McAllen is the largest city in
Hidalgo County, Texas
Hidalgo County (; ) is located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat is Edinburg and the largest city is McAllen. The county is named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who raised the call for Mexico's independence from Spain. I ...
, United States, and the
22nd-most populous city in
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. It is located at the southern tip of the state in the
Rio Grande Valley
The Lower Rio Grande Valley ( es, Valle del Río Grande), commonly known as the Rio Grande Valley or locally as the Valley or RGV, is a region spanning the border of Texas and Mexico located in a floodplain of the Rio Grande near its mouth. Th ...
, on the
Mexico–United States border
The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traver ...
. The city limits extend south to the
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico.
The length of the Rio G ...
, across from the
Mexican city of
Reynosa
Reynosa () is a border city in the northern part of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico. It is also the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality.
The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAllen Me ...
. McAllen is about west of the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
. As of the
2020 census, McAllen's population was 142,210. It is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area (
McAllen–Edinburg–Mission) in the state of Texas, and the binational
Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan area
Reynosa–McAllen, also known as McAllen–Reynosa, or simply as Borderplex, is one of the six international conurbations along the Mexico–U.S border. The city of Reynosa is situated in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, on the southern bank of t ...
counts a population of more than 1.5 million.
From its settlement in 1904, the area around McAllen was largely rural and agricultural in character, but the latter half of the 20th century had steady growth, which has continued in the 21st century in the metropolitan area. The introduction of the ''
maquiladora
A (), or (), is a word that refers to factories that are largely duty free and tariff-free. These factories take raw materials and assemble, manufacture, or process them and export the finished product. These factories and systems are present t ...
'' economy and the
North American Free Trade Association
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA ; es, Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte, TLCAN; french: Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, ALÉNA) was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that crea ...
led to an increase in cross-border trading with Mexico.
History
In 1904, the Hidalgo and San Miguel Extension (now the Sam Fordyce Branch) of the
St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway reached the Santa Anita Ranch. John McAllen and his son James had donated land to the railroad to guarantee it would cross this area. On December 5, 1904, the McAllen Townsite Company was formed by Uriah Lott, Leonidas C. Hill Sr., John McAllen, James Ballí McAllen, and John J. Young. The new community, which was named for John McAllen, had the depot nearest the county seat,
Hidalgo
Hidalgo may refer to:
People
* Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility
* Hidalgo (surname)
Places
Mexico
* Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico
* Hidalgo, Coahuila, a town in the north Mexican state of Coahuila
* Hidalgo, Nuevo Le ...
, to the south.
By 1911, were under cultivation in East McAllen: commodity crops of cotton, alfalfa,
broom corn
''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a grass species cultivated for its grain, which is used for food for humans, animal feed, and ethanol produc ...
, citrus fruits, grapes, and figs were raised. East McAllen had an estimated population of 1,000 that year, and West McAllen had ceased to exist. In 1911, the town applied for and was issued a charter of incorporation under the name McAllen. In 1916, 20,000 New York state troops were stationed at McAllen to help quell
border disturbances related to the Mexican Civil War. The resulting economic boom increased the population from 1,200 in 1916 to 6,000 in 1920.
McAllen adopted a
home rule
Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
charter in 1927. Canning factories, a winery, tortilla plants, wood-working plants, and some oil exploration increased the population to 9,074 by 1930. In 1936, Hiram Garner opened the Valley Distillery, Incorporated, which produced wines from citrus juices. The town was a petroleum and
farm chemurgic center with a population of 11,877 in 1940, by which time it had adopted the nickname "The City of Palms". In 1941, a
suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
replaced the old bridge from Hidalgo to Reynosa in
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
; the new toll bridge was purchased by McAllen and was named the
McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge
The McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge is a road bridge completed in 1926, crossing the Rio Grande between the state of Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico and the state of Texas in the southwestern United States.
Route
The Hidalgo T ...
. Its construction resulted in increased tourist trade, making McAllen a winter resort and port of entry to Mexico.
The discovery of oil in the Reynosa area in 1947 attracted a large migration of people from the Mexican interior to jobs the region. They both constituted a new tourist market and a cheap labor supply for McAllen. The sister cities were linked as a result of the increased traffic between them. The population of McAllen was 20,005 in 1950 and 32,728 in 1960. In 1954 the McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge was the number-two port of entry into Mexico.
McAllen was an agricultural, oil, and tourist center in 1970, when the population reached 37,636. By the start of the 1970s, McAllen had a 200-bed hospital and a new air-conditioned high school, the first school in the nation featuring on-site power generated by
natural gas
Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...
