The Town FilesSanta Maria, Texas
Community in Cameron County · population 651 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $76,800
- Jan low / Jul high
- 50° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 50.6
Santa Maria is a community of 651 people in Cameron County, Texas. The median home is worth $76,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Texas towns.
How Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria is worth $76,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Santa Maria | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $76,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | — | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Santa Maria
| People | Santa Maria | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.2% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 8.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 37.2% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 42.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Santa Maria
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 50.0°F. About 25.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 160 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Maria since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 24, 1970 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on February 25, 1983.
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 Santa Maria itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Santa Maria
5 public schools with 540 students, about 10.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TONY GONZALEZ EL | PK-5 | 233 | 12.3 |
| SANTA MARIA H S | 9-12 | 176 | 9.8 |
| SANTA MARIA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 121 | 9.3 |
| SANTA MARIA ACADEMIC ACADEMY-OPTIONS CAMPUS (6-12) | 12-12 | 6 | 1.5 |
| SANTA MARIA DAEP | 10-11 | 4 | — |
Towns near Santa Maria
- La Feria, TX5.6 mi · 6,817 people · home $106,900
- Mercedes, TX6.7 mi · 16,258 people · home $111,800
- Progreso, TX6.9 mi · 4,807 people · home $69,300
- Solis, TX6.9 mi · 722 people · home $172,500
- Los Indios, TX7.2 mi · 1,008 people · home $63,500
- Heidelberg, TX7.7 mi · 1,507 people · home $57,700
- Llano Grande, TX8.4 mi · 2,952 people · home $77,400
- Villa Verde, TX9.9 mi · 711 people · home $107,700
Santa Maria questions
Is Santa Maria, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Santa Maria scores better for retirees than 10% of Texas towns and quieter than 57%. 34.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.6).
How much does a house cost in Santa Maria?
The median owner-occupied home in Santa Maria is valued at $76,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Santa Maria?
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 50.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Santa Maria get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Maria 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)