McAllen, Texas Population 2020

144,279

McAllen is a city located in Texas. With a 2020 population of 144,279, it is the 22nd largest city in Texas and the 183rd largest city in the United States. McAllen is currently growing at a rate of 0.29% annually and its population has increased by 11.09% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 129,877 in 2010. Spanning over 66 miles, McAllen has a population density of 2,196 people per square mile.

The average household income in McAllen is $67,611 with a poverty rate of 24.86%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $767 per month, and the median house value is $123,900. The median age in McAllen is 32.9 years, 30.7 years for males, and 35.4 years for females. For every 100 females there are 96.4 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: 78.38%
Other race: 16.57%
Asian: 2.58%
Black or African American: 1.08%
Two or more races: 1.03%
Native American: 0.26%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.10%

The current population of McAllen, Texas is 144,279, based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates. The US Census estimates the 2018 population at 143,433.The last official US Census in 2010 recorded the population at 129,877.

McAllen, Texas Population 2020

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

Year	Total Population	Growth	Annual Growth Rate
2020	881,171	7,616	0.86%
2019	873,555	7,616	0.87%
2018	865,939	7,616	0.88%
2017	858,323	7,525	0.88%
2016	850,798	9,737	1.14%
2015	841,061	10,237	1.22%
2014	830,824	11,450	1.38%
2013	819,374	10,539	1.29%
2012	808,835	13,094	1.62%
2011	795,741	16,528	2.08%
2010	779,213		0.00%

McAllen Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

Race	Population	Percentage
White	110,980	78.38%
Some Other Race	23,465	16.57%
Asian	3,650	2.58%
Black or African American	1,527	1.08%
Two or More Races	1,464	1.03%
American Indian and Alaska Native	365	0.26%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	146	0.10%

McAllen Population by Race

McAllen Population Pyramid 2020

McAllen Population by Age

McAllen Households and Families

McAllen Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

McAllen Household Types

Type	Owner	Renter
Married	72.2%	27.8%
All	60.3%	39.7%
Female	51.2%	48.8%
Male	47.8%	52.2%
Non Family	45.8%	54.2%

60.3%

Rate of Home Ownership

McAllen Households and Families

Type	Count	Average Size	Owned
All	45,065	3.12	60.3
Married	22,703	3.75	72.2
Non Family	10,735	1.26	45.8
Female	9,039	3.64	51.2
Male	2,588	3.45	47.8

3.65

Average Family Size

3.12

Average Household Size

Unmarried (Opposite Sex)

0.5%

Unmarried (Same Sex)

McAllen Households by Type

McAllen Education

Education Attained	Count	Percentage
Less Than 9th Grade	13,032	15.00%
9th to 12th Grade	8,470	9.75%
High School Graduate	16,563	19.06%
Some College	16,660	19.18%
Associates Degree	5,765	6.64%
Bachelors Degree	18,255	21.01%
Graduate Degree	8,137	9.37%

McAllen Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

Name	Total	High School	Bachelors
Hispanic	72,157	51,426	19,086
Other Race	13,380	7,944	2,877
White	11,271	10,741	5,544
Asian	2,481	2,288	1,430
Black	794	711	174
Multiple Races	562	498	227
Native American	299	240	48
Islander	81	78	64

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 96.30%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 79.01%.

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

Name	Average	Male	Female
Overall	$30,722	$37,415	$24,719
Less Than High School	$14,711	$17,987	$11,300
High School Grad	$23,340	$26,613	$19,270
Some College	$30,461	$35,795	$24,314
Bachelors Degree	$47,170	$51,748	$42,630
Graduate Degree	$63,221	$69,590	$57,328

$30,722

Average Earnings

$37,415

Average Male

$24,719

Average Female

McAllen Earnings by Educational Attainment

McAllen Language

McAllen Language by Age

McAllen Language

23.21% of McAllen residents speak only English, while 76.79% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 74.33% of the population.