-powered turbines. The tourism industry continued to expand as people traveled to the area from both Mexico and the northern United States. The population continued to grow steadily through the 1970s, and reached 66,281 by 1980. During the late 1980s, the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone was an important general-purpose
foreign trade zone. At the time, McAllen's main industries were retail, tourism and farming, and each was in trouble. The devaluation of the
Mexican peso in the 1980s put a damper on cross-border shopping; local tourism was down because of the
recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
. In 1983, a freeze took out much of the valley's citrus crop.
In the mid-1980s, fueled by trade and the growth of the ''
maquiladora
A (), or (), is a word that refers to factories that are largely duty free and tariff-free. These factories take raw materials and assemble, manufacture, or process them and export the finished product. These factories and systems are present t ...
'' (in which components are shipped to Mexico from the United States, assembled, and shipped back as finished products), the economy began to improve in Hidalgo County. McAllen sits across the border from Reynosa, a large manufacturing center. After the peso devalued, Mexico was more successful in attracting companies to run their plants in Mexico, with support operations in Texas.
Border crossing is a daily event for many and is a key component in the local economy. The city became a focal point for concerns about the border during the
United States federal government shutdown of 2018–2019
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
over the
Mexico–United States barrier
The Mexico–United States barrier ( es, barrera Estados Unidos–México), also known as the border wall, is a series of vertical barriers along the Mexico–United States border intended to reduce illegal immigration to the United States ...
. President Donald Trump held a briefing with the
border agents at the patrol station here in January 2019. Homeland Security Secretary
Kirstjen Nielsen
Kirstjen Michele Nielsen (; born May 14, 1972) is an American attorney who served as United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019. She is a former principal White House deputy chief of staff to President Donald Trump, and was ...
also visited the Border Patrol station in March 2019. In order to deal with
overcrowded facilities in 2019 resulting from the arrival of
Central American migrant caravans
Central American migrant caravans, also known as the ("Migrant's Way of the Cross"), are migrant caravans that travel from Central America to the Mexico–United States border. The largest and best known of these were organized by (A People Wi ...
, immigration authorities were releasing a few hundred
asylum seekers
An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their country of residence, enters another country and applies for asylum (i.e., international protection) in that other country. An asylum seeker is an immigrant who has been forcibly displaced and mi ...
daily to private groups that assist them with basic needs and travel arrangements.
The mayor emphasized how safe and secure the city is when
U.S military troops were mobilized in the city to help the Border Patrol. Portions of the
razor wire coils considered unnecessary by the city were removed after troops had placed it at the border.
The troops assisted by using
military helicopters
A military helicopter is a helicopter that is either specifically built or converted for use by military forces. A military helicopter's mission is a function of its design or conversion. The most common use of military helicopters is transpor ...
to carry border patrol agents to and from locations along the
Mexico–United States border
The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traver ...
and by maintaining vehicles.
During these border support activities, they are prohibited from law enforcement activities, such as detaining migrants or seizing drugs.
U.S. military troops are prohibited from carrying out
law enforcement duties.
[.] The
Marine Corps Commandant General
Robert Neller
Robert Blake Neller (born February 9, 1953) is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 37th Commandant of the Marine Corps. He assumed his assignment on September 24, 2015 and retired on July 11, 2019. He was succ ...
expressed concerns about the impact of continuing
border support on combat readiness for the troops.
Geography
McAllen is located in southern Hidalgo County at (26.216263, −98.236385).
It is bordered to the southwest by
Granjeno; to the west by
Mission
Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to:
Organised activities Religion
*Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity
*Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
,
Palmhurst, and
Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
; to the north by
Edinburg, the Hidalgo
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
; to the east by
Pharr; and to the south by
Hidalgo
Hidalgo may refer to:
People
* Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility
* Hidalgo (surname)
Places
Mexico
* Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico
* Hidalgo, Coahuila, a town in the north Mexican state of Coahuila
* Hidalgo, Nuevo Le ...
. The McAllen city limits extend to the southwest as far as the Rio Grande, directly north of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, in Mexico. The
Anzalduas International Bridge
Anzalduas International Bridge is an international bridge over the Rio Grande, which connects the western outskirts of both the city of Mission, Texas in the United States and the city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas state, in Mexico.
It provides cross-b ...
crosses the Rio Grande at this point, southwest of downtown McAllen.
McAllen is south of
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
, southeast of
Laredo, northwest of
Brownsville, and northeast of
Monterrey
Monterrey ( , ) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, Mexico, and the third largest city in Mexico behind Guadalajara and Mexico City. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the city is anchor ...
.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.62%, is covered by water.
Although McAllen is named the "City of Palms",
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
vegetation is only locally dominant. Many thorny
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s and
deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...
trees occur in the area, such as the Rio Grande ash (''
Fraxinus berlandieriana
''Fraxinus berlandieriana'', the Mexican ash, is a tree native to eastern and northeastern Mexico and to the south-central United States. It has been reported from Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi
...
