Laguna Heights is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in Cameron County,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, United States. The population was 962 at the 2020 census, significantly down from 3,488 at the 2010 census.

History

Laguna Heights was struck by a high-end EF1 tornado on May 13, 2023, which caused major damage to properties, killed one person, and injured 11 others.

Geography

Laguna Heights is located in eastern Cameron County at (26.080060, -97.256172), on the south shore of

Laguna Madre The Laguna Madre is a long, shallow, hypersaline lagoon along the western coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Nueces County, Texas, Nueces, Kenedy County, Texas, Kenedy, Kleberg County, Texas, Kleberg, Willacy County, Texas, Willacy and Cameron Coun ...

, a large lagoon connected to the Gulf of Mexico. The CDP is bordered to the south and east by the city of Port Isabel and to the west by the town of Laguna Vista. Texas State Highway 100 passes through Laguna Heights, leading eastward to the center of Port Isabel and to

South Padre Island South Padre Island is a barrier island in the U.S. state of Texas. The remote landform is located in Cameron County, Willacy County, and accessible by the Queen Isabella Causeway. South Padre Island was formed when the creation of the Port Ma ...

, and westward to

Interstate 69E Interstate 69E (I-69E) is a north–south Interstate Highway running through South Texas. Once complete, the freeway will begin in Brownsville and head northward before terminating near Victoria as both I-69W and I-69E merge into I-69 t ...

between Harlingen and Brownsville. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the Laguna Heights CDP has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

Laguna Heights first appeared as a

census designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

in the 1990 U.S. Census. It is part of the Brownsville– Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 962 people, 575 households, and 371 families residing in the CDP.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 3,488 people, 528 households, and 459 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 572 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 67.19%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.85%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.30% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 29.40% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 93.32% of the population. There were 528 households, out of which 56.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.9% were non-families. 10.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.77 and the average family size was 4.04. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 37.5% under the age of 18, 12.2% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 14.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $18,083, and the median income for a family was $19,491. Males had a median income of $15,677 versus $14,861 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the CDP was $6,538. About 37.7% of families and 45.6% of the 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 ...

, including 55.4% of those under age 18 and 25.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Children living in Laguna Heights are zoned to schools in

Point Isabel Independent School District Point Isabel Independent School District is a public school district based in Port Isabel, Texas, United States. In addition to Port Isabel, the district serves the towns of Laguna Vista and South Padre Island, as well as the unincorporated ...

. Children go to Garriga Elementary School (Grades K-2), Derry Elementary School, (3-5), Port Isabel Junior High School (6-8), and

Port Isabel High School Port Isabel High School (PIHS) is a 4A public high school located in Port Isabel, Texas, United States. It is the sole high school in the Point Isabel Independent School District. For the 2021-2022 school year, the school was given a "B" by the ...

(9-12). All of the schools are in Port Isabel. In addition,

South Texas Independent School District South Texas Independent School District (STISD) is a magnet school district headquartered in Mercedes, Texas ( USA). STISD operates magnet schools that draw students from three counties: Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy. STISD covers an area o ...

operates magnet schools that serve the community.

References

;Notes {{Authority control Census-designated places in Cameron County, Texas Census-designated places in Texas