Hidalgo County, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hidalgo County
County
The Hidalgo County Courthouse at Edinburg in 2024
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	January 24, 1852
Named for	Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Seat	Edinburg
Largest city	McAllen
Area
• Total	1,583 sq mi (4,100 km2)
• Land	1,571 sq mi (4,070 km2)
• Water	12 sq mi (30 km2)  0.81%
Population  (2020)
• Total	870,781
• Estimate  (2022)	888,367
• Density	550.08/sq mi (212.39/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	15th, 34th

Hidalgo County is a large county in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2020, about 870,781 people lived here. This makes it the ninth-biggest county in Texas by population. It is also the largest county not located in the "Texas Triangle" area.

The main city where the county government is located is Edinburg. The biggest city in the county is McAllen. Hidalgo County is named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. He was a priest who helped start Mexico's fight for independence from Spain.

This county is in the Rio Grande Valley part of South Texas. It is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau calls it the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission metropolitan statistical area. This area also connects with Starr County.

Most people in Hidalgo County are of Hispanic background. In 2020, about 91.9% of the population was Hispanic. This makes it the second-largest county in Texas with a majority Hispanic population. It is also the largest county in the U.S. where over 90% of people are Hispanic.

About Hidalgo County

Hidalgo County is the southernmost county in the United States that is not next to the ocean. It is a place with a lot of natural beauty and resources.

Where is Hidalgo County?

The United States Census Bureau says the county covers about 1,583 square miles. Only about 12 square miles of this area is water.

The northern part of the county has sandy and light soils. These soils are good for farming. In the southern part, the soils are deeper and also good for growing crops. Along the Rio Grande river, you can find brown and red clay soils.

Hidalgo County is part of the South Texas Plains. This area has many grasses, mesquite trees, and other plants. Some native plants include chapote, guayacán, ebony, and yucca. Many of these native plants have been reduced because of farming.

The county has natural resources like caliche, sand, gravel, oil, and natural gas. The climate here is warm and humid. Temperatures usually range from about 47°F (8°C) in January to 96°F (36°C) in July. The average temperature for the year is about 73°F (23°C). The county gets about 23 inches (584 mm) of rain each year. The growing season for plants lasts for about 320 days.

Major Roads

Many important roads run through Hidalgo County. These roads help people travel and transport goods.

Neighboring Areas

Hidalgo County shares borders with several other counties and cities. It also borders municipalities in Mexico.

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge is in Hidalgo County. The Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is also located here. These areas help protect local wildlife and plants.

People and Population

The population of Hidalgo County has grown a lot over the years.

In 2010, there were 774,769 people in the county. About 90.6% of these people were of Hispanic or Latino background. The average age of people in the county was 28.3 years old. About 34.7% of the population was under 18 years old.

Schools and Learning

Hidalgo County has many school districts that serve its students.

• Donna Independent School District
• Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District
• Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District
• Hidalgo Independent School District
• La Joya Independent School District
• La Villa Independent School District
• Lyford Consolidated Independent School District (partial)
• McAllen Independent School District
• Mercedes Independent School District
• Mission Consolidated Independent School District
• Monte Alto Independent School District
• Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District
• Progreso Independent School District
• Sharyland Independent School District
• Valley View Independent School District
• Weslaco Independent School District

The county is also served by the South Texas Independent School District. This district covers several counties. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville also runs several schools in the area.

For higher education, the Edinburg campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is located in Hidalgo County. This university used to be called the University of Texas-Pan American. All of Hidalgo County is also served by South Texas College. This college has several campuses in the county, including Pecan, Mid-Valley, Technology, and Nursing & Allied Health campuses.

What the County Produces

In 2020, the total value of products made in Hidalgo County was $11.5 billion.

In 1982, most of the land in the county was used for farms and ranches. About 52% of the farmland was cultivated, and 85% of that was irrigated. Hidalgo County was a leader in Texas for growing vegetables like cabbage, onions, cantaloupes, carrots, and watermelons. It also grew fruits like grapefruit, oranges, and pecans. Farmers also raised cattle, milk cows, and hogs. Hidalgo is the top county in Texas for producing oilseeds and dry beans.

A type of tick called the Southern Cattle Tick can be found here. These ticks can cause problems for animals. Efforts are made to control their spread.

Media in Hidalgo County

The county has many ways for people to get news and entertainment.

Newspapers

• The Community Press
• The Valley Town Crier
• The Monitor
• The Mercedes Enterprise
• RGV Business Journal
• The Progress Times
• Texas Border Business
• Mega Doctor News

Radio Stations

• KGBT 98.5 FM
• KGBT 1530 AM
• KBTQ 96.1 FM
• KFRQ 94.5 FM
• KKPS 99.5 FM
• KNVO 101.1 FM
• KVLY 107.9 FM
• KURV 710 AM
• KVMV 96.9 FM
• KTEX 100.3 FM
• KQXX 105.5 FM

Magazine

• Contempo Magazine

Cities and Towns

Hidalgo County is home to many cities and smaller communities.

Cities

Census-designated places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Unincorporated community

• McCook

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Hidalgo (Texas) para niños