Jobs, pay and daily life in Mission, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Mission is a city in Texas with 87,038 residents. The median household earns $60,767 a year and the median rent is $950 a month, which is 18.8% of the median household income. It is part of the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metropolitan area, where BLS counts 296,700 jobs.
How Mission compares. Among the 120 largest places in Texas, Mission is #48 by population, #5 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #7 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #97 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Hidalgo County, is #240 of 254 counties for average pay ($42,905).
Mission has 87,038 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Texas. It covers 36 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,396 people per square mile. The median age is 34.9, about the same as the state median (34.9 against 35.6).
The median gross rent is $950 a month (rent plus utilities), 32% below the state median ($950 against $1,403). Over a year that is 18.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $175,700, which is 2.9 times the median household income ($60,767); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 71.4% of households own their home, 14% above the state average (71.4% against 62.6%).
The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metropolitan area has 296,700 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $35,830 a year, 30% below the national median ($35,830 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are healthcare support (53,880 jobs, median $25,480); office and administrative support (37,110 jobs, median $37,160); food preparation and serving related (28,450 jobs, median $26,110). The area is most specialised in healthcare support (3.6 times) and protective service (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($83,820) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($75,340). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hidalgo County was 5.6%. 57.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Hidalgo County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.2% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 10.0% work from home. 6.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 64% below the state average (6.0% against 16.9%).
29.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13% below the state share (29.4% against 33.8%). 25.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 46% above the state share (25.7% against 17.6%). The poverty rate is 19.4%, 41% above the state rate (19.4% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 86°F (30.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 61°F (15.9°C). About 604 mm (24 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Sep is the wettest month (134 mm) and Feb the driest (20 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: McAllen (5 miles, rent 10% higher); Pharr (9 miles, rent 9% higher); San Juan (11 miles, similar rent); Edinburg (13 miles, rent 5% higher). Rent differences are against Mission; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Texas (1,541) →State guide: TexasCountry guideHidalgo CountyTexas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,541 federal postings open in Texas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 46,380 | 5.65 | $23,960 | $22,170 | $26,220 | -33% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 12,160 | 1.65 | $22,790 | $20,520 | $32,840 | -27% |
| Retail Salespersons | 8,960 | 1.20 | $27,420 | $21,280 | $37,310 | -23% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 8,270 | 1.67 | $35,830 | $27,230 | $46,020 | -20% |
| Cashiers | 7,000 | 1.19 | $27,020 | $20,390 | $36,800 | -18% |
| General and Operations Managers | 6,480 | 0.97 | $74,570 | $38,940 | $171,620 | -29% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,870 | 1.09 | $35,080 | $26,020 | $44,770 | -6% |
| Office Clerks, General | 5,420 | 1.15 | $32,130 | $23,560 | $47,650 | -29% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,400 | 0.84 | $80,540 | $64,110 | $99,470 | -17% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 4,390 | 1.12 | $47,040 | $31,250 | $71,050 | -20% |
| Security Guards | 4,100 | 1.68 | $29,290 | $23,100 | $38,360 | -23% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 4,090 | 0.97 | $31,300 | $22,410 | $46,810 | -15% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 4,090 | 1.55 | $63,110 | $51,070 | $83,180 | -1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 4,030 | 1.49 | $29,520 | $22,150 | $38,900 | -20% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 4,010 | 1.97 | $62,500 | $56,840 | $82,220 | -13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,700 | 0.86 | $20,650 | $15,430 | $44,210 | -41% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 3,180 | 0.98 | $39,010 | $27,390 | $54,620 | -18% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 3,100 | 0.55 | $31,610 | $21,950 | $42,750 | -21% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 3,040 | 1.11 | $55,570 | $37,140 | $83,270 | -20% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 3,030 | 1.30 | $30,270 | $25,870 | $50,730 | -31% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 610 | 0.93 | $295,020 | $37,300 | $413,610 | +11% |
| Pharmacists | 500 | 0.81 | $137,700 | $75,410 | $174,880 | -2% |
