The Town FilesSan Perlita, Texas
City in Willacy County · population 538 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $56,600
- Household income
- $74,688
- Jan low / Jul high
- 48° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 30.9
San Perlita is a city of 538 people in Willacy County, Texas. The median home is worth $56,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more seaside character than 99% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 98% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 97% of Texas towns.
How San Perlita 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 San Perlita is worth $56,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 0.8 times the median household income of $74,688, which is more affordable than 100% of Texas towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Perlita | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $56,600 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $74,688 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.8× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in San Perlita
| People | San Perlita | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 14.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in San Perlita
July highs average 96.9°F and January lows 48.1°F. About 25.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 161 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Perlita since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 24, 1970 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 26, 1999.
Severe weather in Willacy County since 1996
Willacy County has been included in 29 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 |
| 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 Willacy County
Willacy County had 4,297 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,749 a year. Unemployment was 7.8% in 2023; in San Perlita itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in San Perlita
3 public schools with 212 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAN PERLITA EL | PK-5 | 100 | 16.7 |
| SAN PERLITA H S | 9-12 | 66 | 8.3 |
| SAN PERLITA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 46 | 7.7 |
Towns near San Perlita
- Raymondville, TX8.7 mi · 10,236 people · home $52,200
- Lyford, TX11.0 mi · 2,249 people · home $59,400
- Sebastian, TX14.5 mi · 1,684 people · home $35,900
- Lasara, TX16.8 mi · 909 people · home $57,700
- Combes, TX18.4 mi · 2,999 people · home $143,900
- Rio Hondo, TX18.8 mi · 2,021 people · home $104,000
- Primera, TX20.4 mi · 5,257 people · home $160,900
- Santa Rosa, TX20.5 mi · 2,450 people · home $67,400
San Perlita questions
Is San Perlita, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Perlita scores better for retirees than 63% of Texas towns and quieter than 66%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).
How much does a house cost in San Perlita?
The median owner-occupied home in San Perlita is valued at $56,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,688, so homes cost about 0.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in San Perlita?
July highs average 96.9°F and January lows 48.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does San Perlita get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Perlita since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 24, 1970. 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)