Brownsville

Home to the Consulate General of Mexico, Historic Brownsville sits right on the border of Texas and Mexico. With nearly 200 years of storied development, Historic Brownsville has several preserved sites from its early days as a rough western trading post on the Mexican border to its smuggling days during the Civil War. Residents and tourists can now view Brownville's carefully conserved lineage through its many museums. The area also has its fair share of modern attractions, such as the Gladys Porter Zoo and Sams Memorial Stadium. Historic Brownsville experienced tremendous population growth in 2021, credited to the building of SpaceX Starbase, an aerospace manufacturing company founded by Elon Musk. "Prices and new developments have gone up all over the city, but downtown has had the biggest boom," says Bruno Zavaleta, owner of Zavaleta Realty and native of Brownsville. "People actually know about our city now. Sometimes we miss our sleepy vibes, but it's all good. It's what happens when Elon Musk sends out a tweet and says, 'Hey everyone, move to Brownsville.'"  The Brownsville Museum of Fine Art offers kids' and adults' programs with exhibits by local and international artists. Historic Brownsville Market Square, opened in 1852, is a pop-up event area with occasional tents and vendors, performances and cultural festivals to celebrate the area's heritage. Dean Porter Park hosts the annual December Holiday Village, where residents can stroll around scaled-down Christmas cottages and watch choir, mariachi and dance performances. The Brownsville area is exploding with new construction due to an influx of residents. "Like in every city, we've got older established neighborhoods and newer subdivisions that are experiencing tremendous growth," says Azeneth Badiola, broker and owner of Badiola Real Estate in Brownsville for the last 10 years. Large, new construction stucco homes along Historic Palm Boulevard can cost over $400,000, but bungalows west of Lakeside Boulevard are often priced between $150,000 and $275,000. Homes in the Mitte Cultural District, where most community events are held, have historically sold for below $150,000, but those prices are expected to increase as the area grows. Modern housing here has recently become a development and investment opportunity, with many ranch-style homes and bungalows needing TLC. Historic Brownsville falls within the Brownsville Independent School District. Russell Elementary School and Stell Middle School both score a C on Niche. James Pace Early College High School earns a B rating and opened in the mid-1970s. Their Varsity football games draw crowds to the Sams Memorial Stadium. Catholic private schools like Saint Joseph Academy, which scores an A-plus, are also available in Historic Brownsville. Dean Porter Park is a community hub in the Mitte Cultural District, which promotes historical, cultural and educational activities. Dean Porter Park also has a public swimming pool, the Children's Museum of Brownsville and the Camille Lightner Playhouse, a spot for community theater. Adjoining the park is Gladys Porter Zoo, which has hundreds of animal species, an aquarium and a reptile house. Many area schools take their students on field trips to the zoo to educate them on conservation and wildlife. Residents can view local artifacts in the Historic Brownsville Museum, built inside the 1928 Southern Pacific Railroad train depot. Of the growth in Historic Brownsville and the downtown area, the food industry has surprisingly done some of the most evolving. "We have a ton of new restaurants that have opened since our city got more popular. It's really good for us, from both a revitalization and economy viewpoint," says Zavaleta. Chilmoli Steakhouse and Boquerón Taps and Wine on Washington Street may be new, but Rutledge Hamburgers has been serving its signature small burgers there for more than 100 years. At the Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts, Crepe Town serves sweets like almond flour pancakes and pistachio cheesecake, while 7th & Park is known for spiced Mexican mochas. The community has two convenient H-E-B supermarkets, and the nearest Walmart and Home Depot are just 3 miles away. Though most downtown strolls happen on Washington Street, the Brownsville Metro bus line is available to those who need it, and the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is only about 6 miles away. Residents can get there by hopping on and off Highway 77, the area's main artery, and onto International Boulevard. As with many Texas neighborhoods, it's not unusual for summer temperatures to soar into the triple digits, with high humidity and heavy air. Since Brownsville is only 30 miles from the Gulf Coast, heavy rainfall is possible.

