El Rancho Vela, Texas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 623, El Rancho Vela's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

El Rancho Vela is a small community located in Texas, within Starr County. The total population is 623. It ranks as the 1195th most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.

Age Demographics

The median age in El Rancho Vela is 32.0 years. This is 10% lower than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in El Rancho Vela is $48,246. This is 39% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 40% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 23.8%. This is 72% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 7.7%. This is 46% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $157,100. Housing costs are 45% lower than the state median of $283,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 82.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 32% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in El Rancho Vela was recorded as Hispanic or Latino. A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

0.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for El Rancho Vela, Texas is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Texas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.