Total enrollment
212,639
-5,295 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
Hidalgo County
Texas · Public K-12
Hidalgo County's public schools, 364 in all, serve approximately 212,859 K-12 students inside Texas, with Edinburg Cisd the largest district by enrollment. The level mix is 205 elementary, 54 middle, and 87 high schools.
4-year change in Hidalgo County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
333
+6 (+2%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Hidalgo County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Texas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 46.9% | #91 of 192 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 212,859 | #6 of 196 | #26 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 335 | #5 of 196 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.1:1 | #160 of 196 | #1,800 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 84.9% | #8 of 196 | #417 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 5.1% | #187 of 192 | #2,616 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Hidalgo County school rankings
Residents
891,977
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
364
26 districts
Enrollment
212,859
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$54,338
Below Texas avg
Free/reduced lunch
84.9%
Above Texas avg
Elementary
205
98,806 students
Middle
54
37,280 students
High
87
70,729 students
Combined / other
18
6,044 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
EDINBURG CISD
33,343 students · 26 districts in Hidalgo County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Hidalgo County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
20.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
23.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
7.6%
civilian labor
Median age
31
31.0% under 18
Test scores in Hidalgo County
Latest 2025-26 ELA proficiency, 290 schools ranked. Texas state average: 55.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- THELMA ROSA SALINAS STEM EARLY COLLEGE H S· 8.0%
- DANIEL SINGLETERRY SR· 26.0%
- DR MARIA PALMIRA MENDIOLA EL· 27.0%
- LA JOYA H S· 29.0%
- DONNA NORTH H S· 30.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHARYLAND ADVANCED ACADEMIC ACADEMY | Mission | High | 09-12 | 481 | · |
| CAVAZOS EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 479 | · |
| ESCANDON EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 478 | · |
| TRAVIS EL | Mercedes | Elementary | PK-05 | 478 | · |
| RUBEN HINOJOSA EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-06 | 472 | · |
| NARCISO CAVAZOS | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 471 | · |
| SAN CARLOS EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 471 | · |
| THELMA ROSA SALINAS STEM EARLY COLLEGE H S | La Joya | High | 09-12 | 471 | · |
| BERTA S PALACIOS EL | Pharr | Elementary | PK-05 | 470 | · |
| LYNDON B JOHNSON EL | Elsa | Elementary | KG-05 | 470 | · |
| THIGPEN-ZAVALA EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 470 | · |
| RUBEN HINOJOSA EL | Mercedes | Elementary | PK-05 | 468 | · |
| EDINBURG COLLEGIATE H S | Edinburg | High | 09-12 | 466 | · |
| DR AMERICO PAREDES EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 465 | · |
| WILLIAM J CLINTON EL | Penitas | Elementary | PK-05 | 463 | · |
| ANNE L MAGEE EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 460 | · |
| CAPT D SALINAS II EL | Alamo | Elementary | PK-05 | 457 | · |
| LE NOIR EL | Donna | Elementary | PK-05 | 457 | · |
| OLLIE O'GRADY EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 457 | · |
| RUBEN C RODRIGUEZ EL | Edcouch | Elementary | KG-05 | 457 | · |
| JORGE R GUTIERREZ EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | Edcouch | Elementary | PK-PK | 454 | · |
| GUILLERMO FLORES EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 452 | · |
| ELOY GARZA SALAZAR EL | Donna | Elementary | PK-05 | 446 | · |
| IDEA PALMVIEW COLLEGE PREPARATORY | Mission | Middle | 06-10 | 446 | · |
| VALLEY VIEW EL | Hidalgo | Elementary | PK-06 | 446 | · |
| ELODIA R CHAPA EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 445 | · |
| FIELDS EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 443 | · |
| LEAL EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 436 | · |
| ALVAREZ EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 435 | · |
| HIDALGO EL | Hidalgo | Elementary | PK-05 | 433 | · |
| LUCILE HENDRICKS EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 432 | · |
| PROGRESO H S | Progreso | High | 09-12 | 431 | · |
| CARMEN ANAYA EL | Pharr | Elementary | PK-05 | 429 | · |
| ACHIEVE EARLY COLLEGE H S | Mcallen | High | 09-12 | 428 | · |
| PATRICIO PEREZ EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 421 | · |
| T PRICE EL | Donna | Elementary | PK-05 | 416 | · |
| LEE EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 414 | · |
| M RIVAS PRI DISCOVERY ACADEMY | Donna | Elementary | PK-02 | 413 | · |
| GARZA EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 409 | · |
| WILSON EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 408 | · |
| TAYLOR EL | Mercedes | Elementary | PK-05 | 406 | · |
| CESAR CHAVEZ EL | Pharr | Elementary | PK-05 | 403 | · |
| SOUTH TEXAS ISD WORLD SCHOLARS | Edinburg | High | 09-12 | 403 | · |
| L B JOHNSON EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 402 | · |
| SGT LEONEL TREVINO EL | San Juan | Elementary | PK-05 | 401 | · |
