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Cost of living, pay and housing

27.33° N · 99.50° W · GEOID 4822905

El Cenizo

Webb County, Texas · part of the Laredo, TX metro

Limited data population under 5,000

TexasEl Cenizo, TXEl CenizoEl Cenizo

The short answer

El Cenizo is home to 2,122 people. Median household income is $48,897 a year and median rent is $628 a month, 15.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $69,800, about 1.4x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$628
54% below the median place
Median household income
$48,897
39% below the median place
Median home value
$69,800
78% below the median place
Unemployment
5.5%
12% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about El Cenizo

  • Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 18.9% a year while rent rose 5%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 415 Texas places.
  • Median rent is $628 a month, lower than in 99% of places its size. It is the 3rd-lowest of 415 Texas places.
  • The median home is valued at $69,800, less than in 99% of places its size.
  • Households average 3.74 people, larger than in 98% of places its size.
  • 32.9% of residents live below the poverty line, more than in 97% of places its size.

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 89 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

01

Moving to El Cenizo

Webb County loses about 8.6 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in4,060
Moved out6,054
Net−1,994

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Bexar County, TX7431,519−776
Harris County, TX259359−100
Hidalgo County, TX134290−156
Zapata County, TX9096−6

Within Texas, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within TexasOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$55K
Leavers$53K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Webb County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
1.8% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.3% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Webb County report $55,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $53,100.
Income you would need
$25,100 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $628 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,330 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $69,800.
Getting to work
36 minutes each way on average; 5.8% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Rio Grande City, TX matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
1.8%
69% below the median place
Moved from another state1
0.3%
87% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-8.6
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureEl CenizoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure1.8%69% below
Moved from another state1County figure0.3%87% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-8.6below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$55,03122% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$53,14524% below
02

What it costs to live here

Home price to income is 1.4x, 62% below the median place.

El Cenizo15.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$25,120
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
15.4%
25% below the median place
Home price to income
1.4x
62% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
15%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$44,800
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in El Cenizo, $628 a month, and local prices for everything else (92.5 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in El Cenizo.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to El Cenizo? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median home value1
$69,800
78% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$1,178
64% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$1,330
29% below the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureEl CenizoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$62854% below
Rent to income115.4%25% below
Property tax rate11.7%86% above
Home price to income11.4x62% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure87.014% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,15728% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,17864% below
Median home value1$69,80078% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure2.5%22% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure41.8%19% below
Homeownership178.1%18% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure55.1%9% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,33029% below
Vacant homes112.4%75% above
Median year built119941% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Income per person1
$16,115
60% below the median place
Poverty rate1
32.9%
206% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureEl CenizoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$48,89739% below
Income per person1$16,11560% below
Unemployment1County figure5.5%12% above
Average annual pay5County figure$47,64628% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure2.7%27% below
Jobs5County figure108,93128% below
Poverty rate132.9%206% above
Mean commute136 min43% above
Works from home1County figure5.8%53% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

No health insurance is 31.8%, 397% above the median place.

No health insurance1
31.8%
397% above the median place
High school or higher1
50.4%
45% below the median place
Household size1
3.7
50% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age28.6 −27%
Born abroad33.0% 3.7×
Homes with broadband90.7% −2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureEl CenizoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population12,1226646th largest
Population change since 20206-3.2%below (median 1.1%)
Median age128.627% below
Bachelor's or higher1County figure21.4%33% below
High school or higher150.4%45% below
Household size13.750% above
Born abroad133.0%274% above
No health insurance131.8%397% above
Homes with broadband190.7%2% below
05

Life in El Cenizo

10 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents18.9 +85%
Playgrounds per 10k18.9 2.0×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k0.0 −100%
Libraries per 10k9.4 10.8×
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi35.0 166.4×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars16.2 −22%
Shops28.3 −7%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.3 −44%
Doctors' offices and clinics14.7 −27%
Child care centers2.5 +9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
2.3
44% below the median place
Public school students11
63,717
above the median place (median 4,897)
Public schools11
91
above the median place (median 9)
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureEl CenizoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure91above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure63,717above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure15.40% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure16.222% below
Shops per 10k8County figure28.37% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure2.344% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure14.727% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.59% above
Parks per 10k918.985% above
Playgrounds per 10k918.9100% above
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k90.0below (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k99.4above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi935.0above (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure1023% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 99°F, 13% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached El Cenizo. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high12
99°F
13% above the median place
Average temperature12
73°F
33% above the median place
January average low12
45°F
77% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureEl CenizoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure99°F13% above
January average low12County figure45°F77% above
Average temperature12County figure73°F33% above
Annual precipitation12County figure21.0 in52% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure89.33% below
Hurricane risk13County figure85.721% above
Tornado risk13County figure76.96% below
Wildfire risk13County figure63.84% above
Heat wave risk13County figure97.48% above
Median air quality index14County figure5119% above
Good air days14County figure49.9%27% below
08

El Cenizo in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 15% of the median income in 2030, down from 15% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$628/mo (2024)$810/mo$660 to $980/mo+4.2%
Median household income$48,897 (2024)$66,500$56,000 to $78,500+5.2%
Median home value$69,800 (2024)$98,000$71,000 to $135,000+5.8%
Population2,457 (2025)2,4502,350 to 2,550−0.1%

The median home would be worth 1.5 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like El Cenizo

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Rio Grande City, TX$767$44,577Compare
Henderson, TN$781$45,938Compare
Magnolia, AR$633$56,127Compare
Lock Haven, PA$792$46,102Compare
Lock Haven, PAMagnolia, ARHenderson, TNRio Grande City, TXEl Cenizo, TXEl CenizoRio Grande CityHendersonMagnoliaLock HavenEl CenizoRio Grande CityHendersonMagnoliaLock Haven

Common questions

Is El Cenizo a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 18.9% a year while rent rose 5%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 415 Texas places. Median rent is $628 a month, lower than in 99% of places its size. It is the 3rd-lowest of 415 Texas places. On cost, space and class size it scores 91 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is El Cenizo expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 15.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $69,800.

What salary do you need to live in El Cenizo?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $25,120 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to El Cenizo?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Rio Grande City, TX, Henderson, TN, Magnolia, AR and Lock Haven, PA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares El Cenizo with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for El Cenizo itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/el-cenizo-texas

Citytistics. “El Cenizo, Texas.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/el-cenizo-texas/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.