Harlingen ( )Often misspelled as "Harlington" and mispronounced as is a city in Cameron County, Texas. It is located in the central region of the Rio Grande Valley, about from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The city covers more than and is the second-largest city in Cameron County, as well as the sixth-largest in the Rio Grande Valley. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 71,892.
Harlingen is a principal city of the Brownsville–Harlingen metropolitan area, which is part of the larger Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville combined statistical area, included in the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan region.
History
Harlingen's strategic location at the intersection of U.S. Route 77 and U.S. Route 83, codesignated as Interstate 69 East and Interstate 2, respectively, in northwestern Cameron County, fostered its development as a distribution, shipping, and industrial center. In 1904, Lon C. Hill (a man of Choctaw ancestry) envisioned the Rio Grande as a commercial waterway. He named the town he founded on the north bank after the Frisian city of Harlingen, in the Netherlands. The town's post office was established that year. The first school opened with 15 pupils in 1905 near the Hill home, the first residence built in Harlingen. Harlingen incorporated on April 15, 1910, when the population totaled 1,126. In 1920, the census listed 1,748. The local economy at first was almost entirely agricultural, with the chief crops vegetables and cotton.
World War II military installations in Harlingen caused a jump in population from 23,000 in 1950 to 41,000 by 1960. Harlingen Army Air Field preceded Harlingen Air Force Base, which closed in 1962. The city's population fell to 33,603 by 1972, then climbed to 40,824 by 1980. Local enterprise, focused on the purchase and use of the abandoned base and related housing, laid the groundwork for continuing progress through a diversified economy. The estimated population in July 1985 was 49,000, of which about 80% was Hispanic. In the late 1980s, income from tourism ranked second only to citrus fruit production, with grain and cotton next in order. The addition of wholesale and retail trade, light and medium manufacturing, and an array of service industries has broadened the economic base. Large-scale construction for multifaceted retirement communities is a new phase of industrial development.
The City of Harlingen operates a busy industrial airpark where bombers used to land. At Valley International Airport, the Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force) occupied hangar and apron space until 1991. The first hospital in Harlingen opened in 1923, and consisted of little more than two barracks as wings. The Valley Baptist Hospital was built nearby a few years later, and eventually the older hospital closed. The Valley Baptist Hospital has grown into the Valley Baptist Medical Center. The city's outstanding network of health-care specialists and facilities parallels the growth of the still-expanding center. Also serving regional health needs are the South Texas State Chest Hospital, the State Hospital for Children, and the Rio Grande State Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center.
Besides public and church-affiliated schools, Harlingen students attend the University Preparatory School, the Marine Military Academy, Texas State Technical College, or Rio Grande Vocational and Rehabilitation classes. Civic and cultural development in Harlingen has kept pace with the growth of the community. Fraternal orders and civic organizations operating in the community include Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Optimist, 20–30, VFW, American Legion, and the Lower Valley Cotillion Club; a woman's building is maintained as a center for the activities of the many woman's clubs active in the city. Development and appreciation of the fine arts are encouraged by organizations such as the Rio Grande Valley Art League, the Art Forum, and the Rio Grande Valley Civic Association, which stages its winter concert series at the 2,300-seat Harlingen Municipal Auditorium. Each March, Harlingen is the site of the Rio Grande Valley International Music Festival. The city has two newspapers—the Harlingen Press, a weekly paper established in 1951, and the Valley Morning Star, a daily established in 1911. In 1990, the population was 48,735. In 1992, the city was named an All-America City, cited especially for its volunteer spirit and self-help programs. In 2000, the community had 57,564 inhabitants and 2,549 businesses.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.22%, is covered by water.
Soils in Harlingen range in texture from fine sandy loam to clay. They are neutral to moderately alkaline with pH of 7.2 to 8.5 (most commonly around 8.2), and are moderately well drained or well drained in most cases, with small areas of poorly drained, saline clays.
Climate
Harlingen has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Summers are long, and very humid with hot days and warm nights. Winters are very dry with warm days and cool nights. Precipitation peaks during September, with an average of precipitation falling.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Harlingen had a population of 71,829 and was home to 15,548 families. It had a median age of 35.3 years. 27.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.0 males age 18 and over.
