curlyphries
Pa Mi Gente Español
The history

La Joya 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

In 1990 La Joya had 2,533 residents. By 2025 the population was 5,257, an increase of 2,724 people, which the data records as a 108 % rise. The city first reached 5,000 residents in 2024. The highest recorded population is 5,257 in 2025, and the lowest is the 1990 figure of 2,533. Over the 1990‑2025 period the numbers moved from the low‑1990s to above five thousand.

19901990 recorded the lowest population, with 2,533 residents.
1999In 1999 the city’s population was 3,389.
20242024 was the first year the population reached at least 5,000, counting 5,113 residents.
20252025 holds the highest recorded population at 5,257 residents.
2025The change from 1990 to 2025 was an increase of 2,724 people, a 108 % rise.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
2,533
people in 1990
5,257
people in 2025
+108% since 1990

People living in La Joya, year by year

5,00010k 19901995200020052010201520202025 1990: 2,5331991: 2,6201992: 2,7081993: 2,7851994: 2,7791995: 2,7591996: 2,7311997: 2,6931998: 2,9701999: 3,3892000: 3,4272001: 3,4612002: 3,5172003: 3,5812004: 3,6422005: 3,7032006: 3,7592007: 3,8122008: 3,8742009: 3,9322010: 4,0532011: 4,1272012: 4,1582013: 4,1982014: 4,2332015: 4,2842016: 4,2912017: 4,2962018: 4,3462019: 4,3642020: 4,4972021: 4,5742022: 4,6682023: 4,8812024: 5,1132025: 5,257 2,5335,257
U.S. Census Bureau estimates as of July 1 each year. Hover a point to see the figure.
See every year
YearPeople
20255,257source
20245,113source
20234,881source
20224,668source
20214,574source
20204,497source
20194,364source
20184,346source
20174,296source
20164,291source
20154,284source
20144,233source
20134,198source
20124,158source
20114,127source
20104,053source
20093,932source
20083,874source
20073,812source
20063,759source
20053,703source
20043,642source
20033,581source
20023,517source
20013,461source
20003,427source
19993,389source
19982,970source
19972,693source
19962,731source
19952,759source
19942,779source
19932,785source
19922,708source
19912,620source
19902,533source

Police & crime

Figures La Joya'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 to La Joya police were 7 in 1990 and 9 in 2025, a change of +2 (+29%). The rate per 1,000 residents fell from 2.8 in 1990 to 1.7 in 2025. Property crimes dropped from 62 in 1990 to 23 in 2025, a decline of 39 incidents (‑63%). The property‑crime rate per 1,000 residents went from 24.5 to 4.4 over the same period. The number of sworn officers grew from 5 in 1990 to 12 in 2025, an increase of 7 officers (+140%). The highest recorded violent‑crime count was 40 in 2018, and the lowest was 0 in 2008; the highest property‑crime count was 167 in 1994 and the lowest was 14 in 2021.

20182018 recorded the highest number of violent crimes, with 40 incidents.
20082008 had zero violent crimes reported, the lowest count in the record.
1994The peak of property crimes occurred in 1994, when 167 incidents were reported.
20212021 saw the lowest property‑crime count, with only 14 reports.
1999The police force reached its highest size in 1999, employing 14 sworn officers.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.

Sworn police officers

1020 19901995200020052010201520202025 1990: 51991: 51992: 61993: 61994: 81995: 91996: 91997: 101998: 131999: 142000: 132001: 142002: 122003: 132004: 102005: 112007: 122008: 112009: 122010: 122011: 112012: 132013: 122016: 112020: 122022: 132023: 112024: 112025: 12 512
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 19901995200020052010201520202025 1990: 2.81991: 7.31992: 8.11993: 9.31994: 2.51995: 1.81996: 2.61997: 4.51998: 2.01999: 3.82001: 2.02002: 1.42003: 1.72004: 1.62005: 3.52006: 1.32007: 0.32008: 0.02009: 1.32010: 0.22011: 1.92012: 1.22013: 1.42017: 2.82018: 9.22019: 6.92020: 3.82021: 4.22022: 4.72023: 4.52024: 1.22025: 1.7 2.81.7
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

50100 19901995200020052010201520202025 1990: 24.51991: 43.91992: 48.41993: 51.01994: 60.11995: 36.21996: 56.01997: 55.01998: 42.81999: 28.32001: 13.32002: 7.42003: 6.42004: 12.62005: 21.92006: 16.82007: 12.62008: 13.42009: 9.72010: 9.42011: 10.72012: 6.02013: 6.42017: 16.12018: 14.02019: 12.82020: 5.62021: 3.12022: 5.12023: 5.92024: 11.02025: 4.4 24.54.4
Burglary, vehicle theft, larceny. Same computation as above.
See every year — counts and officers
Year Violent/1,000 Property/1,000 Officers
2025 9 1.7 23 4.4 12
2024 6 1.2 56 11.0 11
2023 22 4.5 29 5.9 11
2022 22 4.7 24 5.1 13
2021 19 4.2 14 3.1
2020 17 3.8 25 5.6 12
2019 30 6.9 56 12.8
2018 40 9.2 61 14.0
2017 12 2.8 69 16.1
2016 11
2013 6 1.4 27 6.4 12
2012 5 1.2 25 6.0 13
2011 8 1.9 44 10.7 11
2010 1 0.2 38 9.4 12
2009 5 1.3 38 9.7 12
2008 0 0.0 52 13.4 11
2007 1 0.3 48 12.6 12
2006 5 1.3 63 16.8
2005 13 3.5 81 21.9 11
2004 6 1.6 46 12.6 10
2003 6 1.7 23 6.4 13
2002 5 1.4 26 7.4 12
2001 7 2.0 46 13.3 14
2000 13
1999 13 3.8 96 28.3 14
1998 6 2.0 127 42.8 13
1997 12 4.5 148 55.0 10
1996 7 2.6 153 56.0 9
1995 5 1.8 100 36.2 9
1994 7 2.5 167 60.1 8
1993 26 9.3 142 51.0 6
1992 22 8.1 131 48.4 6
1991 19 7.3 115 43.9 5
1990 7 2.8 62 24.5 5
“—” 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 La Joya was $439,208 in 2013. Payments rose to $451,042 in 2014 and jumped to $537,554 in 2015, the first year the amount reached $500,000. After a dip to $470,348 in 2016 and $462,305 in 2017, the figures climbed again, reaching $592,276 in 2020. The amount continued upward to $776,060 in 2025, which the data notes as the highest year. From 2013 to 2025 the total change was $336,852, a 77 % increase.

2013The 2013 allocation was $439,208, the lowest amount in the record.
2015In 2015 the allocation reached $537,554, the first year at or above $500,000.
20212021 saw an allocation of $681,750.
2024The 2024 payment was $759,619.
20252025 recorded the highest allocation at $776,060.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.

Sales tax paid to the city, by year

$500k$1M 2013201520202025 2013: $439,2082014: $451,0422015: $537,5542016: $470,3482017: $462,3052018: $499,2052019: $525,2912020: $592,2762021: $681,7502022: $724,0212023: $757,0602024: $759,6192025: $776,060 $439,208$776,060
Monthly allocation payments from the Texas Comptroller to the City of La Joya, summed per calendar year. The online public record starts in 2013.
See every year
YearPaid to La Joya
2025$776,060source
2024$759,619source
2023$757,060source
2022$724,021source
2021$681,750source
2020$592,276source
2019$525,291source
2018$499,205source
2017$462,305source
2016$470,348source
2015$537,554source
2014$451,042source
2013$439,208source

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.