Southmost Brownsville – known as Southmost by locals – is aptly named for its location near Texas’s southernmost tip. The Los Tomates Port of Entry borders the neighborhood as people pass in and out between the United States and Mexico. “Residents in Southmost are less than 10 minutes away from the United States and Mexico border,” says Catalina Presas, a realtor at Nexus Real Estate and Brownsville native. This neighborhood mainly comprises residential homes situated close together on gridded streets, with commercial areas located along main streets like Southmost Road and Boca Chica Boulevard. Southmost is also home to the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, which has weekly flights operated by American Airlines and United. Homes in Southmost reflect a mix of older and newer residential developments. “Many of the homes here were built back in the 1960s and 70s and still have their original wooden frame foundations, but there are a handful of new build properties,” Presas says. Ranch-style homes and new traditional builds with brick facades are commonly seen throughout the neighborhood, but locals can also find a handful of Spanish Revival and contemporary residences that dot the less densely populated areas. Many properties include driveways, and since Southmost still has room to grow, a half-acre is common. Home prices for smaller, renovated homes range from about $175,000 to $300,000, but some new three-bedroom builds or unique properties with several acres can sell for $350,000 to $500,000. Southmost falls under the Brownsville Independent School District, and kids can attend Morningside Elementary or Southmost Elementary, both rated C-minus. Students in grades six through eight might go to Besteiro Middle School, rated C, and later feed into C-plus-rated Rivera Early College High School. Secondary school students can also enroll at Lopez Early College High School, a C-plus-rated magnet school with programs for fine arts and an agricultural academy. “Some students in the neighborhood can attend the IDEA Frontier charter school,” Presas says, noting that admission is based on a lottery and doesn’t cost tuition. Birdwatchers, sports lovers and picnic-goers all come together at Morningside Park, a 41-acre outdoor recreation spot along one of the area’s resacas. With its baseball diamonds, kickball fields, basketball courts and soccer fields, it’s a hugely popular destination for recreational sports. Additional recreation can be found at Antonio Gonzalez Park, which also features an extensive athletic complex, an outdoor pool and an indoor rec center. At this park, residents can participate in community events and enroll younger students in after-school programs. The Southmost Branch of the Brownsville Public Library is another excellent resource for community programs, its most notable feature being the Southmost Library Observatory, which uses a state-of-the-art telescope to view the cosmos. Free internet, computer access, wireless printing, study rooms and a virtual reality lab are all accessible to the public. At the intersection of Southmost Road and East 30th Street, residents can find two shopping plazas with both retail and dining options. Grocery shopping can be done at the H-E-B, which also offers a pharmacy, bakery and florist. Shoppers can also find a Dollar Tree and a Melrose Family Fashion department store, which sells a range of apparel items and household goods. Local eateries dot their way through the neighborhood, such as Costa Blanca Mariscos, which serves fresh seafood with bright flavors. Interstate 69E runs adjacent to the Southmost area and feeds into the Los Tomates Port of Entry. Texas State Route 48 runs along the neighborhood’s northern edge and connects locals to the coastal South Padre Island along the Gulf of Mexico. Residents are also right next door to the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, which offers a handful of flights operated by United and American Airlines but mainly services commercial aviation. Brownsville Metro operates a fixed bus route through Route 6 Southmost, connecting residents to downtown Brownsville and surrounding suburbs.

