Edinburg, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edinburg
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The Hidalgo County Courthouse as seen from University Drive in late 2024
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| Nickname(s):
"Gateway City to the Rio Grande Valley"
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Location of Edinburg, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hidalgo |
| Founded | October 10, 1908 |
| Incorporated | September 19, 1919 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| Area | |
| • City | 44.78 sq mi (115.98 km2) |
| • Land | 44.72 sq mi (115.83 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 100,243 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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104,294 |
| • Rank | US: 308th TX: 42nd |
| • Density | 2,332/sq mi (900.4/km2) |
| • Urban | 779,553 (US: 56th) |
| • Urban density | 2,389.7/sq mi (922.7/km2) |
| • Metro | 888,367 (US: 65th) |
| Time zone | UTC–6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
78504, 78539, 78540, 78541, 78542
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| Area code(s) | 956 |
| Sales tax | 8.25% |
| GNIS feature ID | 1335095 |
Edinburg (pronounced ED-in-burg) is a city in Texas, United States. It is the main city of Hidalgo County. In 2020, about 100,243 people lived there. By 2022, the number grew to an estimated 104,294.
Edinburg is the second-largest city in Hidalgo County. It is also the third-largest city in the wider Rio Grande Valley area. The city is part of two large city areas: McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen. Edinburg is also home to the main campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Contents
Discover Edinburg's Past
In 1908, a group of people started a new community in this spot. These founders included John Closner and Dennis B. Chapin. The town was first named "Chapin" after one of them.
The town became the county seat of Hidalgo County for good reasons. The old courthouse in the city of Hidalgo was often in danger of floods. Also, the county was very long, and state law said the courthouse should be near the county's center.
A new courthouse was built in Chapin in 1908. Later, the community changed its name to "Edinburg." This was to honor John Young, a well-known businessman from Edinburgh, Scotland. The town was officially renamed in 1911 and became an incorporated city in 1919.
Where is Edinburg Located?
Edinburg is in the southern part of Hidalgo County. It is next to Pharr to the south. To the southwest, it borders McAllen, which is the biggest city in the county.
U.S. Route 281 (also known as Interstate 69C) runs through the eastern side of Edinburg. This highway goes north to Alice and then to San Antonio. Downtown McAllen is about 10 miles (16 km) to the south and west.
Edinburg's Size and Water
According to the United States Census Bureau, Edinburg covers a total area of about 44.78 square miles (115.98 km²). Only a small part of this area, about 0.06 square miles (0.15 km²), is covered by water.
| Climate data for Edinburg, Texas (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 70.1 (21.2) |
73.5 (23.1) |
80.0 (26.7) |
85.3 (29.6) |
89.9 (32.2) |
94.5 (34.7) |
96.5 (35.8) |
97.1 (36.2) |
92.6 (33.7) |
86.8 (30.4) |
79.0 (26.1) |
71.0 (21.7) |
84.7 (29.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 48.2 (9.0) |
51.4 (10.8) |
56.6 (13.7) |
64.2 (17.9) |
70.1 (21.2) |
74.7 (23.7) |
75.4 (24.1) |
75.6 (24.2) |
72.7 (22.6) |
65.5 (18.6) |
56.5 (13.6) |
48.6 (9.2) |
63.3 (17.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.58 (40) |
1.36 (35) |
1.10 (28) |
1.35 (34) |
2.69 (68) |
2.53 (64) |
2.79 (71) |
1.98 (50) |
3.87 (98) |
2.62 (67) |
1.14 (29) |
1.06 (27) |
24.07 (611) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Edinburg
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 1,406 | — | |
| 1930 | 4,821 | 242.9% | |
| 1940 | 6,718 | 39.3% | |
| 1950 | 12,383 | 84.3% | |
| 1960 | 18,706 | 51.1% | |
| 1970 | 17,163 | −8.2% | |
| 1980 | 24,075 | 40.3% | |
| 1990 | 29,885 | 24.1% | |
| 2000 | 48,465 | 62.2% | |
| 2010 | 77,100 | 59.1% | |
| 2020 | 100,243 | 30.0% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 104,294 | 35.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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The United States census counts how many people live in an area. In 2020, Edinburg had 100,243 people. These people lived in 29,899 households, with 21,635 families among them.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 4,772 | 6,177 | 6,793 | 9.85% | 8.01% | 6.78% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 196 | 1,033 | 1,389 | 0.40% | 1.34% | 1.39% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 57 | 59 | 110 | 0.12% | 0.08% | 0.11% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 293 | 1,618 | 2,563 | 0.60% | 2.10% | 2.56% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 5 | 7 | 3 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 29 | 45 | 250 | 0.06% | 0.06% | 0.25% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 132 | 172 | 477 | 0.27% | 0.22% | 0.48% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 42,981 | 67,989 | 88,658 | 88.68% | 88.18% | 88.44% |
| Total | 48,465 | 77,100 | 100,243 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Edinburg's Economy
Many state government offices have locations in Edinburg. These include the Thirteenth Court of Appeals and parts of the Texas Attorney General's office. Other state departments like Health Services and Public Safety also have offices here.