''), cedar elm (''
Ulmus crassifolia
''Ulmus crassifolia'' Nutt., the Texas cedar elm or simply cedar elm, is a deciduous tree native to south-central North America, mainly in southern and eastern Texas, southern Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, with small populations in weste ...
''), and honey mesquite (''
Prosopis glandulosa
''Prosopis glandulosa'', commonly known as honey mesquite, is a species of small to medium-sized, thorny shrub or tree in the legume family (Fabaceae).
Distribution
The plant is primarily native to the Southwestern United States and Northern M ...
'').
Climate
McAllen, like much of
South Texas, has a
subtropical climate
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north and ...
. Under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, the city features a hot
semiarid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(BSh), featuring long, very hot and humid summers, and brief, warm winters. The city has two distinct seasons; a
wet season
The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the sea ...
from May to October and a
dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The te ...
from November to April. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from in January to in August.
The warm season is extremely long, as average high temperatures from May through September are above and average low temperatures are above , with relatively high
dew point
The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will cond ...
values, resulting in higher
relative humidity
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present.
Humidity depe ...
values and
heat index
The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the shade. The result is als ...
values. Heat indices consistently reach over during these months. Winter temperatures in McAllen and surrounding Rio Grande Valley are some of the warmest in the
contiguous United States
The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...
outside of
South Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...
, and comparable to the
Coachella Coachella may refer to:
* Coachella, California
* Coachella Canal, in California
* Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California
* "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind", a 2017 song by Lana del Rey
See also
* Coachell ...
and
Imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, Texa ...
valleys and
Yuma Desert
The Yuma Desert is a lower-elevation section of the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and the northwest of Mexico. It lies in the Salton basin. The desert contains areas of sparse vegetation and has notable areas of sand dunes. With ...
, but with warmer nighttime lows and higher
dew points
The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will Cond ...
.
Average annual precipitation is . Most precipitation occurs in the warm season, with the least precipitation distinctly occurring in the cooler winter. As September is the peak of the north
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year from June through November when tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean, referred to in North American countries as hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition ...
and tropical storms and hurricanes occasionally drop copious amounts of rainfall on the region, this month tends by far to be the wettest, averaging of rain. The driest month is February, with only of precipitation. Since 1941, it has snowed twice, once when the city received on
December 25, 2004.
Temperatures consistently rise above from June through August, with exceptionally high humidity. The highest temperature ever recorded in McAllen was , set on June 22, 2017. The lowest temperature ever recorded in McAllen was , on January 12, 1962.
While usually a dry, hot climate, McAllen, Texas has received unusual weather phenomena. In 2013, McAllen, Texas received a large hail storm that destroyed many vehicles and buildings. The storm came suddenly and many people were unprepared. In December 2017, McAllen received almost 3 inches of snow, nearly 13 years since the last snowfall which took place during the
2004 Christmas Eve United States winter storm
The 2004 Christmas Eve United States winter storm was a rare weather event that took place in Louisiana and Texas in the United States on December 24, 2004, before the storm moved northeast to affect the coastal sections of the Mid-Atlantic stat ...
. In February 2021, McAllen reached record low temperatures between and and lost power, heat, and water for a week due to
Winter Storm Uri
Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...
. Regardless of these freak weather events, McAllen is prone to tropical storms, hurricanes such as
Hurricane Dolly (2008)
Hurricane Dolly was a strong tropical cyclone that made landfall in Deep South Texas in July 2008. Dolly was the fourth tropical cyclone and second hurricane to form during the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. Dolly developed on July 20 ...
and
Hurricane Hanna (2020)
Hurricane Hanna was the first of a record-tying six Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall in the United States in one year. The eighth named storm and first hurricane of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Hanna developed from a ...
, and heatwaves.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 142,210 people, 45,429 households, and 34,119 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, 129,877 people, 41,573 households, and 31,823 families resided in the city. Of the 45,862 housing units, 4,289, or 9.4%, were vacant.
The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 83.9% White, 0.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 10.4% some other race, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 84.6% of the population.
Of the 41,573 households, 46.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were not families. About 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.9% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10, and the average family size was 3.58.
In the city, the population was distributed as 30.1% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
For the period 2012–2016, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $45,568, and for a family was $50,184. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $21,726. About 22.5% of families and 25.7% of the entire population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 36.6% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
Based on the Texas Department of Public Safety's Annual Crime in Texas report and the FBI's Crime in the United States report, there were zero (0) murders reported during 2018. The city has been consistently ranked among the safest cities in Texas.
