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.
Harlingen’s population was 48,105 in 1990 and grew to 72,467 by 2025. The city first reached 50,000 residents in 1992. Over the 35‑year span the total increase was 24,362 people, which the Census reports as a 51 % rise. The highest recorded population was in 2025, while the lowest was in 1990. The numbers show steady growth with a noticeable jump to 71,924 in 2020.
19901990 recorded the lowest population at 48,105.
19921992 was the first year the city’s population reached 50,000.
2020In 2020 the population rose to 71,924.
20252025 holds the highest recorded population at 72,467.
2025From 1990 to 2025 the city added 24,362 residents, a 51 % increase.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
48,105
people in 1990
72,467
people in 2025
+51% since 1990
People living in Harlingen, year by year
U.S. Census Bureau estimates as of July 1 each year. Hover a point to see the figure.
Figures Harlingen'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
From 1990 to 2025 violent crimes reported to Harlingen police fell by 120 incidents, a 42% drop, moving from 287 cases to 167. Property crimes showed a larger decline, decreasing by 1,904 incidents, or 53%, from 3,565 in 1990 to 1,661 in 2025. When expressed per 1,000 residents, violent crime rates went from 6.0 to 2.3 and property crime rates from 74.1 to 22.9 over the same period. The number of sworn officers grew by 60, a 74% increase, rising from 81 in 1990 to 141 in 2025. The data also note that the peak violent crime year was 2008 with 455 incidents, while the lowest was 2014 with 146 incidents; the peak property crime year was 2004 with 4,997 incidents, and the lowest was 2025 with 1,661 incidents.
20082008 recorded the highest number of violent crimes, with 455 incidents.
20142014 had the lowest violent crime count, at 146 incidents.
20042004 saw the most property crimes, totaling 4,997 incidents.
20252025 recorded the fewest property crimes, with 1,661 incidents.
20252025 had the highest number of sworn officers, 141.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
Sworn police officers
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
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
Burglary, vehicle theft, larceny. Same computation as above.
The state’s sales‑tax payments to Harlingen grew from $21,078,848 in 2013 to $36,734,160 in 2025. That increase equals a change of $15,655,312, or +74 % over the period. The city first received at least $25,000,000 in 2018. Payments rose to $29,772,087 in 2021 and continued upward each year thereafter. The 2025 payment of $36,734,160 is the highest recorded in the data set.
20132013 recorded the lowest payment at $21,078,848.
20182018 was the first year the payment reached $25,000,000, with $25,293,869.
2021In 2021 the payment jumped to $29,772,087.
20252025 recorded the highest payment at $36,734,160.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
Sales tax paid to the city, by year
Monthly allocation payments from the Texas Comptroller to the City of Harlingen, summed per calendar year. The online public record starts in 2013.
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.