97.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.4% lived in rural areas.
There were 25,184 households in Harlingen, of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.6% were married-couple households, 17.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 28,512 housing units, of which 11.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 32,863 45.8% Black or African American 753 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native 527 0.7% Asian 952 1.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 46 0.1% Some other race 11,073 15.4% Two or more races 25,615 35.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 58,702 81.7%
2000 census As of the census of 2000, 57,564 people, 19,021 households, and 14,360 families resided in the city. The population density was . The 23,008 housing units averaged . The racial makeup of the city was 78.68% White, 0.92% Black, 0.52% Native American, 0.88% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 16.39% from other races, and 2.58% from two or more races. About 72.76% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race; most are of Mexican descent.
As in other cities in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, a significant part of Harlingen's transient population and a significant contributor to its economy consists of "Winter Texans", generally retirees from the northern Midwestern states and Canada, who come to escape the northern winter weather between roughly November and April.
Of the 19,021 households, 38.6% had children under the age of 18, 55.6% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were not families; 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94, and the average family size was 3.44.
In the city, the population was distributed as 30.7% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,296, and for a family was $34,015. Males had a median income of $27,014 versus $21,795 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,886. About 19.3% of families and 24.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government City government Harlingen is governed by a mayor elected at-large and a five-member city commission representing five individual single-member districts. All seats are eligible for election every three years. The current mayor is Norma Sepulveda, who was elected in 2022. The city commissioners are District 1 Ford H. Kinsley, District 2 Daniel N. Lopez, District 3 Mike Mezmar, District 4 Frank Morales, and District 5 Rene Perez.
City commission The commission meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 5:30 pm at City Hall.
Police department
The Harlingen Police Department embraces the community policing philosophy. The police force consists of nearly 160 sworn police officers. The department receives more than 50,000 911 calls per year. The department's Mission Statement is, "It is the mission of the Harlingen Police Department to provide services with integrity and dedication, to preserve life, to enforce the law, and to work in partnership with the community to enhance the quality of life in the City of Harlingen."
State government The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Harlingen Parole Office in Harlingen."Parole Division Region IV ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
Federal representation The United States Postal Service operates two post offices in Harlingen, including the Harlingen Post Office and the Downtown Harlingen post office."Post Office Location Downtown Harlingen ." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 9, 2010."Post Office Location – Harlingen ." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
U.S. Department of Justice Harlingen is home to the U.S. Immigration Court, one of 52 such courts in the U.S. that adjudicate immigration cases in the United States. The chief function of the Immigration Court is to conduct removal proceedings, which are administrative proceedings to determine the removability of noncitizens present within the United States.
U.S. Homeland Security Agencies The United States Border Patrol Harlingen Station is located at 3902 S. Expressway 77 Harlingen, Texas.
Military installations The Harlingen Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC) is located at 1300 Fair Park Blvd, Harlingen, Texas. This facility hosts Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces units from the United States Army Reserve 319th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Team, 1st Judge Advocate General Detachment, 5th Team, 1st Judge Advocate General Detachment, and 812th Quartermaster Company (Supply). The United States Navy Reserve Navy Operations Support Center Harlingen (NOSC Harlingen) and the United States Marine Corps Reserve Charlie Company (Det) 1st Battalion 23rd Marines 4th Marine Division. This facility is mostly used for monthly drills. A Military Retiree Activities Office is located at the Harlingen AFRC.
Education
Primary and secondary education The city is covered by the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District and South Texas Independent School District. Harlingen is home to four high schools – Harlingen Collegiate High (formerly Early College High School before its deal with UTRGV), Harlingen High School, Harlingen High School South, and Harlingen School of Health Professions, and a freshman Academy, Dr. Abraham P. Cano Freshman Academy. The Saint Anthony Catholic School is a parochial school for grades K–8 (with a Montessori program for 3- and 4-year-olds). It is one of the few Catholic schools in the city of Harlingen and has an enrollment of approximately 220 students.