Abundant lore and development in Rio Grande Valley's Edinburg
First established in 1908, the city of Edinburg has a murky history that borders on myth. One local story says that Edinburg became the county seat of Hidalgo as part of a clandestine scheme in which county records were smuggled from the Hildalgo courthouse. In reality, flooding concerns from the Rio Grande and the city's central location necessitated the move. The city is home to the Museum of South Texas History, which was originally a jail in 1910. Rumor has it that the museum is haunted by the ghost of the only man hanged in Hidalgo County.
Edinburg was named an All-America City in 2024 and is one of the fastest-growing cities in South Texas. Over 107,000 people call the city home, nearly double its size in the early 2000s. The last two decades have been a time of transformation for the city of Edinburg, bringing new resources and public facilities. "The area is just booming," says Nayeli Zenteno, Director of Marketing and Tourism at Edinburg Chamber, adding that the city's community is what keeps the small hometown feeling alive despite its growth. "We're designated as the "Hometown of Heroes" because we've had quite a few Purple Heart residents. Many streets are named after fallen heroes; we also have murals and banners to honor our veterans."
The redevelopment project Edinburg 2040 has resulted in funding for various city-wide initiatives. Over $90 million has been allocated for investment projects across the city. Projects include constructing and repairing older buildings, stormwater detention facilities, new water and wastewater lines, outdoor recreation amenities — including accessible play spaces—and city-wide infrastructure repairs. "The roads have been under construction for 10 years, but we're approaching completion," Zenteno says. The city also continues to work towards an improved disaster preparedness plan.
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Tuscan and Spanish-inspired homes were built in the early 2000s to the present day
Homes in Edinburg range from single-floor bungalows in the downtown area to grand, two-story stucco construction in gated developments, like Camden Village, outside the city center. These up-and-coming developments also offer land priced around $116,000. The median home price in Edinburg is $269,000, nearly 65 percent lower than the national average. Exclusive neighborhoods like Plazas de Lago offer 3,000-square-foot Tuscan-inspired abodes that start at $600,000 and can exceed $2 million for stately 6,500-square-foot properties.
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Edinburg is located in the birding migration corridor
The Rio Grande Valley is a popular birding destination, and the 40-acre Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center provides a gateway for wildlife spotting in the region. This facility, the first of nine birding centers in the valley, includes a 3.5-acre butterfly habitat, 2.5 miles of walking trails and viewing docks where visitors can spot more than 300 species of birds. The center also hosts events like after-dark nature walks where visitors can learn more about nocturnal bird species.
The city's Parks and Recreation Department manages 19 of the parks within Edinburg, including the Edinburg Municipal Park and its four playgrounds, three public pools and splash pad. In 2022, Beethoven Park at Vanguard Academy opened, offering an inclusive play space for children of all ages and abilities. The playground features ramped access, a communication station that includes Braille, Spanish and English and equipment with strategically placed support bards, footrests and handholds.
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Texas barbecue and authentic Mexican reign supreme
As of the 2020 Census, 88 percent of the city's population identify as Hispanic or Latino. The food scene reflects the area's demographics, with top restaurants serving Mexican-inspired cuisine. Vargas BBQ, which was named among Texas Monthly magazine's list of best new barbecue restaurants from 2023, features unique takes on classic dishes, like smoked beef cheek barbacoa and capirotada, a dessert similar to bread pudding. Several shopping centers and malls are near Edinburg, such as Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley and the 1,300,000 square-foot La Plaza Mall in McAllen.
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About the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District
Edinburg CISD, which earns an A-minus from Niche, is one of the largest school districts in the country, spanning 945 square miles. Over 33,000 students are enrolled in the district's four high schools, six middle schools and 31 elementary schools, as well as its virtual program, alternative campus and credit recovery campus. Every elementary school provides free all-day prekindergarten programs. ECISD also partners with Texas Education Agency Connect Texas (TEACT) to offer eligible families free high-speed internet. Vanguard Academy Public Charter School is an additional option for students.
Edinburg is home to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. In 2024, the university enrolled over 34,000 students, making it the ninth-largest university in the state. "The University is going to kick off their football season in 2025, and we have a brand new stadium coming soon," Zenteno says.
Betty Harwell Middle
Memorial Middle School
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Getting in and out of The City of Edinburg
The city is fairly remote, with San Antonio, 230 miles away, serving as the nearest major metropolis. Roads in Edinburg are neatly laid out in a grid pattern, with the major streets of University Drive bisecting the heart of the city from west to east and Closner Boulevard serving as the central hub from north to south. Interstate 69C juts through the middle of the city, eventually giving way to State Route 281 to the north and I-2 near the border of Mexico, 20 miles south. Locals are near two commercial airports: McAllen Miller International Airport (MFE) and Valley International Airport in Harlingen.
From a UFO festival to basketball games at Bert Ogden Arena
The Edinburg Cultural Arts Division, which advertises itself as "the City of Edinburg's quality of life branch," hosts festivals and events year-round for residents to check out. Zenteno says Edinburg has become "The City of Festivals" as the community hosts large, diverse events once a month. "There's a lot of push towards the arts and our culture here," Zenteno adds. "We're very close to the border, so you still see that vibrant Mexican culture here in the United States." Popular events include the Filipino Festival, Juneteenth Jubilee and Frida Fest – a women's empowerment festival. However, the most notable tradition is the Edinburg UFO festival, which honors the 1966 "UFO Incident," when locals claim a bright light came out of the night sky and incinerated a construction site — machinery and all.
The Bert Ogden Arena, located just southeast of downtown Edinburg, is the home of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the NBA G League team affiliated with the Houston Rockets. In addition to hosting basketball games, the venue, which opened in 2018, has live theater performances, concerts, comedy shows, and more. Edinburg also hosts several races and fitness challenges each year, including the Hometown of Heroes half-marathon, David Chavana 10k and Miracle Mile.
Residents of Edinburg attend the popular McAllen Holiday Parade event in December.
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Additional information for Edinburg, Texas
The cost of living in Edinburg is about 20 percent lower than the rest of the nation. Edinburg's economy features a mix of healthcare, education and municipal employers. The Doctor's Hospital at Renaissance opened in 2003 and is now one of the largest physician-owned hospitals in the nation, employing nearly 5,000 Edinburg residents. The South Texas Health System Edinburg Hospital is another significant economic presence. The Consolidated Independent School District, which has almost 5,000 employees, boasts the highest teacher salaries in the Rio Grande Valley, and the district has been rated as No. 69 out of 1,084 best districts to teach in Texas. Another educational system, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, employs more than 3,500 Edinburg residents. "The U.S. Border Patrol Sector Headquarters is here, also," Zenteno says.
Edinburg experiences mild weather. August is the hottest month of the year, reaching as high as 97°F, and January is the coldest, with a maximum temperature of 70°F. The city is at high drought risk and recently experienced a drought emergency declaration in April 2024.
In terms of crime, Edinburg's crime rate is 3.65 percent lower than the rest of Texas. According to FBI crime data, Edinburg experiences 26.34 crimes per 1,000 residents, most of which are property offenses.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
