lives below the federal poverty line. The city has struggled with high unemployment rates in recent years, but that number continues to drop. However, McAllen is still considered one of the poorest cities in the United States, and because of this, the cost of living is over 16% less than the national average.

Population Growth in McAllen, TX

Despite these struggles, however, the city’s population only continues to grow. A population of 150 in 1910 exploded to over 5,000 in 1920. By 1940, this figure had more than doubled. In 2000, the city’s population surpassed 100,000 and has only continued to grow larger. Recent estimates show that the population is up 9.5% since the last census in 2010, indicating that this city is continuing to experience rapid growth that is showing no signs of slowing down.

McAllen Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of McAllen was:

White: 74.25%
Other race: 20.58%
Asian: 2.52%
Two or more races: 1.24%
Black or African American: 1.07%
Native American: 0.29%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.06%

The current population of McAllen, Texas is 144,744, based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates. The US Census estimates the 2018 population at 142,530.The last official US Census in 2010 recorded the population at 129,877.

McAllen, Texas Population 2021

2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.

Year	Total Population	Growth	Annual Growth Rate
2021	881,525	6,409	0.73%
2020	875,116	6,409	0.73%
2019	868,707	6,409	0.74%
2018	862,298	6,049	0.70%
2017	856,249	7,289	0.85%
2016	848,960	9,293	1.09%
2015	839,667	9,848	1.17%
2014	829,819	11,200	1.35%
2013	818,619	10,285	1.26%
2012	808,334	12,817	1.59%
2011	795,517	16,368	2.06%
2010	779,149		0.00%

McAllen Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

Race	Population	Percentage
White	105,411	74.25%
Some Other Race	29,221	20.58%
Asian	3,576	2.52%
Two or More Races	1,755	1.24%
Black or African American	1,513	1.07%
American Indian and Alaska Native	412	0.29%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	80	0.06%

McAllen Population by Race

McAllen Population Pyramid 2021

McAllen Population by Age

McAllen Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

McAllen Household Types

Type	Owner	Renter
Married	73.1%	26.9%
All	60.8%	39.2%
Female	52.3%	47.7%
Male	51.4%	48.6%
Non Family	45.5%	54.5%

60.8%

Rate of Home Ownership

McAllen Households and Families

Type	Count	Average Size	Owned
All	45,705	3.08	60.8
Married	22,592	3.73	73.1
Non Family	11,427	1.25	45.5
Female	9,335	3.67	52.3
Male	2,351	3.44	51.4

3.64

Average Family Size

3.08

Average Household Size

McAllen Households by Type

Education Attained	Count	Percentage
Less Than 9th Grade	12,468	14.27%
9th to 12th Grade	8,171	9.35%
High School Graduate	17,339	19.84%
Some College	17,382	19.89%
Associates Degree	5,568	6.37%
Bachelors Degree	17,989	20.58%
Graduate Degree	8,481	9.70%

McAllen Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

Name	Total	High School	Bachelors
Hispanic	72,629	52,908	19,485
Other Race	16,958	10,232	3,524
White	11,189	10,757	5,329
Asian	2,291	2,049	1,278
Black	915	868	243
Multiple Races	804	675	281
Native American	299	248	64
Islander	66	63	51

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 96.14%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 77.27%.

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

Name	Average	Male	Female
Overall	$31,280	$37,402	$26,135
Less Than High School	$15,477	$17,659	$12,104
High School Grad	$23,969	$27,430	$18,296
Some College	$30,511	$33,486	$26,358
Bachelors Degree	$47,236	$51,310	$43,618
Graduate Degree	$64,323	$71,250	$57,478

$31,280

Average Earnings

$37,402

Average Male

$26,135

Average Female

McAllen Earnings by Educational Attainment

McAllen Language by Age

McAllen Language

24.36% of McAllen residents speak only English, while 75.64% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 73.21% of the population.

McAllen Language

McAllen Poverty by Race

Name	Total	In Poverty	Poverty Rate
Hispanic	119,421	30,704	25.71%
Other	28,743	10,084	35.08%
White	15,082	1,065	7.06%
Multiple	1,736	273	15.73%
Asian	3,576	255	7.13%
Native	412	60	14.56%
Black	1,500	57	3.80%
Islander	80	21	26.25%

23.05%

Overall Poverty Rate

20.75%

Male Poverty Rate

25.29%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in McAllen

The race most likely to be in poverty in McAllen is Other, with 35.08% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in McAllen is Black, with 3.80% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 8.46%. Among those working part-time, it was 24.09%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.30%.

