Home of citrus farming and the Texas Citrus Fiesta
The Rio Grande Valley’s rich soil and warm winds from the Gulf of Mexico have long created the ideal conditions for citrus farming. It was in the city of Mission in 1914 that John Shary purchased 16,000 acres and began planting Sharyland, the region’s first commercial citrus orchard. In 1932, the Texas Citrus Fiesta was started in Mission to promote the industry, and over 90 years later, the citywide festival is still celebrated. Texas citrus has grown into a multimillion-dollar business and is a major employer in Mission, which is home to the largest juice processor in the state. Other key industries in this city of roughly 87,000 include trade with Mexico, with the U.S.-Mexico border and the Rio Grande south of the city. Mission Regional Medical Center is another large employer.
Tourism is also a big economic driver. The Rio Grande Valley is considered one of the most biologically diverse locales in the country, attracting over 500 species of migratory birds and butterflies annually. Tourists come to the many nearby parks and nature preserves that make up the World Birding Center, including the nearly 800-acre Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, just south of Mission.
Bentsen Rio Grande State Park sits next to the Rio Grande River.
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Home prices are similar to other border cities, like Pharr
The median price for a home in Mission is $245,000, about the same as nearby cities like Pharr and slightly lower than McAllen. Much of the newer construction is on the outskirts of the city, in subdivisions and gated communities. Small vintage homes dating from the 1960s to the ’80s can be found closer to the historic downtown. There are limited condominiums, with many located in golfing communities. There are also a number of 55-plus manufactured home communities in Mission.
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Butterflies and birds at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
Mission has 25 public parks, including the Bentsen Palm Community Park with four lighted ball fields and three tennis courts, as well as two community pools. The city has several private and public golf clubs, including the Shary Municipal Golf Course. Nearby is the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, the headquarters of the World Birding Center and the National Butterfly Center, but all around Mission are butterfly sculptures celebrating the migrating insects.
The South Texas Chacalaca can be found in Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park.
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Families in Mission are served by two highly rated school districts
Mission is served by Sharyland Independent School District (ISD) and Mission Consolidated Independent School District (MCISD). Sharyland ISD, which earns an A from Niche, serves about 10,000 students on 13 campuses. The Mission CISD is comprised of 14 elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools and earns an overall B-minus. Mission High School’s football stadium is named after celebrity alum Tom Landry, the Hall of Fame coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Private education options include Agape Christian School for prekindergarten through eighth grade and Juan Diego Academy for ninth through twelfth grade. For higher education, South Texas College is just outside of Mission, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is 16 miles away in Edinburg.
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Downtown attractions and retail along Interstate 2
In Mission, most dining and retail options are clustered along Interstate 2, including Sharyland Towne Crossing and the Market at Sharyland Place, with big-box retailers like Target and Walmart. Smaller shops are found in downtown Mission in Spanish revival storefronts, mostly selling antiques, imported goods or beauty services. About 10 miles east is McAllen, the second-largest city in Hidalgo County and home to one of the largest shopping malls in South Texas, La Plaza Mall. With a sizeable number of residents identifying as Hispanic, Mission has a wide array of restaurants serving authentic Mexican as well as Tex-Mex fare.
Attractions in Mission include the historic Border Theatre, built in 1942 and currently one of the last theaters in the Art Pueblo style; it hosts performances and movie screenings. The landmark Our Lady of Guadalupe church is one of four active Catholic churches in the city, while La Lomita, a 19th-century chapel, now functions as a religious shrine.
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Mission's famed Texas Citrus Fiesta
Mission's most anticipated annual event is the Texas Citrus Fiesta, a two-week festival held in winter. What started over 90 years ago as a lively parade of fruit-decorated floats and pageant show now includes the traditional crowning of a King Citrus and Queen Citrianna, chosen from candidates across the Rio Grande Valley. The Product Costume Style Show is another tradition at the fiesta – costumes submitted are crafted with a mix of dried citrus products, folded into creative shapes – and winners have been featured in National Geographic.
Getting around Mission and the Rio Grande Valley
Residents rely on Interstate 2, which passes south of the city center, to get around the Rio Grande Valley. It leads east 5 miles to downtown McAllen and about 8 miles to McAllen International Airport, offering direct flights to eight destinations. Harlingen is about a 40-mile drive where there's another airport, Valley International Airport. U.S. 83 leads west to Rio Grande City, less than 35 miles away. Valley Metro offers a bus route through Mission that runs to McAllenr. Several nearby bridges cross into Mexico, including the city’s Anzalduas International Bridge.
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Mission's crime rates are down
According to the Mission Police Department, overall crime has dropped 23% in 2023 compared to the previous year. The most significant decrease was property crime, down by one-third. Violent crimes were roughly 9% lower. Comparatively, the average crime rate in Texas is nearly one and a half times higher than in Mission.
Summer in Mission brings sweltering temperatures, with many days over 98 degrees, and mild, dry winters. Mission is located in Hildago County within the South Laguna Madre watershed, an area of South Texas at high risk of drought. In October 2024, Gregg Abbott, Governor of the State of Texas, issued an amended proclamation of a drought disaster declaration originally issued in July 2022 involving Hildago County.
Written By
Corrine Fizer
Photography Contributed By
Mauricio Atilano
Video By
Houston Knight
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
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GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Mission, TX sell after 93 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Mission, TX over the last 12 months is $270,000, down 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Ready to MOVE IN! Apply NOW - Vida Subdivision -A must see unit with an open layout, modern flooring, Granite Countertops, modern lighting fixtures including recessed lighting throughout the unit, Custom Cabinets with Brush Nickel Hardware. Vaulted ceilings with a fan in living and bedrooms. All bedrooms come with double chrome closet rods, master bathroom has a glass walk-in shower
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