The Town FilesSanta Rosa, Texas
Town in Cameron County · population 2,450 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $67,400
- Household income
- $36,780
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 24.6
Santa Rosa is a town of 2,450 people in Cameron County, Texas. The median home is worth $67,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100).
How Santa Rosa 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 Rosa is worth $67,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $36,780, which is more affordable than 86% of Texas towns. Median rent is $919 a month. 50.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Santa Rosa | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $67,400 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $919 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $36,780 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 50.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Santa Rosa
| People | Santa Rosa | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.7% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 32.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 39.4% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 1.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Santa Rosa
July highs average 96.3°F and January lows 48.8°F. About 24.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 166 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Rosa since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 12, 1969 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 27, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 12, 1969.
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 Rosa itself the ACS puts it at 15.1%.
Public schools in Santa Rosa
3 public schools with 931 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELMA E BARRERA EL | PK-5 | 401 | 11.5 |
| SANTA ROSA H S | 9-12 | 307 | 9.6 |
| JO NELSON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 223 | 10.6 |
Towns near Santa Rosa
- Primera, TX5.1 mi · 5,257 people · home $160,900
- Solis, TX5.5 mi · 722 people · home $172,500
- Palm Valley, TX5.7 mi · 1,413 people · home $275,000
- Combes, TX6.1 mi · 2,999 people · home $143,900
- Heidelberg, TX6.3 mi · 1,507 people · home $57,700
- Sebastian, TX6.4 mi · 1,684 people · home $35,900
- Indian Hills, TX6.6 mi · 2,694 people · home $54,400
- Las Palmas II, TX6.6 mi · 891 people · home $147,300
Santa Rosa questions
Is Santa Rosa, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Santa Rosa scores better for retirees than 42% of Texas towns and quieter than 41%. 5.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.6).
How much does a house cost in Santa Rosa?
The median owner-occupied home in Santa Rosa is valued at $67,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,780, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $919 a month.
What is the weather like in Santa Rosa?
July highs average 96.3°F and January lows 48.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Santa Rosa get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Rosa 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)