Arts and Culture in Edinburg
Public Libraries
The city of Edinburg has its own library, called the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library. It's a great place to find books and learn new things.
Museums to Explore
Edinburg is home to the Museum of South Texas History. This museum used to be called the Hidalgo County Historical Museum. It teaches visitors about the history of the region.
Fun Tourist Spots
The Edinburg Scenic Wetlands is a special place. It is one of nine sites that make up the World Birding Center. It's a natural habitat and safe place for wildlife, especially birds.
Sports in Edinburg
Edinburg has a lively sports scene. The city was once home to the Edinburg Roadrunners, a baseball team. Now, the UTRGV has the main baseball team in the city.
In 2013, Edinburg planned to build a new arena. This arena would be for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a professional basketball team. The arena opened in 2018. The Vipers also practice at the Edinburg Sports and Wellness Center.
The city also created the McIntyre Street Project. This is a green walking area that opened in 2014. It is planned to be the start of a new area with arts and restaurants.
Since 2016, Edinburg has been home to the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros soccer team. They play in the USL Championship league at H-E-B Park. The city also has the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros Academy. This is a top youth soccer club that helps young players develop their skills.
Stadiums and Arenas
- Bert Ogden Arena opened in 2018. It is the home of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers basketball team. It can hold 7,688 people for basketball games and 9,000 for concerts. It cost $88 million to build.
- UTRGV Baseball Stadium (also known as Edinburg Stadium) opened in 2001. It can hold 4,000 people. It used to be the home of the Edinburg Roadrunners baseball team. The land for the stadium was given to the University of Texas System in 2014.
- Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium is a soccer stadium with 9,700 seats. It is the home of the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros soccer team. It was finished in 2016 and opened in March 2017.
Education in Edinburg
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
In 2012, officials decided to combine two universities: the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg and the University of Texas at Brownsville. The new school was named the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) in 2013.
UTRGV is special because it was the first time the UT System merged existing campuses this way. It also brought the first medical school to the Rio Grande Valley area. The first students at UTRGV started classes in the fall of 2015.
Other Colleges
Edinburg is also home to the Rio Grande Bible Institute. It is part of the South Texas College District, which offers many different programs.
Schools for Kids
Most of Edinburg is served by the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District. This district has:
- Four high schools
- One alternative secondary school
- Six middle schools
- 20 elementary schools
A small part of the city is served by the McAllen Independent School District. Students there might attend Memorial High School or McAllen's Gonzalez Elementary.
The South Texas Independent School District also has special magnet schools that serve Edinburg. The South Texas Business Education & Technology Academy is in Edinburg. Students can also go to other South Texas ISD schools in Mercedes, like the South Texas High School for the Medical Professions.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville runs St. Joseph Catholic School, which is an elementary and middle school.