Health
McAllen was the focus of a 2009 article in ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' by
Atul Gawande
Atul Atmaram Gawande (born November 5, 1965) is an American surgeon, writer, and public health researcher. He practices general and endocrine surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He is a professor in the Departme ...
entitled "The Cost Conundrum", an inquiry into the factors that contribute to the cost of health care. The McAllen area had the highest taxpayer-sponsored spending per beneficiary in the United States, despite areas with similar demographics and health profiles having half the cost per recipient. The article noted that while the area has a higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes, its rates of
infant mortality
Infant mortality is the death of young children under the age of 1. This death toll is measured by the infant mortality rate (IMR), which is the probability of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births. The under-five morta ...
,
HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
, and
tobacco use
Tobacco smoking is the practice of burning tobacco and ingesting the resulting smoke. The smoke may be inhaled, as is done with cigarettes, or simply released from the mouth, as is generally done with pipes and cigars. The practice is believed ...
were lower than the national average.
McAllen was the most
obese
Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...
metropolitan area in the country in 2012, with 38.5% of the adult population considered obese. The high obesity rate has likely contributed to area residents' poor health. More than 21% of the population has been diagnosed with
diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
, more than any other metro area in the United States. Poverty may play a large role in the community's health problems, as well. Over 25% of the city population was living below the poverty line during the period 2012–2016.
More than 29% of the population also lacked health coverage during that time.
McAllen is featured in ''Supersize vs Superskinny'', a British television programme on Channel 4 that features information about dieting and extreme eating lifestyles. One of the main show features is a weekly comparison between an overweight person and an underweight person. In the show, the overweight participant visits morbidly obese McAllen residents to find motivation for lifestyle and diet changes.
Economy
The
Rio Grande Valley
The Lower Rio Grande Valley ( es, Valle del Río Grande), commonly known as the Rio Grande Valley or locally as the Valley or RGV, is a region spanning the border of Texas and Mexico located in a floodplain of the Rio Grande near its mouth. Th ...
began its rapid development with the introduction of
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...
in 1898 and the construction of the railroad in 1904. These major additions turned a once relatively desolate area into a major agricultural center. Throughout much of the 1900s, McAllen was a rural, agriculture-based economy characterized by sporadic growth.
Today, the area is transforming into a major international trade area. As recently as 1990, McAllen's unemployment rate was at 22.6%. By the end of 2005, that figure had dropped to 7.7%. However, in 2011, census.gov listed the McAllen metro area the poorest in the nation. As of 2012, the average cost of a home in McAllen was the third-least expensive in the country, at $178,000, while average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $708. In 2012, the cost of living in McAllen was 16.2% lower than the national average.
Trade
Since the 1980s and especially since the ratification of the
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA ; es, Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte, TLCAN; french: Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, ALÉNA) was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that crea ...
in 1994, the focal point of economic activity has shifted from agriculture to international trade, health care, retail, and tourism.
The McAllen Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) is located south of McAllen between McAllen and Reynosa. Commissioned in 1973, it was the first inland
foreign-trade zone in the United States. Also, an FTZ designation site is at the
McAllen Miller International Airport
McAllen International Airport is in McAllen, in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States.
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a small hub ''primary commercial service'' airport.
Runways
McAllen Inter ...
to facilitate air cargo needs. Under U.S. and Mexican laws and NAFTA provisions, the FTZ designation offers specific cost-saving opportunities to manufacturers. Products can be brought into the FTZ duty-free. Services have recently expanded to include full logistic support services, including public warehouse services such as pick and pack, order processing, inventory control, incoming/outgoing quality inspection, and kitting.
Sports
McAllen hosted the
NAIA National Football Championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Football National Championship is decided by a post-season playoff system featuring the best NAIA college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the National Assoc ...
in the late 1970s and
NCAA Division II national football championship
The NCAA Division II Football Championship is an American college football tournament played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division II level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination tournament with eight teams. The tourna ...
games in the 1980s.
Until 2014, McAllen was home to the
Texas Thunder
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by bo ...
of the
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
United League Baseball
United League Baseball was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League and the Golden Baseball League to form the North American Leagu ...
, who played at
Edinburg Stadium
UTRGV Baseball Stadium, originally Edinburg Stadium, is a stadium in Edinburg, Texas. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home of the UTRGV Vaqueros of college baseball. It was also the home to the Edinburg Roadrunners of the Texas– ...
.
Recreation
Birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, b ...
McAllen is positioned on a major flyway, the migratory path of birds between North and South America, presenting opportunities for bird and butterfly expeditions. The landscape hosts a diverse wildlife population. The Quinta Mazatlan, a historic Spanish colonial mansion, is used as McAllen's wing of the World Birding Center.
