Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★2.3 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in South Padre Island, TX
Explore South Padre Island and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match6.2 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
South Padre Island at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population2,891
Median Household Income$70,472
Median Home Value$516,900
Median Gross Rent$1,521
Median Age60.8
Average Household Size1.8
Unemployment5.6%
Work From Home31.5%
Homeownership69.8%
Housing Vacancy71.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
South Padre Island is a smaller community, so land use, housing supply and its relationship with surrounding communities can be especially important to movers. Housing costs are high relative to local household income, making affordability one of the more important factors to examine before relocating here.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in South Padre Island Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in South Padre Island →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in South Padre Island and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in South Padre Island
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$516,900
Median Gross Rent$1,521
Homeownership69.8%
Housing Vacancy71.1%
Home values are relatively high compared with local household income, so purchase affordability deserves close attention. The housing mix leans toward owner-occupied homes while still supporting a meaningful rental market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for South Padre Island, TX
Median Household Income$70,472
Unemployment5.6%
Work From Home31.5%
The reported unemployment rate is in a middle range. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in South Padre Island and how households are structured
Population2,891
Median Age60.8
Average Household Size1.8
South Padre Island is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in South Padre Island
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for South Padre Island point to hot summers, mild winters, moderate annual rainfall and little to no annual snowfall.
Average Summer High88.7°F
Average Winter Low54.5°F
Annual Rainfall28.8 in.
Annual Snowfall0.2 in.
Seasonal Life in South Padre Island
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.
Summer
Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.
Fall
Fall can be one of the best seasons for comparing neighborhoods because daily routines are active while temperatures transition away from summer conditions.
Winter
Winter lows are relatively mild and measurable snowfall is minimal, so winter living is more likely to revolve around cool or wet conditions than snow removal and prolonged freezes.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
South Padre Island is located in Cameron County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Cameron County.
County Intelligence
South Padre Island & Cameron County
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
South Padre Island is located in Cameron County, Texas.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in South Padre Island.
Current NarrowTheList data for South Padre Island shows a population of about 2,891. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Cameron County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for South Padre Island.
For someone considering a move to South Padre Island, the available data currently points to housing affordability that deserves careful budgeting. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.