The West End Brownsville neighborhood is a relatively affordable area situated near the United States and Mexico border. “It’s a popular spot for winter Texans: those who come from northern states for part of the year for the warm weather,” says Connie Uribe, broker and owner at Realty One Group Modern Edge. Uribe has 6 years of sales experience in Brownsville, and says, “It’s the coastal, tropical weather with a low cost of living that brings people here.” Another driving factor for settling down in this neighborhood is the employment opportunity with the Brownsville Independent School District. The school district is the largest employer in the Rio Grande Valley and brings students and educators to the area. Because of its proximity to the Mexico border, West End Brownsville is also recognized for its many authentic taco eateries. With quick access to Interstate 69, West End Brownsville residents are connected to the whole valley and beyond, but can experience a quieter, slower-paced lifestyle in a sunny suburbia at a relatively affordable cost. Homes in West End Brownsville tend to offer three bedrooms and, according to Uribe, “They have an average price of $270,000.” Homebuyers can find various architectural styles throughout the neighborhood, but ranch-style homes and farmhouses built around the 1970s are most common. Newer construction often features contemporary elements, such as flat roofs and open floor plans. Many homes also often bear Spanish-inspired architecture and insulated stucco walls, which combat frequent warmer temperatures. Properties tend to feature garages or driveways, limiting the demand for street parking. The Brownsville Independent School District serves almost 38,000 students across more than 50 schools. The district rates a B on Niche and is the largest employer in the valley. West End Brownsville offers both private and public options within 1 to 3 miles of most residential areas. Children may attend Garden Park Elementary and Stell Middle School, both of which rate a C and have student-teacher ratios of 15-to-1. James Pace Early College High School earns a B and spotlights the criminal justice and law enforcement magnet program for the district. West End Brownsville offers numerous parks, golfing greens and walking trails. The Valley International Country Club is an 18-hole course open to the public which hosts tournaments in a tropical setting under palm trees. The Joe & Tony Oliveira Park offers 24 acres of space for most outdoor activities, such as basketball and tennis courts, fields, playgrounds, a skate park and a multi-purpose gym. Locals of Brownsville also often commute 30 miles northeast to South Padre Island for fishing, scenic walking trails and other beach town activities. West End Brownsville residents have many nearby large grocery stores and retailers along with department stores. An H-E-B is nearby for groceries, along with a Walmart Supercenter and Target about 3 miles north. Lowe’s Home Improvement is located across the street from the Sunrise Mall, which offers big retailers and a Cinemark theater. While fast and casual dining is popular in the neighborhood, authentic Mexican cuisine is widespread in the area as well. Taco eateries dot the Brownsville map, including local favorites, Mr. Taco and La Barra Del Taco, which also has a location in Pensacola, Florida. The Brownsville Metro bus runs through the neighborhood, Cameron County and the Rio Grande Valley. The neighborhood is close by to Interstate 69 and Texas State Highway 4 to Boca Chica. The Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is about 7 miles southeast and offers flights to major cities, including Las Vegas and San Francisco. Most residential areas of West End Brownsville are within 2 to 3 miles of the Valley Baptist Medical Center: Brownsville, one of the largest in the area.

Woven with estuaries of the Rio Grande River, East Brownsville is a uniquely situated neighborhood north of Historic Brownsville. Housing here is extremely varied, but walking around is easy, with many connecting bridges and paths over the resacas and rivers. There are many schools to choose from, with a few of them as Cameron County’s most top-rated. With a golf course, shopping malls, and over ten miles of bike trails, East Brownsville is the quieter, cozier neighbor to other Brownsville communities. Most houses in East Brownsville are new construction stucco homes on large green lots. Wide streets run between Spanish revival homes, modern saltboxes and brick ranch-style homes. Two-bedroom single-story homes cost $200,000 or less, while three or four-bedroom homes range between $250,000 and $450,000. Generally, the closer houses are to bodies of water, the more expensive they get. Houses near the Brownsville Golf Center hover under $300,000, while prices in the suburbs off Stagecoach Trail tend to run closer to $400,000. There are many schools to choose from in East Brownsville. Students may attend Paredes Elementary School, which was named after Dr. Americo Paredes, an advocate for social justice in the Hispanic community. Paredes Elementary earns a B from Niche. For grades six through eight, Stillman Middle School rests on the Resaca de La Palma Reservoir and is rated a B-minus on Niche. Veterans Memorial Early College High School, which is about seven miles away, earns an A-minus and is rated one of the top public high schools in Cameron County on Niche. Basic chains like Walgreens, Walmart and Lowes are located along Ruben M Torres Boulevard. The North Park Plaza shopping mall includes shops like Nerve Coffee, Lullaby Baby & Child Boutique, the Rolling with H and E ice cream parlor and IQ’s Juice Bar, which serves vegan waffles and smoothies. Texas Branding Iron Burgers in the Paseo Plaza Mall has been a popular burger joint in East Brownsville for years, and Raspas Rococo is a little local food stand with snow cones, sundaes and elote. Dillard’s Sunrise Mall is the location for stores like Sephora, JCPenney, a