A shopping center could help Combes grow
Combes is a rural community less than 5 miles north of Harlingen, one of the Rio Grande Valley’s largest cities. “People live here to farm or work in the city,” says Jennifer Martinez, the broker-owner of Mariposa Realty RGV Inc., who has sold several homes in the area. Locals can easily commute to Harlingen via U.S. Route 77 or Interstate 69E, which both span the town’s core. Though the population is small, with around 3,000 residents, and there isn't much commercial development, Combes is on the verge of growing. “Right now, it’s cheaper and less busy than Harlingen,” says Martinez. “But they’re supposed to put a huge shopping district in town, so everybody expects that to change at some point.”
The median house price is lower than Harlingen’s
Bungalows, ranch styles and contemporary houses dot the community’s asphalt roads. Some homes have Mediterranean influences, like terracotta roofs and stucco exteriors. Live oak and palm trees may shade small lots near the center of town, while acres of corn crops sit on the outskirts. In the southern part of Combes, Sunshine Country Club Estates is a 55+ community with a resident-only 9-hole golf course. Combes’ median single-family home price is around $247,000, which is lower than Harlingen’s $310,000. Smaller houses can cost between $190,000 and $280,000, while larger homes typically range from $300,000 to $450,000. Empty lots usually sell for between $57,000 and $470,000, depending on acreage. Heavy rainfall and tropical storms put most of Combes at a high flood risk.
The commute to Harlingen is quick
Route 77 and I-69E both lead to Harlingen, where major employers include Valley Baptist Medical Center and Valley International Airport. “The commute is typically less than 10 minutes, and none of those highways are known to be super traffic-heavy, so getting to work is a breeze.” A freight railroad runs through town, causing temporary traffic stops at intersecting roads. The U.S.-Mexico border is about 20 miles south.
Combes Uptown District will add shopping and dining to town
There’s a Dollar General, a post office and auto repair shops in town. In 2023, a Love’s Travel Stop opened on the southeast corner of I-69E. A 72-acre mixed-use development called Combes Uptown District will eventually add more shopping and dining to the same area, but the project is currently in the development stages, with no definite end date. Until then, Harlingen is the place to go for shopping and dining. “I think it has just about every major store and restaurant you could think of,” Martinez says. Locals will find big-box stores, including Bass Pro Shops and Sam’s Club, as well as chain restaurants like Starbucks and Buffalo Wild Wings. Boutiques, antique stores and locally owned cafes make up the downtown district along Jackson Avenue.
Dishman Elementary is in Combes
Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District serves Combes. Kids can attend Dishman Elementary, which is in Combes and earns a C-plus grade from Niche. They may continue to Gutierrez Middle and Harlingen High, both earning B-minuses. The high school offers career and technical programs in fields like health science, culinary arts and child development.
A park is behind Combes City Hall
Playground equipment, picnic shelters and a soccer field sit behind city hall, which was built in 2013 as one of the first stages of Combes’ economic development plan. Other improvements have included updating sidewalks around town and building a better drainage system. Locals can have weddings and quinceañeras at the adjacent community center, which regularly hosts food banks and free haircuts. Alejandro Martinez Baseball Academy is an indoor batting cage on the west side of town that offers hitting, catching and pitching lessons. Several houses of worship in the area have services in Spanish and English, like Templo Emmanuel. Locals will find several other recreation spaces in Harlingen, including Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, known for its forested hiking trails. South Padre Island’s popular tourist beach is about a 51-mile drive southeast.
