The Town FilesRio Hondo, Texas
City in Cameron County · population 2,021 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $104,000
- Household income
- $35,682
- Jan low / Jul high
- 50° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 35.7
Rio Hondo is a city of 2,021 people in Cameron County, Texas. The median home is worth $104,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more seaside character than 98% of Texas towns, easier by car than 88% of Texas towns.
How Rio Hondo 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
The median home in Rio Hondo is worth $104,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $35,682, which is more affordable than 53% of Texas towns. Median rent is $691 a month. 58.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rio Hondo | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $104,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $691 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $35,682 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 58.2% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.7% | — |
Who lives in Rio Hondo
| People | Rio Hondo | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Rio Hondo
July highs average 96.2°F and January lows 49.8°F. About 24.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 163 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Hondo since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 12, 1969 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 11, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 3.01 inches on April 2, 2017.
Severe weather in Cameron County since 1996
Cameron County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4871: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Cameron County
Cameron County had 156,619 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,590 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Rio Hondo itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Rio Hondo
4 public schools with 1,494 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIO HONDO EL | PK-4 | 555 | 14.6 |
| RIO HONDO H S | 9-12 | 470 | 10.4 |
| RIO HONDO MIDDLE | 5-8 | 462 | 14.9 |
| CAMERON CO J J A E P | 8-10 | 7 | — |
Towns near Rio Hondo
- Arroyo Colorado Estates, TX3.9 mi · 833 people · home —
- La Tina Ranch, TX6.7 mi · 687 people · home $107,100
- Harlingen, TX7.8 mi · 71,829 people · home $140,600
- Green Valley Farms, TX7.9 mi · 655 people · home $60,000
- San Benito, TX8.2 mi · 24,861 people · home $85,300
- Combes, TX9.0 mi · 2,999 people · home $143,900
- Juarez, TX9.5 mi · 642 people · home —
- Laureles, TX9.8 mi · 4,111 people · home $152,400
Rio Hondo questions
Is Rio Hondo, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rio Hondo scores better for retirees than 24% of Texas towns and quieter than 28%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Rio Hondo?
The median owner-occupied home in Rio Hondo is valued at $104,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,682, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $691 a month.
What is the weather like in Rio Hondo?
July highs average 96.2°F and January lows 49.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Rio Hondo get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Hondo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 12, 1969. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)