Media in Edinburg
Television Stations
The Edinburg area gets many local TV channels:
- KGBT (CBS 4) – Harlingen, Texas
- KRGV (ABC 5) – Weslaco, Texas
- XERV (Televisa 9 Las Estrellas) – Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico
- XHREY (Azteca Uno 1) Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico
- XHOR (Azteca 7 7) Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico
- KCWT (CW 21) La Feria, Texas
- KVEO (NBC 23) – Brownsville, Texas
- KTFV (UniMás 32) – McAllen, Texas
- KTLM (Telemundo 40) – Rio Grande City, Texas
- KLUJ (TBN 44) – Harlingen, Texas
- KNVO (Univisión 48) – McAllen, Texas
- XHVTV (Multimedios 6) – Reynosa, Tamaulipas
- KFXV (FOX 60) – Harlingen, Texas
- KNWS-LD (Azteca América 64) – Brownsville, Texas
- KMBH-LD (Fox 67) – McAllen, Texas
Radio Stations
You can listen to many radio stations in Edinburg:
- KHID 88.1 FM (National Public Radio)
- KOIR Radio Esperanza 88.5 FM (Spanish Christian)
- XHRYA Mas Musica 90.9 FM (Hit Radio)
- XHMLS Exitos 91.3 FM (All-Time Hits)
- KCAS The New KCAS 91.5 FM (Religious)
- XHAAA La Caliente 93.1 FM (Regional Mexican)
- KFRQ 94.5 FM (Classic/Modern/Hard Rock)
- XHRT Xtrema 95.3 FM (All-Time Hits)
- KBTQ Radio Recuerdo 96.1 FM (Oldies)
- KVMV Faith, Hope & Love 96.9 FM (Contemporary Christian)
- KCYP-LP 97.7 FM LP | The city (Local Talent and Talk)
- KKPS Que Pasa 99.5 FM (Regional Tejano)
- KTEX-FM South Texas Country 100.3 FM (Country)
- KNVO-FM Jose 101.1 FM (Contemporary Spanish)
- XHAVO Digital 101.5 FM (International Music)
- KBFM Wild 104.1 FM (Hip-Hop/R&B/Reggaeton)
- KJAV 104.9 FM Ultra
- KQXX The X 105.5 FM (Classic-rock)
- KBIC 105.7 FM Radio Vida (Christian radio)
- KHKZ Kiss 106.3 FM (Hot AC)
- XHVTH La Mas Buena 107.1 FM (Regional Mexican)
- KVLY Mix FM 107.9 FM (Adult Contemporary, TOP 40)
- KURV 710 AM (Talk Radio) FOX News
- XERDO-AM La Radio 1450 AM (News/Sports)
- XEMS La Radio Mexicana 1490 AM (Regional Mexican)
Newspapers
Local newspapers for the Edinburg area include:
- The Monitor
- Valley Morning Star
- Rio Grande Guardian
Getting Around Edinburg
Transportation Options
The McIntyre Street Project also plans to include a bus station. This will be for Valley Metro, which is the local bus service. Greyhound also offers bus service to Edinburg.
Major Roads
State Highway 107
State Highway 336
U.S. Route 281
Interstate 69C
Airports Near Edinburg
There are two large airports close to Edinburg:
- McAllen Miller International Airport (MFE) in McAllen, about 20 minutes away.
- Valley International Airport (HRL) in Harlingen, about 40 minutes away.
Edinburg also has its own public airport called the South Texas International Airport at Edinburg (KEBG). The City of Edinburg owns and operates it.
Famous People from Edinburg
- Terry Canales – A politician in the Texas House of Representatives.
- Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez – A U.S. Marine who received the Medal of Honor.
- Robert Guerra – An attorney and politician in the Texas House of Representatives.
- Joe M. Kilgore – A former lawyer and member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Stanley A. Mulaik – A retired professor of psychology.
- Bobby Pulido – A popular Tejano singer.
- Eloy Rodriguez – An American scientist.
- Leslie H. Southwick – A federal judge.
- Pedro Villarreal – A Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Grupo Frontera – A popular Latin pop and norteño music band.
Resources
Historical Information
- Hidalgo County Texas Genealogy and History
- Edinburg, TX Handbook of Texas Online
- Museum of South Texas History
See also
In Spanish: Edinburg (Texas) para niños