| LINCOLN EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 400 | · |
| CANO-GONZALEZ EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 399 | · |
| JOHN F KENNEDY EL | Mercedes | Elementary | PK-05 | 399 | · |
| MISSION COLLEGIATE H S | Alton | High | 09-12 | 399 | · |
| HOUSTON EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 397 | · |
| HENRY B GONZALEZ EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 391 | · |
| JOHN DOEDYNS EL | San Juan | Elementary | PK-05 | 391 | · |
| SGT WILLIAM G HARRELL MIDDLE | Mercedes | Middle | 06-08 | 390 | · |
| ROBERTO GARATE EL | Monte Alto | Elementary | PK-05 | 386 | · |
| GRACIELA GARCIA EL | Pharr | Elementary | PK-05 | 385 | · |
| MCAULIFFE EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 385 | · |
| EVANGELINA GARZA EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 384 | · |
| JOHN F KENNEDY EL | Elsa | Elementary | KG-05 | 383 | · |
| MARCELL EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 378 | · |
| VIDA N CLOVER EL | San Juan | Elementary | PK-05 | 378 | · |
| CASTANEDA EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 374 | · |
| VALLEY VIEW NORTH EL | Pharr | Elementary | PK-06 | 372 | · |
| AUSTIN EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 366 | · |
| SALINAS EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 366 | · |
| PROGRESO EARLY CHILDHOOD | Progreso | Elementary | PK-02 | 365 | · |
| CARL C WAITZ EL | Alton | Elementary | PK-05 | 361 | · |
| SANTIAGO GARCIA EL | Edcouch | Elementary | KG-05 | 358 | · |
| ROOSEVELT EL | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-05 | 357 | · |
| SAM FORDYCE EL | Sullivan City | Elementary | PK-05 | 356 | · |
| MERCEDES EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY | Mercedes | High | 09-12 | 355 | · |
| BRILLANTE ACADEMY | Mission | Elementary | PK-02 | 354 | · |
| VALLEY VIEW SOUTH EL | Hidalgo | Elementary | PK-06 | 353 | · |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-PK | 352 | · |
| HILDA C ESCOBAR/ALICIA C RIOS EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 345 | · |
| IDEA LA JOYA COLLEGE PREPARATORY | La Joya | Middle | 06-09 | 344 | · |
| DR ALEJO SALINAS JR EL | Hidalgo | Elementary | PK-05 | 342 | · |
| PSJA COLLEGIATE SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS | San Juan | High | 09-12 | 340 | · |
| ALTON EL | Alton | Elementary | PK-05 | 337 | · |
| TRAVIS EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 337 | · |
| BREWSTER EL | Edinburg | Elementary | PK-08 | 332 | · |
| HORIZON MONTESSORI - STEM ACADEMY | Mcallen | Elementary | PK-08 | 331 | · |
| CASTRO EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 328 | · |
| JIMMY CARTER EARLY COLLEGE H S | La Joya | High | 09-12 | 327 | · |
| HORIZON MONTESSORI II - STEM ACADEMY | Weslaco | Elementary | PK-08 | 326 | · |
| LEO J LEO EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 319 | · |
| PEARSON EL | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 307 | · |
| J W CACERES DISCOVERY INT ACADEMY | Donna | Elementary | 01-05 | 299 | · |
| GUZMAN EL | Donna | Elementary | PK-05 | 291 | · |
| DOROTHY THOMPSON MIDDLE | Progreso | Middle | 06-08 | 281 | · |
| ROSENDO BENAVIDES EL | Sullivan City | Elementary | PK-05 | 267 | · |
| DAVID YBARRA FINE ARTS ACADEMY | Edcouch | Middle | 06-06 | 264 | · |
| PROGRESO EL | Progreso | Elementary | 03-05 | 262 | · |
| JC KELLY EL | Pharr | Elementary | PK-05 | 260 | · |
| IDEA TOROS COLLEGE PREPARATORY | Edinburg | High | 08-12 | 258 | · |
| MONTE ALTO H S | Monte Alto | High | 09-12 | 255 | · |
| HIDALGO PARK EL | Pharr | Elementary | PK-05 | 239 | · |
| JOSE BERNABE MUNOZ EL | La Villa | Elementary | PK-05 | 227 | · |
| SOUTH TEXAS ISD VIRTUAL ACADEMY | Mercedes | High | 06-12 | 212 | · |
| VANGUARD MONET | Mission | Elementary | PK-05 | 198 | · |
| MERCEDES EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM | Mercedes | Elementary | PK-PK | 189 | · |
Cities in Hidalgo County
Mission58 schoolsEdinburg57 schoolsMcallen52 schoolsPharr38 schoolsWeslaco29 schoolsDonna22 schoolsMercedes17 schoolsSan Juan17 schoolsAlamo13 schoolsHidalgo10 schoolsLa Joya9 schoolsAlton8 schoolsElsa7 schoolsProgreso6 schoolsEdcouch4 schoolsPenitas4 schoolsLa Villa3 schoolsMonte Alto3 schoolsPalmhurst2 schoolsSullivan City2 schoolsHargill1 schoolMc Allen1 schoolPalmview1 school
About Hidalgo County
Across the population-heavy Texas county of Hidalgo County of about 891,977 residents, the public-school footprint covers 364 schools and about 212,859 students.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show the median household earns about $54,338 a year, roughly 21% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 23%. That income level is 18% below the Texas median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Hidalgo County is made up of 205 elementary schools (98,806 students), 54 middle schools (37,280), 87 high schools (70,729), and 18 combined or other schools.
EDINBURG CISD dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 33,343 students on its own.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 217,934 students in SY 2020-21 versus 212,639 in SY 2024-25. Hidalgo County now counts 333 public schools, up from 327 in SY 2020-21.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Hidalgo County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data