MISSION, TX

Mission is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 77,058 at the 2010 census and an estimated 84,331 in 2019. Mission is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.

Geography

Mission is in southern Hidalgo County at (26.211402, –98.321277). It is bordered to the east by McAllen, the largest city in the county, to the north by Palmhurst, to the west by Palmview, and to the south by the Mexico–United States border along the Rio Grande.

The Interstate 2/U.S. Route 83 freeway passes through Mission, south of the center of town. The highway leads east to downtown McAllen and to Harlingen. Interstate 2 ends west of Mission; US 83 leads west to Rio Grande City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Mission has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.20%, are water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 85,778 people, 25,172 households, and 20,139 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 45,408 people, 13,766 households, and 11,384 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,881.9 people per square mile (726.6/km). There were 17,723 housing units at an average density of 734.5 per square mile (283.6/km). The racial makeup of the city was 77.63% White, 0.37% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 18.64% from other races, and 2.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 81.03% of the population.

There were 13,766 households, out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.68.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,647, and the median income for a family was $33,465. Males had a median income of $25,710 versus $20,718 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,796. About 22.6% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.4% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.

The United States Postal Service operates in the city of Mission. Local zip codes include 78571, 78572, 78573, and 78574.

Economy

Mission shares the same economic growth that nearby McAllen is experiencing. The Mission Economic Development Corporation promotes development in the area.

The city has been advertised as the "Home of the Ruby Red Grapefruit" since 1921, due to the fruit being commonly grown in the area. The city is also home to the Texas Citrus Exchange. The city holds the annual Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade along Conway Avenue, which features fruit-decorated floats, bands, law enforcement agencies, and fire departments, and many local and city government officials.

Moore Air Force Base (deactivated) is located north of the city. It is the location of the First Lift Station of the Mission Canal Company that once irrigated of farmland in the Rio Grande Valley.

Notable people

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Most of Mission is a part of the Mission Consolidated Independent School District. Other portions extend into the La Joya Independent School District and the Sharyland Independent School District.

Mission CISD operates Mission High School and Veterans Memorial High School. Sharyland ISD Mission is divided between Sharyland High School and Sharyland Pioneer High School. LJISD Mission is zoned to Palmview High School.

In addition, South Texas Independent School District operates magnet schools that serve the community.

Mission is also the site of San Juan Diego Academy, a Catholic high school operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville.

Public libraries

The Speer Memorial Library serves Mission. The facility has of space.

The library originated in March 1914, when the Civic League of Mission was formed to maintain a park and form a library. The first library board included officers from the civic league. In 1929 the city of Mission passed an ordinance making the library a part of the city government. In 1930 the library was in a room in the First National Bank. At a later time it moved to the Mission City Hall. From the early 1930s until 1947 the city library shared facilities with the school library. By 1960 it outgrew the building it had occupied. In 1976 Juanita Speer Farley donated the deed to her property to the city. A new library, designed by Warren Suter, an architect from Mission, was constructed in 1976 and 1977. The official completion date of the library was June 1, 1977. An addition in 1988 increased the library's square footage to . An additional expansion of , designed by architect TAG International, L.L.P. and constructed by Velasco Construction, was scheduled to be completed in March 2005, and the renovation of the older portions of the library was scheduled to begin afterwards.

Media

Radio

Sister cities