The Bicentennial Bike Path runs from Highway 83 on the south side to Bicentennial and Trenton Road on the north side. The International Museum of Art & Science, Smithsonian affiliate and AAM-accredited museum founded in 1967, is located near the path at the corner of Bicentennial and Nolana Avenue.
The Zinnia Spray Water Park is McAllen's first
sprayground
A splash pad or spray pool is a recreation area, often in a public park, for water play (activity), play that has little or no standing water. This is said to eliminate the need for lifeguards or other supervision, as there is little risk of dr ...
park. It is located at 29th and Zinnia Ave.
Palm View Golf Course is located on South Ware Road just south of Highway 83. The golf course has 18 holes plus a driving range. This course hosts numerous tournaments year round.
Dog owners have room to run their pets at the McAllen Dog Park, which is divided into two sections.
Government
* Frank W. Crow, 1911–1913
* O. P. Archer, 1913–1923
* F.B. Freeland, 1923–1929
* Frank E. Osborn, 1929–1931
* John Ewing, 1931–1934
* A.L. Landry, 1935–1937
* Horace Etchison, 1937–1944
* Dr. Frank Osborn, 1944–1945
* Allen F. Vannoy, 1945–1947
* T. B. Waite, Jr., 1947–1948
* C. W. Davis, 1949–1952
* Angus McLeod, 1952–1953
* Phillip Boeye, 1953–1961
* Robert F. Barnes, 1961–1963
* Paul G. Veale, 1963–1969
* Jack Whetsel, 1969–1977
* Othal E. Brand, 1977–1997
* Leo Montalvo, 1997–2005
*
Richard F. Cortez, 2005–2013
*
James E. Darling, 2013–2021
*
Javier Villalobos
Javier Villalobos is an American politician who is the current Mayor of McAllen, Texas. He won election in June 2021 and was sworn in on June 14, 2021.
Education
Villalobos received a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Sou ...
, 2021–Present
The
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails, ...
operates an office in McAllen.
Federal representation
The
McAllen Division is located at Bentsen Tower 1701 W. Hwy. 83, Suite 1011, McAllen, Texas.
The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
operates two post offices in McAllen: McAllen Post Office, located at 620 Pecan Blvd, and the McAllen Downtown Post Office at 406 12th Street.
The
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States' U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Customs and Border Protection and is responsible for securing ...
McAllen Station is located at 3000 West Military Highway.
The United States Border Patrol Central Processing Center is located at 3700 W Ursula Avenue, McAllen, Texas.
The 2LT Luis G. Garcia United States Army Reserve Center located at 600 S Col Rowe Blvd is home for the
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed F ...
961st Quartermaster Company, 461st Transportation Detachment, and 519th Transportation Detachment.
McAllen is represented in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
by two
Democrats:
Vicente Gonzalez of the 15th Congressional District, and
Henry Cuellar
Enrique Roberto Cuellar (born September 19, 1955) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he is considered one of the most conservative representatives in the ...
of the 28th Congressional District.
Transportation
Mass transit
Metro McAllen (formerly McAllen Express Transit – MET) has provided public transportation for the City of McAllen since June 1997. In the beginning, McAllen Express was administered by the
Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council
The Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council (LRGVDC) is a voluntary association of cities, counties and special districts in the Rio Grande Valley region of southern Texas.
Based in Weslaco, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council is ...
. Since 2005, Metro McAllen has been operated as a department of the city of McAllen. Metro McAllen now has nine fixed routes and paratransit, serving residents and visitors. It operates seven days a week, from 6am–9pm Monday through Saturday and from 8am-6pm on Sunday. LRGVDC continues to operate regional buses under the name Valley Metro.
Downtown Bus Terminal
The City of McAllen also operates the bus terminal facility in downtown McAllen, known as McAllen Central Station. Central Station serves as a hub for MET and for 14 private domestic and international bus lines. Around 60 buses depart from Central Station on a daily basis. It is centrally located in downtown McAllen at 1501 W Hwy 83.
Highways
*
Interstate 2
Interstate 2 (I-2) is a partially completed Interstate Highway running through the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. It begins at the intersection of U.S. Highway 83 (US 83) and Business U.S. Highway 83 (Bus. US 83) ...
travels through McAllen from Taylor Road to Sugar Road.
*
U.S. 83 travels through McAllen as its major east–west artery. It runs directly south of
downtown McAllen.
*
State Highway 107 travels east through McAllen into downtown Edinburg, where it intersects the Business Route of US Route 281 and then I-69C/US 281.
*
State Highway 336 travels north to an intersection with FM 1016 in McAllen to an intersection with I-2/US 83.
