Population 20,336 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alton
Household size in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.97 | 3.67 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.88 | 3.72 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.85 | 3.66 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.80 | 3.42 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.25 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Alton are large by national standards, averaging 3.80 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has dropped from 3.97 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only eight of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.9 | 28.7 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 26.3 | 29.5 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 27.4 | 30.0 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 26.3 | 31.9 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.6 | +3.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Alton is young: half of its residents are under 26.3, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward families with many children. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 27.9, even as the national median rose. Only seven of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.4% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 27.9% | 19.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.9% | 18.6% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in five households in Alton (18.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 3.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Alton has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Texas cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alton
Renters in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 29.2% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 32.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.9% | 32.0% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.4% | 32.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +15.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Alton rent their homes (41.4%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 50.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 15.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 14.6% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 12.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 13.1% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 12.4% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Alton than nationally: 11.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged up 1.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1991 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1994 | 1993 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1998 | 1995 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2004 | 1998 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +7 | +8 | +6 |
Alton has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2004, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1993 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $566 | $597 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $676 | $652 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $741 | $737 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,048 | $987 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$482 | +$390 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Alton pays $1,048 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the McAllen area overall ($987). Rent has climbed $482 a month since 2006–10, up 85%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 24.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alton
Bachelor's degrees in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 15.1% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 16.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 18.4% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.3% | 20.3% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Alton: 14.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Alton has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five Texas cities.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.2% | 59.4% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 55.4% | 61.5% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 58.4% | 64.9% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 66.5% | 69.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +17.3 pts | +10.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a third of adults in Alton never finished high school, well above the national share: only 66.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 17.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 26 of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alton
| Period | Alton | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 10.2% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 10.5% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 6.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 7.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Alton: 8.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alton | 3.80 | 26.3 | 18.9% | 41.4% | 11.4% | 2004 | $1,048 | 14.3% | 66.5% | 8.5% |
| Palmhurst | 3.32 | 32.0 | 10.7% | 26.6% | 16.9% | 1999 | $1,033 | 42.9% | 85.7% | 5.8% |
| Mission | 3.36 | 33.2 | 18.8% | 25.6% | 13.1% | 1999 | $1,025 | 21.8% | 67.4% | 7.7% |
| Palmview | 3.54 | 32.0 | 21.3% | 25.6% | 7.7% | 2001 | $781 | 12.6% | 61.8% | 7.8% |
| McAllen area | 3.42 | 31.9 | 18.6% | 32.5% | 12.4% | 1998 | $987 | 20.3% | 69.8% | 7.6% |
| Palmview South | 3.29 | 44.3 | 21.2% | 23.8% | 19.3% | 1995 | $725 | 10.0% | 68.1% | 5.9% |
| Madero | 2.79 | 35.6 | 12.2% | 26.0% | 13.5% | 2002 | $1,060 | 22.5% | 61.1% | 4.0% |
| Edinburg | 2.96 | 32.0 | 17.3% | 45.4% | 10.7% | 2001 | $1,103 | 30.2% | 81.2% | 5.2% |
| Penitas | 4.04 | 28.9 | 26.0% | 21.4% | 11.5% | 2003 | $856 | 9.7% | 54.4% | 6.8% |
| Abram | 3.47 | 30.4 | 25.0% | 13.0% | 8.7% | 1995 | $848 | 19.3% | 71.2% | 6.3% |
| San Carlos | 3.41 | 33.7 | 14.6% | 25.6% | 9.3% | 2000 | $973 | 15.1% | 64.7% | 7.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Marlboro, NJ · Newburyport, MA · Taft, CA · Chardon, OH · Mullica Hill, NJ · Elkins Park, PA · Emmaus, PA · Cedar Mill, OR · Cedar Lake, IN · New Richmond, WI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alton. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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