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Alton

A city of 20,214 people in Texas

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Town hallWanted · be the first Main streetWanted · be the first The libraryWanted · be the first Add a photoStart the Alton album

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Around town

The places and views that make it Alton

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The Alton album

0 of 12 shotsNeighbors document Alton together

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Outdoors in Alton

Parks & trails →

Conserved land1.1%54 of 4,831 acres

Trails1.4 mi0.2 mi per sq mi

Parks & preserves13 conserved acres per 1,000 residents

1Silvia Vela Park0.5 mi of trails · 13 acres Directions

Know a trail or park that’s missing? Anyone can add it to OpenStreetMap, and it shows up here on the next refresh.

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Know Alton

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Alton

City in Texas

1978Established

18,198Population

7.3 sq miArea

161 ftElevation

Alton is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,198 at the 2020 census.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Alton ranks

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#2Rent easiest to afford in TX #68Fastest growing in TX #63Most new homes in TX All TX rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP codeSign in to add

Area code956

Living in Alton

Housing in Alton

$190K▼ 2.1% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Alton home is worth about $190,000, down 2.1% in a year, 36% below the Texas typical home.

A buyer's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market208

Sale-to-list99.8%

Sold in May6

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Alton

Safety Grade D

Alton reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 86% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Alton 9.2

Texas 3.5

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Alton 6.7

Texas 18.1

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Alton

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Most working residents leave Alton for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are McAllen (24%), Mission (18%) and Edinburg (11%). Half commute less than 8 miles.

McAllen

24%

Mission

18%

Edinburg

11%

Pharr

2%Work in townlive and work in Alton 8 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,210Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Alton →

Health in Alton

Health Grade D

Healthier than 8% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Texas

2better than TX·14worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 10 are too close to call.

Conditions 2▲ 3▼ 7 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 7▼ 0 close Mind 3▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

3.5%Fewer adults who have had cancerTX 6.1% · better 18.6%Fewer adults with arthritisTX 21.6% · better 41.5%More uninsured adultsTX 19.1% · worse

Care nearby

Mission Regional Medical CenterMission · 6.3 mi · ER

Nuestra Clinica Del Valle - Alton IIMission · 0.4 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · part of Alton

DentalShortage · part of Alton

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Alton · CMS · HRSAHealth in Alton →

Natural hazards in Alton

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.

🌀 Hurricanes🥶 Cold waves🌊 Inland flooding

3Does Alton flood?paid flood claims since 2018 8Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Alton MapAlton vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Alton →

Climate in Alton

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Alton has warm winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 98°, a January night drops to 50°, and snow is almost unheard of.

73° / 52°Winter

87° / 65°Spring

98° / 76°Summer

87° / 65°Fall

How much snow does Alton get?Almost none.Rain & snow →Does it ever freeze?In about 48% of years.Frost →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.2° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Alton →

Schools in Alton

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C⁻

School Grade C-

The public schools Alton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 82% of Texas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Alton’s schools compare in TX →

DistrictMISSION CISDSchools8

Jessie L Jensen El DElementary · Grades PK–6 · 615 students Cantu El CElementary · Grades PK–5 · 521 students Raquel Cavazos El C-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 521 students Carl C Waitz El DElementary · Grades PK–5 · 361 students Alton El C-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 337 students Alton Memorial J H DMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 819 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within TX. Ratings are from neighbors.