Hidalgo County, Texas Income Statistics
Hidalgo County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Hidalgo County Well below averageLess wealthy than 87% of counties in Texas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hidalgo County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,369 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,684 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.1% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.8% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hidalgo County is about 31% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing faster in Hidalgo County (5.2%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Hidalgo County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Texas average of 13%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Hidalgo County, Texas grew by 80.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,369 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hidalgo County
| Metric | Hidalgo County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.613 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,624 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,267 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 19.6% | 19.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Hidalgo County, it is 0.613, higher than Texas's 0.570, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 24% more than women's income in Hidalgo County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $327,495 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hidalgo County, Texas has widened from about 16% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2020, and was narrowest at 13% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,809 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Hidalgo County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.2% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 29,102 people are unemployed in Hidalgo County, Texas.
The average commute time in Hidalgo County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hidalgo County, Texas has fallen from 10.1% to 7.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.9% in 2019.
Hidalgo County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hidalgo County, TX is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 891,846 residents against a local median of 20,139. Hidalgo County, TX's income growth, at 5.2%/yr, runs 28% below the 7.3%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.5%/yr on income growth, so Hidalgo County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hidalgo County, TX has the 5th highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County, TX | 891,846 | $54,369 #1/6 | 5.2%/yr #5/6 | 7.6% #4/6 | 0.613 #5/6 |
| Starr County, TX | 66,056 | $37,802 | 4.4%/yr | 10.4% | 0.606 |
| Willacy County, TX | 20,139 | $53,177 | 8.2%/yr | 7.5% | 0.615 |
| Brooks County, TX | 6,943 | $48,277 | 10.0%/yr | 19.9% | 0.610 |
| Kenedy County, TX | 145 | $37,874 | 7.3%/yr | 1.0% | 0.492 |
| Cameron County, TX | 421,649 | $52,582 | 5.4%/yr | 5.9% | 0.594 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hidalgo County, Texas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Texas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Hidalgo County, Texas.
How Rich Is Hidalgo County, Texas?
Hidalgo County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $54,369, about 31% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
Are incomes growing in Hidalgo County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hidalgo County, Texas rose 81%, from $30,076 to $54,369. Over the same years, income here outpaced Texas as a whole: +81% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Hidalgo County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hidalgo County, Texas was $52,209, up 6% from $49,371 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Hidalgo County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hidalgo County, Texas was $41,960. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $54,369.
How strong is the job market in Hidalgo County, Texas?
Unemployment in Hidalgo County, Texas is 7.6%, well above the Texas rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hidalgo County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Hidalgo County is 0.613. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Hidalgo County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hidalgo County, Texas has widened from about 16% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2020, and was narrowest at 13% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,809 since 2009.
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