McAllen Poverty

Name	Poverty
Less Than High School	36.80%
High School	19.01%
Some College	15.98%
Bachelors or Greater	6.90%

McAllen Poverty Rate by Education

Name	Poverty
Female Unemployed	39.68%
Male Unemployed	24.33%
Female Employed	14.33%
Male Employed	11.77%

McAllen Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

McAllen Income by Household Type

Name	Median	Mean
Households	$46,804	$69,053
Families	$54,061	$76,266
Married Families	$70,549	$92,082
Non Families	$31,039	$44,545

Income by Household Type

McAllen Marital Status

Marriage Rates

48.1%

Overall Marriage Rate

51.3%

Male Marriage Rate

45.2%

Female Marriage Rate

McAllen Married by Age and Sex

McAllen Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

McAllen Marital Status by Race

McAllen Marital Status

3,912

Number of Veterans

3,827

Male Veterans

Female Veterans

War	Veterans
Vietnam	1,461
Second Gulf War	789
First Gulf War	773
Korea	335
World War II	122

McAllen Veterans by War

Age Group	Veterans
65 to 74	1,167
75+	983
35 to 54	983
55 to 64	434
18 to 34	345

McAllen Veterans by Age

Name	Veterans	% of Total
White	3,583	4.73%
Hispanic	2,217	2.61%
Other	121	0.58%
2 or More	76	8.63%
Black	63	5.95%
Asian	56	2.06%
Indian	13	3.67%

McAllen Veterans by Race

McAllen Veterans by Education

5.84%

Veteran Poverty Rate

38.10%

Veteran Disability Rate

McAllen Veterans by Education

62.5%

Labor Force Participation

58.5%

Employment Rate

6.3%

Unemployment Rate

McAllen Employment by Age

McAllen Employment by Race

McAllen Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

61.37%

Born in Texas

73.46%

Native Born

26.54%

Foreign Born

16.26%

Non Citizen

10.28%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

73.46% of McAllen residents were born in the United States, with 61.37% having been born in Texas. 16.26% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

McAllen Place of Birth

Year	Population	Growth	Annual Growth Rate
2021	144,744	738	0.51%
2020	144,006	738	0.52%
2019	143,268	738	0.52%
2018	142,530	281	0.20%
2017	142,249	361	0.25%
2016	141,888	1,979	1.41%
2015	139,909	1,190	0.86%
2014	138,719	1,298	0.94%
2013	137,421	1,144	0.84%
2012	136,277	1,638	1.22%
2011	134,639	2,546	1.93%
2010	132,093	25,679	2.19%
2000	106,414	22,393	2.39%
1990	84,021	17,740	2.40%
1980	66,281	28,645	5.82%
1970	37,636	4,908	1.41%
1960	32,728	12,661	5.01%
1950	20,067	8,190	5.38%
1940	11,877	2,803	2.73%
1930	9,074	3,743	5.46%
1920	5,331		0.00%

McAllen, Texas Population 2021

Unemployment and Poverty in McAllen

Population Growth in McAllen, TX

McAllen Demographics

McAllen, Texas Population 2021

McAllen Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

McAllen Population by Race

McAllen Population Pyramid 2021

McAllen Median Age

McAllen Adults

McAllen Age Dependency

McAllen Sex Ratio

McAllen Population by Age

McAllen Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

McAllen Household Types

McAllen Households and Families

McAllen Households by Type

McAllen Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

McAllen Earnings by Educational Attainment

McAllen Language by Age

McAllen Language

McAllen Language

McAllen Poverty by Race

Poverty in McAllen

McAllen Poverty

McAllen Poverty Rate by Education

McAllen Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

McAllen Income by Household Type

Income by Household Type

McAllen Marital Status

Marriage Rates

McAllen Married by Age and Sex

McAllen Marriage

McAllen Marital Status by Race

McAllen Marital Status

McAllen Veterans by War

McAllen Veterans by Age

McAllen Veterans by Race

McAllen Veterans by Education

McAllen Veterans by Education

McAllen Employment by Age

McAllen Employment by Race

McAllen Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Place of Birth

McAllen Place of Birth

McAllen Population by Year