*
State Highway 495 travels through McAllen from FM 2220 (Ware Road) to FM 2061 (McColl Street).
Airports
*
McAllen Miller International Airport
McAllen International Airport is in McAllen, in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States.
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a small hub ''primary commercial service'' airport.
Runways
McAllen Inter ...
is served by
American Airlines
American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
with non-stop service to
Dallas/Fort Worth; by
United
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
with non-stop service to
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
; by
Aeromar with nonstop service to
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
; and by
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air (usually shortened to Allegiant) is an ultra low-cost U.S. carrier that operates scheduled and charter flights. It is a major air carrier, the fourteenth-largest commercial airline in North America.
Allegiant was founded in 1 ...
with nonstop flights to
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
and with seasonal service to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and
Orlando-Sanford.
Education
Postsecondary
*
South Texas College
South Texas College (STC) is a public community college in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Bachelor of Applied Technology, ...
has a total of more than 27,000 students attending its five campuses in Hidalgo and Starr counties, and the eSTC virtual campus. The main campus is in McAllen.
Primary and secondary schools
![McAllen Public Library](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/McAllen_Public_Library.jpg)
The
McAllen Independent School District
The McAllen Independent School District is a school district headquartered in the city of McAllen, Texas, United States.
In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.
Schools
The campuses of ...
serves most of the city followed by the
Valley View Independent School District and the
Sharyland Independent School District
Sharyland Independent School District is a public school district based in Mission, Texas (USA).
The district serves parts of Mission, McAllen, Palmhurst, and Alton.
In 2009, the school district was rated " recognized" by the Texas Education A ...
. Portions of the city extend into the
Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District
The Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District (ECISD) is a school district headquartered in the city of Edinburg, Texas, United States Est. 1909.
The district has approximately 4,540 employees including over 2,600 certified professiona ...
, which operates two elementary schools within the McAllen city limits. The
Hidalgo Independent School District
The Hidalgo Independent School District is a public school district based in Hidalgo, Texas, United States. The district serves most of Hidalgo and the city of Granjeno as well as small portions of McAllen, Pharr (including sections of Las Milp ...
,
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District is a public school district based in Pharr, Texas (U.S.) in the Rio Grande Valley.
The district serves Pharr, San Juan, and Alamo as well as a small portion of McAllen. PSJA ISD's total studen ...
also serve McAllen.
In addition, residents are allowed to apply to magnet schools operated by the
South Texas Independent School District.
The Catholic
Diocese of Brownsville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville ( la, Dioecesis Brownsvillensis, es, Diócesis de Brownsville) is a Latin Church suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, in Texas, USA.
The ...
operates Our Lady of Sorrows School, an elementary and middle school.
Public libraries
McAllen Public Library
McAllen Public Library, or MPL, is the public library system serving McAllen, Texas, United States.
Overview
McAllen Public Library (MPL) serves the community of McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley through three branch libraries. The library sys ...
operates a main library and two branches, the Lark Branch and the Palm View Branch. The New Main Library opened in the fall of 2011 inside a former
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
big box store. The library earned high praise and received the International Interior Design Association's 2012 Library Interior Design Award.
Arts and culture
International Museum of Art & Science
The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) is a museum located in McAllen, Texas. It is dedicated to exhibiting Latin American art, as well as educating visitors about science. Its exhibits include antique stained glass, images from the Hubbl ...
(IMAS), founded in 1967, is a Smithsonian Affiliate and American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accredited museum located in McAllen at the corner of Bicentennial and Nolana Avenue.
Media
Television stations
*
KGBT-TV
KGBT-TV (channel 4) is a television station licensed to Harlingen, Texas, United States, serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley as a primary Antenna TV owned-and-operated station and a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliate. It is owned by Nexstar Med ...
4
Harlingen, Texas Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
*
KRGV-TV
KRGV-TV (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Weslaco, Texas, United States, serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley as an affiliate of ABC. The station is owned by the Manship family of Baton Rouge, Louisiana through Mobile Video Tapes, I ...
5
Weslaco, Texas
Weslaco is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 41,103, and in 2020 the estimated population was 41,103. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in the Rio Grande Valley near the Mexic ...
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
*
XHAB-TV 8 Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Vallevision
*
XERV-TV 9
Reynosa
Reynosa () is a border city in the northern part of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico. It is also the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality.
The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAllen Me ...
, Tamaulipas
Canal de las Estrellas
Las Estrellas ("The Stars"; previously El Canal de las Estrellas, or "The Channel of the Stars") is one of the cornerstone networks of TelevisaUnivision, with affiliate stations all over Mexico, flagshipped at XEW-TDT in Mexico City. Many of t ...
