Weslaco, Texas | |
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| Coordinates:26°9′33″N97°59′15″W / 26.15917°N 97.98750°W /26.15917; -97.98750 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hidalgo |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • City council | Mayor Adrian Gonzalez Gregory P. Kerr Leo Munoz Leticia "Letty" Lopez Jose "JP" Rodriguez Josh Pedraza Adrian Farias |
| • City manager | Martin Garza |
| Area | |
• Total | 16.45 sq mi (42.61 km2) |
| • Land | 16.38 sq mi (42.42 km2) |
| • Water | 0.073 sq mi (0.19 km2) |
| Elevation | 79 ft (24 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 40,160 |
| • Density | 2,452/sq mi (946.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 78596, 78599 |
| Area code | 956 |
| FIPS code | 48-77272[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1349656[3] |
| Website | www |
Weslaco (/ˈwɛsləkoʊ/WESS-lə-koh) is a city inHidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the2020 census the population was 41,103, Studies from 2023 show the population is 43,053[4] and in 2020 the estimated population was 40,160.[5] It is at the southern tip of Texas in theRio Grande Valley near the Mexican border, across theRio Grande from the city ofNuevo Progreso, Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas.
Weslaco derives its name from theW.E.StewartLandCompany.[6] It was the hometown ofHarlon Block, one of the Marines photographed raising the flag atIwo Jima, and of film and television actorDavid Spielberg.[citation needed]
Weslaco is located in southeastern Hidalgo County at26°9′33″N97°59′15″W / 26.15917°N 97.98750°W /26.15917; -97.98750 (26.159130, –97.987374).[7] It is bordered to the east by the city ofMercedes and to the west by the city ofDonna.Interstate 2 andU.S. Route 83 pass through Weslaco, leading west 16 miles (26 km) toMcAllen and east 19 miles (31 km) toHarlingen. Weslaco is 5 miles (8 km) north ofProgreso and 7 miles (11 km) north of thebridge over theRio Grande toNuevo Progreso in the Mexican state ofTamaulipas.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, Weslaco has a total area of 14.8 square miles (38.3 km2), of which 14.7 square miles (38.1 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.49%, are water.[8]
The climate in this area is characterized by two seasons; a wet season from April to September and a dry season from October to March. According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Weslaco has ahumid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[9] It is the most easterly city in the central states of theGreat Plains with ahumid subtropical climate bounded by asemi-arid climate to the west, reflecting in its mostshrubby vegetation.[10] The average high in January is 71 °F (21.7 °C) and the average low is 50 °F (10.0 °C). The average high is 97 °F (36.1 °C) and the average low is 76 °F (24.4 °C) in August. The warm season is extremely long, as average high temperatures from May through September are above 90 °F (32.2 °C) and average low temperatures are above 70 °F (21.1 °C), with relatively high dew point values resulting in higher relative humidity values and heat index values. Heat index values can consistently reach over 100 °F (37.8 °C) during these months.[11]
Average annual precipitation is only 25.73 inches (654 mm). Most precipitation occurs in thewet season which occurs from April to September, with the least precipitation distinctly occurring in thedry season from October to March. As September is the peak of the northAtlantic hurricane season and tropical storms and hurricanes occasionally drop copious amounts of rainfall on the region, this month tends to be by far the wettest, averaging 5.64 inches (143 mm) of rain. The driest month is February, with only 0.95 inches (24 mm) of precipitation. The record snowfall was 3.00 inches (76 mm) on December 25, 2004. It snowed again on December 8, 2017.[12][13] Weslaco received 10-12 inches of rain in October of 2015 that impacted several areas, particularly with drainage systems being overflooded.[14]
Temperatures are frequently above 100 °F (37.8 °C), occasionally as early as February and as late as the end of October, the highest temperature ever recorded in Weslaco was 110 °F (43.3 °C) on April 17, 1920. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Weslaco was 16 °F (−8.9 °C), on January 12, 1962 and December 23, 1989.
