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The history

Peñitas since 1990

Pharr McAllen San Juan Alamo Edinburg Weslaco Donna Harlingen Brownsville South Padre Island Raymondville La Joya Peñitas Rio Grande City

How the city has changed over 35 years: how many people live here, how many police officers there are, how much crime gets reported, and how much money comes in. Every figure comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, or the Texas Comptroller — and links to its source. Summaries are AI-generated from those verified figures: check them against the sources.

The people Police & crime The money

How many of us are there?

AI summary

The population was 961 in 1990. It grew to more than 1,000 by 1992. It passed 2,500 in 2000 and reached 4,316 by 2010. After a slight dip from 2017 to 2019, it jumped to 6,450 in 2020, the first year above 5,000. The highest recorded figure was 6,549 in 2024, and the total increase from 1990 to 2025 was 5,534, a 576% rise.

1990In 1990 the city had 961 residents, the lowest count in the record.
19921992 marked the first time the population topped 1,000, reaching 1,071.
2000The 2000 census recorded 2,891 people, the first year above 2,500.
20202020 was the first year the population exceeded 5,000, with 6,450 residents.
20242024 holds the highest recorded population at 6,549.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
961
people in 1990
6,495
people in 2025
+576% since 1990

People living in Peñitas, year by year

5,00010k 19901995200020052010201520202025 1990: 9611991: 9911992: 1,0711993: 1,1701994: 1,2821995: 1,3551996: 1,4061997: 1,4551998: 1,5051999: 1,5492000: 2,8912001: 3,0262002: 3,1792003: 3,3392004: 3,4982005: 3,6572006: 3,8102007: 3,9602008: 4,1192009: 4,2762010: 4,3162011: 4,3952012: 4,4732013: 4,5592014: 4,6322015: 4,6982016: 4,7282017: 4,7272018: 4,6872019: 4,6422020: 6,4502021: 6,3922022: 6,3892023: 6,3842024: 6,5492025: 6,495 9616,495
U.S. Census Bureau estimates as of July 1 each year. Hover a point to see the figure.
See every year
YearPeople
20256,495source
20246,549source
20236,384source
20226,389source
20216,392source
20206,450source
20194,642source
20184,687source
20174,727source
20164,728source
20154,698source
20144,632source
20134,559source
20124,473source
20114,395source
20104,316source
20094,276source
20084,119source
20073,960source
20063,810source
20053,657source
20043,498source
20033,339source
20023,179source
20013,026source
20002,891source
19991,549source
19981,505source
19971,455source
19961,406source
19951,355source
19941,282source
19931,170source
19921,071source
1991991source
1990961source

Police & crime

Figures Peñitas's own police department reports to the FBI. A year the department didn't fully report stays blank — never guessed. The per-1,000-residents rates are computed by us: FBI crime counts divided by Census population.

AI summary

Violent crimes reported each year ranged from 2 in 2001 to a peak of 36 in 2013, returning to 2 in 2025, resulting in no net change (+0) over the period. The rate per 1,000 residents fell from 0.7 in 2001 to 0.3 in 2025. Property crimes increased from 15 in 2001 to 174 in 2013, ending at 46 in 2025, a net increase of 31 incidents (+207%). The property‑crime rate per 1,000 residents rose from 5.0 in 2001 to 7.1 in 2025. The number of sworn officers grew from 2 in 2001 to a high of 18 in 2020, then dropped to 11 in 2025, a net increase of 9 officers (+450%).

2013Violent crimes reported reached the highest count of 36.
2001Violent crimes reported were the lowest at 2.
2013Property crimes reported peaked at 174.
2002Property crimes reported were the lowest at 11.
2020Sworn officers numbered the most at 18.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.