food court and the Cinemark Sunrise movie theater. Nearby is a Best Buy and a Target, and on Pablo Kisel Boulevard is the Galaxy Bowling Center. Families can swim together at the Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center or stroll through history on the Resaca de la Palma National Battlefield trails. “Most people drive around here, but you’ll also see many walking with their families or their pets at the park,” says Azeneth Badiola, broker and owner of Badiola Realty with ten years of experience in Brownsville. “Most streets are pretty safe and walkable, too.” For some afternoon fun, the Brownsville Golf Center is an 18-hole golf course where children aged 11 to 17 can golf for a reduced rate. Ernesto Gamez Cascade Park is a small island splash park for kids and families, with a waterslide on the playground and picnic pavilions. There is also a basketball court off the island next to the Cameron County Drainage facility. The Brownsville Society for the Performing Arts hosts several annual events all around the neighborhoods of Brownsville. They host the Latin Jazz Festival, the Flamenco Festival, Christmas Concert and the Guitar Festival, where musicians, dancers and performers flock to Brownsville from all over the world. Residents can attend performances at outdoor amphitheaters, parks or indoor concert halls in both East Brownsville and Historic Brownsville. Public transportation is easy to access in East Brownsville. The Brownsville Metro bus line runs through the heart of the neighborhood, as does the Brownsville Historic Battlefield Trail. This rail trail for bikers and hikers stretches for over 10 miles from the heart of Historic Brownsville to Los Fresnos to the north. This trail is only one part of the Caracara Trails, connecting hundreds of miles of other routes to explore. Rental bikes for this trail can be found at the Northside Transfer Station just off Habana Street. East Brownsville residents are never too far from help or necessary amenities. The Valley Regional Medical Center, including an emergency room, is next door to the Brownsville Fire Department Station 9. The South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital is just across the street, and the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is only a few miles away down Boca Chica Boulevard.

Northwest Brownsville lives mere feet from the US and Mexico border, offering residents the best of both country’s cultures. The area offers newly constructed homes next to a thriving school district and commercial space with a famous state park full of plants and colorful migratory birds. This convenience and variety in the lives of locals inspires multiple festivals and get-togethers that draw in people from all over Cameron County. “It is a community that really likes to come together for events,” says Raul Garza, Park Superintendent of Resaca De La Palma State Park. The housing market in Northwest Brownsville is an ever-growing part of the neighborhood. The houses are commonly contemporary ranch-style, with three to four bedrooms. Older homes tend to cost around $250,000, while newer homes can fetch up to $450,000. Homes are part of large subdivisions with new sidewalks and roads. These residences are also matched with ample driveway space to fit multiple cars for the daily commute downtown. Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) offers multiple different schools for locals to choose from. Students in the area often start at Yturria Elementary School from kindergarten to fifth grade and then move on to Stillman Middle School from grades six through eight. Both schools earned a B -minus rating from Niche. Students finish their schooling at the A-minus-rated Veterans Memorial Early College High School, which houses the Science, Technology and Medical Professions (STAMP) program and is BISD’s magnet school. One of the biggest draws to the Northwest Brownsville area is the parks. Resaca De La Palma State Park is the largest in the area, famous for being one of the last resacas or dried creek bed parks in Texas. The unique climate has made it a miniature rainforest in the area and “the only place to see the rare plant community,” Garza says. Locals can head to Monte Bella Trails Park for more structured fun, plenty of open, relaxing space and a popular disc golf course. For weekend activities, Northwest Brownsville offers plenty for locals to enjoy. Two golf courses nearby, River Bend Resort & Golf Club and Valley International Country Club, offer large and challenging courses to players of every level. The Brownsville area is also full of lively events that residents all over Texas love. One of them is the famous Sombrero Festival and Charro Days Fiesta, which has commemorated Mexican heritage of the area on both sides of the Rio Grande since 1938 and offers music, vendors and food for everyone. The food selection in Northwest Brownsville represents both American and Mexican cultures. Sheko’s Taqueria is a neighborhood favorite for lunch and dinner, offering classic street tacos to hungry residents. After a meal, locals get frozen yogurt at Cero Grados or boba tea at Sweet Tapioca Bubble Tea. For residents looking to make their food at home, the local Walmart supercenter is a 10-mile drive away from home. Many residents of Northwest Brownsville are commuters, and it is easy to see why, with US Highway 77 and Military Road being the main thoroughfares in the area. These roads offer quick access to downtown Brownsville and surrounding areas. For locals looking to take a walk, Garza says, “there is a nice selection of trail systems compared to the rest of Cameron County.” The Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is only 9 miles away and offers flights to California and Florida. Northwest Brownsville has portions that are not as quiet because of the highway noise. However, no matter where residents are in the area, healthcare is always close by, with Valley Baptist Medical Center being 4 miles away.