| Climate data for Weslaco, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1914–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 93 (34) | 100 (38) | 104 (40) | 110 (43) | 108 (42) | 107 (42) | 108 (42) | 106 (41) | 107 (42) | 104 (40) | 99 (37) | 94 (34) | 110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 85.4 (29.7) | 89.6 (32.0) | 92.8 (33.8) | 94.9 (34.9) | 96.0 (35.6) | 99.5 (37.5) | 100.5 (38.1) | 101.4 (38.6) | 99.0 (37.2) | 95.6 (35.3) | 90.4 (32.4) | 86.0 (30.0) | 102.4 (39.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 71.3 (21.8) | 75.4 (24.1) | 80.7 (27.1) | 86.3 (30.2) | 90.3 (32.4) | 94.6 (34.8) | 95.7 (35.4) | 97.3 (36.3) | 92.0 (33.3) | 87.2 (30.7) | 79.9 (26.6) | 72.0 (22.2) | 85.2 (29.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 60.7 (15.9) | 64.4 (18.0) | 70.4 (21.3) | 75.7 (24.3) | 80.9 (27.2) | 85.1 (29.5) | 86.1 (30.1) | 86.9 (30.5) | 82.4 (28.0) | 76.6 (24.8) | 69.2 (20.7) | 61.8 (16.6) | 75.0 (23.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 50.0 (10.0) | 53.5 (11.9) | 60.4 (15.8) | 65.1 (18.4) | 71.5 (21.9) | 75.5 (24.2) | 76.5 (24.7) | 76.4 (24.7) | 72.8 (22.7) | 66.0 (18.9) | 58.4 (14.7) | 51.6 (10.9) | 64.8 (18.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 35.8 (2.1) | 39.5 (4.2) | 43.9 (6.6) | 51.2 (10.7) | 60.1 (15.6) | 68.6 (20.3) | 71.3 (21.8) | 71.1 (21.7) | 63.7 (17.6) | 50.3 (10.2) | 42.9 (6.1) | 36.2 (2.3) | 32.9 (0.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 16 (−9) | 20 (−7) | 26 (−3) | 33 (1) | 47 (8) | 53 (12) | 62 (17) | 62 (17) | 48 (9) | 33 (1) | 30 (−1) | 16 (−9) | 16 (−9) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.02 (26) | 0.95 (24) | 1.45 (37) | 1.46 (37) | 2.61 (66) | 2.79 (71) | 2.24 (57) | 1.87 (47) | 5.64 (143) | 2.84 (72) | 1.61 (41) | 1.25 (32) | 25.73 (653) |
| Source 1: NOAA[15] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[16] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 4,879 | — | |
| 1940 | 6,883 | 41.1% | |
| 1950 | 7,514 | 9.2% | |
| 1960 | 15,649 | 108.3% | |
| 1970 | 15,313 | −2.1% | |
| 1980 | 19,331 | 26.2% | |
| 1990 | 21,877 | 13.2% | |
| 2000 | 26,935 | 23.1% | |
| 2010 | 35,670 | 32.4% | |
| 2020 | 40,160 | 12.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 3,668 | 9.13% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 134 | 0.33% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 46 | 0.11% |
| Asian (NH) | 350 | 0.87% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 6 | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 62 | 0.15% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 126 | 0.31% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35,768 | 89.06% |
| Total | 40,160 |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 40,160 people, 12,671 households, and 9,998 families residing in the city.
According to thecensus[2] of 2000, there were 26,935 people, 8,295 households, and 6,602 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,123.1 inhabitants per square mile (819.7/km2). There were 10,230 housing units at an average density of 806.4 per square mile (311.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 14.92%White, 0.27%African American, 0.49%Native American, 1.14%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 20.93% fromother races, and 2.19% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 83.76% of the population.
There were 8,295 households, out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% weremarried couples living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.4% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.21 and the average family size was 3.68.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,573, and the median income for a family was $29,215. Males had a median income of $24,202 versus $19,688 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $11,235. About 26.5% of families and 30.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 40.6% of those under age 18 and 23.5% of those age 65 or over.
Following the ratification of theNorth American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, cross-border cargo and vehicular traffic in the county increased 345% and 36.4% respectively since the beginning of the 1990s, from 228,133 to 1,015,554 cargo trucks in 2008 and from 10.92 million to 14.9 million automobiles. US/Mexico trade crossing the international bridge in Hidalgo County increased from $5.0 billion in 1994, pre-NAFTA, to $12.56 billion in 2000 and $19.9 billion in 2006. From 1995 to 2006 the Rio Grande Valley share of NAFTA trade increased 168% from $11.1 billion to $31.6 billion.[20]
Prime Healthcare Services, through its subsidiary Knapp Medical Center,[21] serves Weslaco's emergency medical needs. The facility is outfitted with a Heli-Pad, Level 3 Trauma Unit and 233 hospital beds. Surrounding Knapp Medical is an unofficial healthcare district featuring a concentration of physicians, medical services and pharmacies. This district draws patients from the entire Mid-Valley. Weslaco residents can check with local providers for other specialized needs.
The mayor was Adrian Gonzalez as of 2020.[22]
Public education in Weslaco is provided by theWeslaco Independent School District, Idea Public Schools,[23] andSouth Texas Independent School District. There are 4 private schools: San Martin de Porres Catholic School,[24] Valley Grande Adventist Academy,[25] Mid-Valley Christian School,[26] and First Christian Academy.[27] Weslaco also has two Charter schools: Horizon Montessori[28] and Technology Education Charter High School. The city has aHead Start Program, pre-kinder programs as well as several privately owned day care centers.
Continuing education facilities located within Weslaco includeSouth Texas College (Mid-Valley Campus), South Texas Vocational Technical Institute,[29] and Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies.[30]Texas A&M operates an agricultural research center in Weslaco.[31]
The Mayor Joe V. Sanchez Public Library serves Weslaco.[32]
The Weslaco Museum[35] has exhibits and hosts events for local residents.
Weslaco is home to one of the nine sites of theWorld Birding Center[36] in theRio Grande Valley. The site is located within theEstero Llano Grande State Park.[37]TheValley Nature Center is a six-acre park andenvironmental education center that focuses on the plants and animals of the Rio Grande Valley.
The City of Weslaco Parks & Recreation Department maintains six city parks, and three public swimming pools.[38]
Weslaco is a Winter Texan destination and a gateway between Texas and Mexico.[39]
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