The Town FilesLa Puerta, Texas
Community in Starr County · population 638 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 99°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 27.4
La Puerta is a community of 638 people in Starr County, Texas. It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Texas towns, better for young professionals than 71% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 71% of Texas towns.
How La Puerta ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
Median rent is $720 a month. 16.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Puerta | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $720 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | — | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 16.5% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in La Puerta
| People | La Puerta | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 4.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 42.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.2% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 43.5% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in La Puerta
July highs average 99.0°F and January lows 45.2°F. About 22.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 187 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of La Puerta since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 7, 2026.
Severe weather in Starr County since 1996
Starr County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4871: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 26, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3530: Hurricane Hanna |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Starr County
Starr County had 14,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,754 a year. Unemployment was 9.3% in 2023; in La Puerta itself the ACS puts it at 33.2%.
Towns near La Puerta
- Garza-Salinas II, TX0.7 mi · 651 people · home $48,400
- Las Lomas, TX1.9 mi · 3,054 people · home $87,200
- Rio Grande City, TX5.0 mi · 15,317 people · home $113,200
- West Alto Bonito, TX5.9 mi · 615 people · home $82,300
- Valle Vista, TX6.3 mi · 545 people · home —
- Mikes, TX7.6 mi · 942 people · home $95,000
- East Alto Bonito, TX7.7 mi · 905 people · home $107,800
- La Grulla, TX8.2 mi · 1,222 people · home $54,400
La Puerta questions
Is La Puerta, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Puerta scores better for retirees than 64% of Texas towns and quieter than 12%. 4.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.4).
What is the weather like in La Puerta?
July highs average 99.0°F and January lows 45.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does La Puerta get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of La Puerta in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)