South Point in Brownsville, Texas is as far south as one can get in the Lone Star state. This neighborhood, ringed by the aptly named Southmost Road, shares a border with Mexico and rests at a quiet distance from Brownsville’s center. Large houses sit on spacious lots between the farmland and the Rio Grande, yards speckled here and there with tropical palm trees reaching toward the open sky. The signature resacas of South Texas are scattered about, and the Sabal Palm Sanctuary directly in South Point preserves one of the rarest ecosystems in the United States. Locals drive past this rare forest into Brownsville for groceries at HEB, or they grab aguas frescas at Otro Rollo Taqueria and head to coastal Boca Chica to watch the latest SpaceX rocket launch. Despite a recent influx of stargazers, South Point remains a small town at heart. “We all know each other,” Realtor Hortencia Villarreal says about the close-knit community. “You can walk around town and meet the same person three times in the same day.” South Point moves at a slower tempo than other Texas neighborhoods, and that’s exactly how the locals like it. Houses in South Point tend toward ranch-style single-family homes. These sit on large, open lots with splashes of dense tropical vegetation rising amidst the farmland and the resacas. More densely packed single-family constructions are going up now with the influx of SpaceX employees looking for a comfortable commute to work. “One of the reasons that area has grown up over the last few years is all the development going on at Boca Chica with SpaceX”, Villarreal says. “People are coming from Hidalgo County and Corpus Christi – they want to be close to where they work.” Prices currently float around $250,000 for three-bedroom ranch houses, with contemporary two-story constructions on the resacas reaching as high as $700,000. South Point students can begin their education at Ben Brite Elementary School, which scores a C-plus from Niche. Brite Elementary is proud of their STEM program, which took first place and second place in the 2022 South Texas Greenpower Goblin student-built go-kart race. They can then move to Lucio Middle School, which earns a C, and then to Lopez Early College High School, a magnet fine arts and agricultural academy that is ranked C-plus and offers a comprehensive sports program. The vast landscape and rural silence of South Point come at the cost of public transportation. The Route 30 Southeast bus line makes sporadic stops up and down S. Browne Avenue, but buyers should expect to drive when needing to venture out. They should also be prepared to fill up at the Valero on Southmost Road, which is the only gas station serving the area. When leaving town, Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is just 6 miles from South Point, offering flights to Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. While there are next- door grocery options like De La Garza Grocery Store directly in South Point, residents will have to venture about 7 miles into town for supermarkets like Texas staple H-E-B. The closest Walmart is roughly 10 miles away, as is the nearest Home Depot. Otro Rollo Taqueria along Southmost Road is a popular stop for grabbing a quick lunch, while both Liam’s Steakhouse locations - one in Brownsville and one in South Padre Island - are the top choice of locals for celebrating special occasions. Sabal Pine Sanctuary, located directly in the neighborhood, is home to one of the rarest ecosystems in the United States. There are over 3 miles of trails winding through these endangered subtropical wetlands, as well as a visitor’s center built in 1890 which doubles as a historical museum. The nearby Pedro Benavides County Park also offers residents shaded basketball courts, sand patches for volleyball, playgrounds and charcoal grills for hosting cookouts. For 87 years, the city of Brownsville has celebrated Charro Days every February, taking three days to commemorate the Mexican heritage of the area. The Brownsville Historic Association manages seven museums enshrining the town’s history, while the Gladys Porter Zoo is home to 1,600 animals for families to visit. Brownsville is a town that is proud of its heritage, and South Point is no different. “There’s a lot of advantage, living on the border with the river,” Villarreal says. “Having the beach, the nature.” Being so close to Mexico has made South Point a unique, vibrant place, and as a local, Villarreal hopes to help the community expand and thrive. “I like to see this town grow,” she says. “I’m proud to help this place get bigger.”