Sworn police officers

1020 200120052010201520202025 2001: 22002: 42003: 42004: 52005: 52006: 62007: 42008: 52009: 72010: 72011: 82012: 102013: 122014: 132015: 132016: 132017: 162018: 132019: 152020: 182021: 152022: 152023: 172024: 182025: 11 211
Reported by the department to the FBI (count as of Oct 31). Gaps in the line are years the department didn't report. · FBI Crime Data Explorer

Violent crimes per 1,000 residents

510 200120052010201520202025 2001: 0.72002: 0.62003: 0.92004: 1.12005: 1.42006: 1.82007: 1.32008: 0.72009: 0.72010: 0.92011: 1.42012: 5.12013: 7.92014: 3.52015: 7.72016: 4.72017: 1.32018: 3.42019: 1.52020: 2.52021: 1.62022: 0.92023: 1.42024: 1.22025: 0.3 0.70.3
Computed by us: crimes reported to the FBI ÷ Census population × 1,000. The original counts are in the table below.

Property crimes per 1,000 residents

2550 200120052010201520202025 2001: 5.02002: 3.52003: 11.42004: 15.22005: 10.72006: 7.12007: 13.92008: 9.02009: 10.12010: 14.12011: 23.02012: 25.72013: 38.22014: 35.22015: 29.82016: 22.02017: 2.32018: 13.72019: 21.12020: 10.22021: 7.72022: 5.02023: 9.62024: 10.42025: 7.1 5.07.1
Burglary, vehicle theft, larceny. Same computation as above.
See every year — counts and officers
Year Violent/1,000 Property/1,000 Officers
2025 2 0.3 46 7.1 11
2024 8 1.2 68 10.4 18
2023 9 1.4 61 9.6 17
2022 6 0.9 32 5.0 15
2021 10 1.6 49 7.7 15
2020 16 2.5 66 10.2 18
2019 7 1.5 98 21.1 15
2018 16 3.4 64 13.7 13
2017 6 1.3 11 2.3 16
2016 22 4.7 104 22.0 13
2015 36 7.7 140 29.8 13
2014 16 3.5 163 35.2 13
2013 36 7.9 174 38.2 12
2012 23 5.1 115 25.7 10
2011 6 1.4 101 23.0 8
2010 4 0.9 61 14.1 7
2009 3 0.7 43 10.1 7
2008 3 0.7 37 9.0 5
2007 5 1.3 55 13.9 4
2006 7 1.8 27 7.1 6
2005 5 1.4 39 10.7 5
2004 4 1.1 53 15.2 5
2003 3 0.9 38 11.4 4
2002 2 0.6 11 3.5 4
2001 2 0.7 15 5.0 2
“—” means the department didn't report that full year to the FBI. · FBI Crime Data Explorer

The money

AI summary

The state’s sales‑tax allocation to Peñitas grew from $655,112 in 2013 to $1,706,581 in 2025. That represents an increase of $1,051,469, or 161 % over the period. The first time the payment reached $1 million was in 2020, when it was $1,098,255. Payments continued to rise, reaching $1,703,512 in 2024 and a record $1,706,581 in 2025. Overall, the figures show a clear upward movement across the 13‑year span.

2013In 2013 the state paid $655,112, the lowest amount in the series.
20202020 was the first year the payment topped $1 million, at $1,098,255.
20252025 recorded the highest payment, $1,706,581.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.

Sales tax paid to the city, by year

$1M$2M 2013201520202025 2013: $655,1122014: $663,7892015: $690,8442016: $714,8252017: $723,4312018: $825,4022019: $891,8442020: $1,098,2552021: $1,326,3902022: $1,388,4632023: $1,442,0992024: $1,703,5122025: $1,706,581 $655,112$1,706,581
Monthly allocation payments from the Texas Comptroller to the City of Peñitas, summed per calendar year. The online public record starts in 2013.
See every year
YearPaid to Peñitas
2025$1,706,581source
2024$1,703,512source
2023$1,442,099source
2022$1,388,463source
2021$1,326,390source
2020$1,098,255source
2019$891,844source
2018$825,402source
2017$723,431source
2016$714,825source
2015$690,844source
2014$663,789source
2013$655,112source

What we don't have yet

Historical property tax rates and year-by-year city employee counts don't exist in any machine-readable public record reaching back to 1990. When the city or the state publishes them, they'll appear here. We don't show figures we can't link to a source — that's how we work.