| Financial Managers | 620 | 0.39 | $129,290 | $76,760 | $237,040 | -22% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 770 | 1.26 | $122,550 | $96,290 | $168,180 | -7% |
| Managers, All Other | 860 | 0.72 | $119,430 | $62,750 | $161,050 | -16% |
| Lawyers | 850 | 0.59 | $115,920 | $60,770 | $241,390 | -27% |
| Physical Therapists | 590 | 1.15 | $103,980 | $63,670 | $144,800 | +1% |
| Sales Managers | 740 | 0.60 | $101,440 | $55,170 | $190,850 | -32% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,350 | 1.18 | $97,180 | $53,860 | $157,990 | -22% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 1,450 | 2.32 | $88,910 | $67,990 | $129,260 | -16% |
| Construction Managers | 500 | 0.69 | $83,450 | $56,680 | $156,460 | -27% |
| Instructional Coordinators | 850 | 1.96 | $81,890 | $50,160 | $100,740 | +6% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,400 | 0.84 | $80,540 | $64,110 | $99,470 | -17% |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | 990 | 1.46 | $80,390 | $45,960 | $105,630 | +25% |
| General and Operations Managers | 6,480 | 0.97 | $74,570 | $38,940 | $171,620 | -29% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,170 | 0.57 | $73,920 | $36,850 | $122,800 | -11% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,080 | 0.53 | $69,910 | $41,110 | $126,750 | -32% |
| Compliance Officers | 1,610 | 2.02 | $69,290 | $44,950 | $112,260 | -14% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,430 | 0.52 | $64,470 | $41,790 | $99,090 | -23% |
| Postal Service Mail Carriers | 540 | 0.85 | $64,250 | $42,390 | $87,340 | +6% |
These figures are for the whole McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $35,830 (US $50,980); unemployment 5.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.1% |
| Retail trade | 12.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.2% |
| Construction | 7.9% |
| Manufacturing | 7.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.7% |
| Other services | 5.4% |
| Public administration | 4.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.3% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Mission lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County | 891,977 | $31,357 million | $35,155 | 291,901 | 14,062 | $42,905 | +1.6% | 5.6% | 407,230 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 82,594 | 35.5% | $34,167 | 1.97 |
| Retail trade | 37,013 | 15.9% | $35,093 | 1.27 |
| Accommodation and food services | 27,456 | 11.8% | $20,576 | 1.03 |
| Administrative and waste services | 15,838 | 6.8% | $40,470 | 0.92 |
| Wholesale trade | 8,825 | 3.8% | $60,277 | 0.77 |
| Construction | 8,411 | 3.6% | $53,038 | 0.55 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8,387 | 3.6% | $51,920 | 0.68 |
| Professional and technical services | 7,370 | 3.2% | $58,303 | 0.36 |
| Manufacturing | 6,884 | 3.0% | $53,320 | 0.29 |
| Finance and insurance | 6,441 | 2.8% | $58,974 | 0.54 |
| Educational services | 5,341 | 2.3% | $50,487 | 0.88 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4,970 | 2.1% | $37,721 | 0.57 |
| Information | 2,827 | 1.2% | $53,056 | 0.52 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,683 | 1.2% | $49,622 | 0.59 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,332 | 1.0% | $25,540 | 0.48 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 2,154 | 0.9% | $40,759 | 0.91 |
| Management of companies | 1,594 | 0.7% | $59,789 | 0.32 |
| Utilities | 877 | 0.4% | $83,523 | 0.79 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 781 | 0.3% | $105,305 | 0.71 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.2% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 10.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,767 |
| Income per person | $28,304 |
| Median gross rent per month | $950 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.8% |
| Median home value | $175,700 |
| Homeowners | 71.4% |
| Poverty rate | 19.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 85.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $35,830 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 77.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.4% |
| Born abroad | 25.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15.9 | 61 | 24 |
| Feb | 18.4 | 65 | 20 |
| Mar | 21.8 | 71 | 27 |
| Apr | 25.4 | 78 | 34 |
| May | 28.1 | 83 | 53 |
| Jun | 30.0 | 86 | 71 |
| Jul | 29.7 | 85 | 75 |
| Aug | 30.2 | 86 | 42 |
| Sep | 28.0 | 82 | 134 |
| Oct | 25.2 | 77 | 57 |
| Nov | 20.6 | 69 | 38 |
| Dec | 16.9 | 62 | 29 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen | TX | 5 mi | 145,385 | $61,579 | $1,049 |
| Pharr | TX | 9 mi | 80,333 | $52,814 | $1,037 |
| San Juan | TX | 11 mi | 36,149 | $56,562 | $961 |
| Edinburg | TX | 13 mi | 104,550 | $59,466 | $996 |
| Weslaco | TX | 21 mi | 42,229 | $59,551 | $967 |
| Harlingen | TX | 39 mi | 72,087 | $53,645 | $928 |
| Brownsville | TX | 56 mi | 189,177 | $52,130 | $923 |
| Laredo | TX | 118 mi | 257,619 | $63,915 | $1,030 |
| Corpus Christi | TX | 128 mi | 317,419 | $67,394 | $1,292 |
| Victoria | TX | 199 mi | 65,625 | $67,226 | $1,172 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
87,038 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$950 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.8% of the median household income.
$60,767 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.6% (BLS county, Hidalgo County (latest month 2026M09)).
Texas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.