*
XHREY-TV
Azteca Uno (previously Azteca Trece), is a Mexican national broadcast television network owned by TV Azteca, with more than 100 transmitters across the country. Azteca Uno broadcasts on virtual channel 1. Azteca Uno programming is available in ...
12
Reynosa, Tamaulipas
Reynosa () is a border city in the northern part of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico. It is also the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality.
The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAllen Met ...
Azteca Uno
Azteca Uno (previously Azteca Trece), is a Mexican national broadcast television network owned by TV Azteca, with more than 100 transmitters across the country. Azteca Uno broadcasts on virtual channel 1. Azteca Uno programming is available in ...
*
XHOR-TV 14 Reynosa, Tamaulipas
Azteca 7
Azteca 7 (also called El Siete) is a Mexican network owned by TV Azteca, with more than 100 main transmitters all over Mexico.
Azteca 7 is available on all cable and satellite systems. A substantial portion of their purchased programming include ...
*
KVEO
KVEO-TV (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Brownsville, Texas, United States, serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley as a dual affiliate of NBC and CBS. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Harlingen-licensed primary Antenna ...
23
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville () is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. The city covers , and has a population of 186,738 as of the 2020 census. It ...
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
/
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
*
KTFV-CD
KTFV-CD, Virtual channel, virtual and Ultra high frequency, UHF Digital terrestrial television, digital channel 32, is a Low-power broadcasting#Television, low-power, Class A television service, Class A licensed to McAllen, Texas, United States, ...
32 McAllen, Texas
UniMás
UniMás (, stylized as ''UNIMÁS'', and originally known as TeleFutura from its launch on January 14, 2002, to January 6, 2013) is an American Spanish free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. The network's programming, which is ...
*
KTLM 40
Rio Grande City, Texas
Rio Grande City is a city in and the county seat of Starr County, Texas. The population was 14,411 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is west of McAllen. The city also holds the March record high for the United States at . The city is c ...
Telemundo
Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language Terrestrial television, terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Television and Streaming#NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a divi ...
*
KNVO 48 McAllen, Texas
Univision
Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and includes ...
*
XHVTV-TV
Canal 6 (alternately known as Multimedios Televisión) is a network of Spanish language television stations primarily concentrated in northeastern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The system is part of Grupo Multimedios. The flagship sta ...
54 Reynosa, Tamaulipas
Multimedios
Canal 6 (alternately known as Multimedios Televisión) is a network of Spanish language television stations primarily concentrated in northeastern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The system is part of Grupo Multimedios. The flagship sta ...
(
Canal 6 Mexico)
*
KFXV 60 Harlingen, Texas
FOX
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
*
KMBH-LD
KMBH-LD, virtual channel 67 ( UHF digital channel 20), is a low-power television station licensed to McAllen, Texas, United States. It is a translator of Harlingen-licensed Fox affiliate KFXV (channel 38) which is owned by Santa Monica, Cal ...
67 McAllen, Texas
FOX
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
*
MCN MCN may refer to:
Media
* ''MCN'' (journal), a peer-reviewed journal of obstetrical and neonatal nursing
* Multi-channel network, a type of organization working with video platforms to assist their owners
* Metro Chinese Network, a Rockville, Ma ...
17.12 McAllen, Texas
Public Broadcasting Station
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educati ...
Radio stations
*
KURV
KURV (710 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Edinburg, Texas, and serving the Rio Grande Valley border area. It broadcasts a talk radio format and is owned by Grupo Multimedios, through licensee Leading Media Group Corp. The ...
710 AM News Talk Radio
*
XERDO-AM
XERDO (1060 kHz) is a radio station in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, known as La Raza.
History
XERDO's concession history begins on December 8, 1951, when Manuel L. Salinas, a radio pioneer in northeastern Mexico who also started sister station XHMLS-F ...
La Raza 1060 AM (Regional Mexican)
panish*
XEMS-AM
XEMS-AM was a radio station that served the Brownsville, Texas (United States) / Matamoros, Tamaulipas (Mexico) border area. The last brand that the station carried was Radio Mexicana with a Regional Mexican format.
History
XEMS began broadcas ...
Radio Mexicana 1490 AM (Regional Mexican)
panish*
KHID 88.1 FM McAllen (National Public Radio)
*
XHRYS-FM
XHRYS-FM (90.1 MHz) is a radio station in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 state ...
Hits FM 90.1 FM (Top 40 Hits)
panish*
XHRYN-FM Uni 90.5 FM
panish*
XHRYA-FM Mas Musica 90.9 FM (Hit Radio)
panish*
XHMLS-FM
XHMLS-FM (91.3 MHz) is a radio station in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United Stat ...
