Despite its reputation as a border town, McAllen, Texas, is a thriving metropolis with significant centers for retail, tourism, international trade, and manufacturing. With a population of around 2,400,000, McAllen is at the heart of a region steeped in history and diverse cultures while also promising to take us to places we never imagined.
McAllen’s location offers a secure, entertaining, versatile, and high-value quality of life, with access to thirty miles of coastline and the ability to harness out-of-this-world dreams. McAllen has created an ecosystem of large-city options while preserving the culture of a hometown lifestyle as a national leader across many retail spaces and a large advocate for the entrepreneurial business of any size.
We implore you to discover the many facets that this city offers. Learn more about the McAllen region in this article.
About McAllen, Texas
It was named after Scottish settler John McAllen whose ranch served as the town’s site when it was founded in 1905. The city has long had a massive community of Mexican descent; segregation and the city’s transition from a ranching economy (dominated by Mexicans) to a farming economy (white-dominated) heightened tensions.
McAllen is a major winter resort and a gas and oil production center. It is also a vegetable, citrus fruit, and cotton processing center and is among the most important entry points for trade with Mexico.
The Cost of Living
McAllen residents allocate less than the national median sale price on property purchases and less than the national average on living expenses such as transportation, food, and health care. However, this is offset because McAllen’s average annual salary is lower than average.
Weather
McAllen has year-round sunshine, and citizens enjoy the warm winters of 80 degrees. Summers, on the other hand, are scorching. High humidity is also pervasive throughout the year, and rain is uncommon here, as it is in some other areas of the Lone Star State.
The Best Ways to Get Around Mcallen
Public Transportation
Since June 1997, Metro McAllen (previously McAllen Express Transit – MET) has supplied public transportation for the city. McAllen Express was initially managed by the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council. Metro McAllen has been run as a department of McAllen since 2005.
Metro McAllen now has nine fixed and paratransit routes that serve visitors and residents. It’s open all week, from 6 am to 9 pm on Monday to Saturday and from 8 am to 6 pm on Sunday. Valley Metro is the name under which the LRGVDC continues to run regional buses.
Downtown Bus Terminal
McAllen also operates the McAllen Central Station bus terminal in downtown McAllen. Central Station serves as a hub for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MET) and 14 private international and domestic bus lines. Every day, approximately 60 buses depart from Central Station.
Airports
American Airlines provides nonstop service to Fort Worth/Dallas, Aeromar provides nonstop service to Mexico City, United provides nonstop service to Houston, and Allegiant Air provides nonstop service to Las Vegas and seasonal service Orlando-Sanford and Los Angeles.
Safety
McAllen is home to every level of government safety. McAllen is a safe place to live because it is home to one of the largest US Customs and Border Protection Headquarters right by the US/Mexico border. The McAllen Station is in charge of patrolling the Rio Grande River for 53 miles.
McAllen Station is housed in a brand-new 68,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility across the street from the McAllen Economic Development Corporation. The Texas Department of Public Safety office is also located in the city. The McAllen Police Department Headquarters is located next to the Texas DPS offices.
McAllen is also extremely proud of its highly acclaimed fire department. The McAllen Fire Department has 189 employees, including 12 civilian clerical staff and 171 paid firefighters.
Arts and Entertainment
McAllen serves as the region’s entertainment mecca, with options for all ages. The region’s most extensive entertainment area includes a newly founded state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center with a 1,800-seat capacity adjacent to a 5600-person convention center. McAllen’s entertainment includes international culture, arts, and cuisine, particularly those grounded in the Binational area’s heritage.
McAllen also houses the International Museum of Arts and Sciences, dedicated to promoting a greater appreciation of its arts and sciences through cultural events, exhibitions, educational programs, and expanding, preserving, and showcasing its permanent art and science collection.
McAllen takes pride in preserving various aspects of its history and heritage. In one of the city’s most visited facilities east of the McAllen Convention Center, a 105-foot tall, black granite five-sided spire honors the American spirit.
The McAllen Heritage Center, located in the heart of McAllen, can also teach you about the city’s early days and the transformation of its thriving commerce. With over 100 events and performances held each year in or around McAllen, there is something for the entire family to enjoy and learn.
Things to Do in McAllen
Located 70 miles (112.7 km) from the Gulf of Mexico, McAllen attracts water enthusiasts. Weekend activities include kayaking or pedal boating in the area’s Town Lake at Fireman’s Park to day trips to the beach.
However, there are other ways to enjoy the outdoors in McAllen. Bird-watching is a popular activity in the Rio Grande Valley because it is a major bird migration corridor.
There’s something for everybody to enjoy, from local events that bring families together outside to others, enabling McAllen’s arts and culture to shine truly. Furthermore, the McAllen Performing Arts Center always has something going on that can make for a lovely night out.
There are activities for everyone if you’re searching for something to do in the neighborhood with a group of friends. McAllen has a big city vibe with tight-knit community vibes that guarantee a good time no matter what you do.
McAllen has become a growing force in the Rio Grande Valley due to its strong business climate that encourages entrepreneurship, thriving arts culture, and educational options, all of which have contributed to the city’s stellar reputation. As a result of this and more, the city has become a desirable place to live and grow in South Texas.
Its low cost of living, convenient location in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, and culture that encourages expression are why this city will stay with you.