McAllen Language

McAllen Poverty

McAllen Poverty by Race

Name	Total	In Poverty	Poverty Rate
Hispanic	119,733	33,265	27.78%
Other	23,100	8,694	37.64%
White	15,138	1,266	8.36%
Multiple	1,454	293	20.15%
Asian	3,650	200	5.48%
Black	1,523	73	4.79%
Native	365	47	12.88%
Islander	146	31	21.23%

24.86%

Overall Poverty Rate

22.21%

Male Poverty Rate

27.41%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in McAllen

The race most likely to be in poverty in McAllen is Other, with 37.64% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in McAllen is Black, with 4.79% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 8.01%. Among those working part-time, it was 25.39%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 31.53%.

McAllen Poverty

Name	Poverty
Less Than High School	38.47%
High School	19.28%
Some College	18.36%
Bachelors or Greater	6.86%

McAllen Poverty Rate by Education

Name	Poverty
Female Unemployed	44.96%
Male Unemployed	30.07%
Female Employed	14.61%
Male Employed	12.25%

McAllen Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

McAllen Income

McAllen Income by Household Type

Name	Median	Mean
Households	$47,279	$67,611
Families	$52,690	$73,581
Married Families	$68,485	$89,199
Non Families	$31,765	$46,336

Income by Household Type

McAllen Marital Status

Marriage Rates

48.8%

Overall Marriage Rate

52.5%

Male Marriage Rate

45.5%

Female Marriage Rate

McAllen Married by Age and Sex

McAllen Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

McAllen Marital Status by Race

McAllen Marital Status

McAllen Veterans

4,076

Number of Veterans

3,974

Male Veterans

102

Female Veterans

War	Veterans
Vietnam	1,398
First Gulf War	865
Second Gulf War	740
Korea	418
World War II	104

McAllen Veterans by War

Age Group	Veterans
35 to 54	1,135
65 to 74	1,091
75+	981
55 to 64	518
18 to 34	351

McAllen Veterans by Age

Name	Veterans	% of Total
White	3,850	4.85%
Hispanic	2,366	2.80%
Other	71	0.44%
Black	63	6.83%
2 or More	49	7.37%
Asian	35	1.23%
Indian	8	2.52%

McAllen Veterans by Race

McAllen Veterans by Education

8.10%

Veteran Poverty Rate

37.48%

Veteran Disability Rate

McAllen Veterans by Education

McAllen Employment Status

61.5%

Labor Force Participation

57%

Employment Rate

7.2%

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

61.13%

Born in Texas

73.01%

Native Born

26.99%

Foreign Born

16.75%

Non Citizen

10.24%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

73.01% of McAllen residents were born in the United States, with 61.13% having been born in Texas. 16.75% 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
2020	144,279	423	0.29%
2019	143,856	423	0.29%
2018	143,433	592	0.41%
2017	142,841	423	0.30%
2016	142,418	2,095	1.49%
2015	140,323	1,296	0.93%
2014	139,027	1,378	1.00%
2013	137,649	1,215	0.89%
2012	136,434	1,717	1.27%
2011	134,717	2,594	1.96%
2010	132,123	25,709	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 2020

Unemployment and Poverty in McAllen

Population Growth in McAllen, TX

McAllen Demographics

McAllen, Texas Population 2020

McAllen Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

McAllen Population by Race

McAllen Population Pyramid 2020

McAllen Median Age

McAllen Adults

McAllen Age Dependency

McAllen Sex Ratio

McAllen Population by Age

McAllen Households and Families

McAllen Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

McAllen Household Types

McAllen Households and Families

McAllen Households by Type

McAllen Education

McAllen Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

McAllen Educational Attainment by Race

McAllen Earnings by Educational Attainment

McAllen Language

McAllen Language by Age

McAllen Language

McAllen Language

McAllen Poverty

McAllen Poverty by Race

Poverty in McAllen

McAllen Poverty

McAllen Poverty Rate by Education

McAllen Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

McAllen Income

McAllen Income by Household Type

Income by Household Type

McAllen Marital Status

McAllen Marital Status

Marriage Rates

McAllen Married by Age and Sex

McAllen Marriage

McAllen Marital Status by Race

McAllen Marital Status

McAllen Veterans

McAllen Veterans by War

McAllen Veterans by Age

McAllen Veterans by Race

McAllen Veterans by Education

McAllen Veterans by Education

McAllen Employment Status

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