Exitos 91.3 FM (All-Time Hits)
panish*
KCAS The New KCAS 91.5 FM
*
XHEOQ-FM
XHEOQ-FM (91.7 MHz) is a Spanish news/talk radio radio station that serves the McAllen, Texas (USA) / Reynosa, Tamaulipas (Mexico) border area.
History
XEOQ-AM 1110 received its concession on July 1, 1960. It was originally owned by Baudelia Vil ...
Notigape 91.7 FM (News)
panish*
XHAAA-FM
XHAAA-FM (branded as La Caliente) is a Regional Mexican radio station that serves the Reynosa, Tamaulipas/McAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States, and the 22nd-most populous city in Texas. It is loc ...
La Caliente 93.1 FM (Regional Mexican)
panish*
KFRQ
KFRQ (94.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Harlingen, Texas, United States, the station serves the Rio Grande Valley area. The station is currently owned by Entravision. It shares a studio with its sister ...
Q94.5 FM (Classic/Modern/Hard Rock)
*
XHRT-FM Xtrema 95.3 FM (All-Time Hits)
panish*
KBTQ
KBTQ (96.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Latin ballad format. Licensed to Harlingen, Texas, United States, the station serves the McAllen area. The station is currently owned by Latino Media Network.
History
KMBS "Stereo 96" signed o ...
Recuerdo 96.1 FM (Oldies)
panish* KVMV Family Friendly & Commercial Free 96.9 FM (Adult Contemporary Christian)
* KGBT-FM Solamente Exitos 98.5 FM (Regional Mexican)
panish* KKPS La Nueva 99.5 FM (Local Tejano Music)
panish* KTEX (FM), KTEX South Texas Country 100.3 FM (Country)
* KNVO-FM Jose 101.1 FM
panish* XHAVO-FM Digital 101.5 FM (International Music)
panish* KBFM Wild 104.1 FM (Hip-Hop/R&B/Reggaeton)
* KJAV 104.9 FM Ultra 104.9 ("Sonamos Diferente")(Classic Hits)
* KQXX The X 105.5 FM (Classic rock)
* KHKZ Kiss 106.3 FM (Hot Adult Contemporary, Hot AC)
* XHVTH-FM La Mas Buena 107.1 FM (Regional Mexican)
* KVLY (FM), KVLY Mix 107.9 FM (Top 40)
Area newspapers
* ''The Monitor (Texas), The Monitor''
* ''Valley Morning Star''
* ''Texas Border Business''
* ''Mega Doctor News''
Architecture and points of interest
* Tallest buildings
![Mcallen2009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Mcallen2009.jpg)
* Districts
![Mcallen 2016-08-29-20-44-18-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Mcallen_2016-08-29-20-44-18-1.png)
# Downtown McAllen
# De Palmas Historic District
# 17 Street Entertainment District
# McAllen Arts District
# Uptown McAllen
# McAllen Convention Center District
* Points of Interest
![McAllen Convention Center](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/McAllen_Convention_Center.jpg)
# McAllen Botanical Gardens
# Quinta Mazatlan
# McAllen Convention Center
# La Plaza Mall
# International Museum of Art and Science
# Historic Cine El Rey Theatre
#Veterans War Memorial of Texas, Veteran's War Memorial of Texas
Notable people
* Cristela Alonzo, stand-up comedian and actress, was given the Key to the City in 2019.
* Abraham Ancer, professional golfer, born in McAllen
* Jorge Cantú, baseball player, born in McAllen in 1982
* Shaine Casas, competitive Swimming (sport), swimmer, born in San Diego, California, raised in McAllen
"Casas Highlights 18 Qualified A&M Swimmers at U.S. Olympic Team Trials"
''KBTX-TV''. June 4, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
* Raúl Castillo, actor, born in McAllen in 1977
* Michael Cole (wrestling), Michael Cole, professional wrestling commentator for WWE
* Ana Brenda Contreras, Mexican American actress and singer, born in McAllen on December 24, 1986
* Henry Cuesta, clarinetist on ''The Lawrence Welk Show'', born in McAllen in 1931
* Catherine Hardwicke, film director, born in Cameron, Texas, grew up in McAllen
* James Nicholas Rowe, Colonel United States Army, born in McAllen in 1938
* Gloria Trevi Mexican pop star, born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, México. Now living in McAllen Texas
* Carl Möhner, actor, director, screenwriter and painter born in Vienna, Austria in 1921, died 2005 in McAllen.
Notes
Footnotes
Citations
Bibliography
External links
City of McAllen official website
McAllen Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Handbook of Texas Online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mcallen, Texas
McAllen, Texas,
1904 establishments in Texas
Cities in Hidalgo County, Texas
Cities in Texas
Populated places established in 1904
Texas populated places on the Rio Grande