Border Report Section 3 – Population and Demographics of the Texas-Mexico Border Region

About 10 percent of Texas’ population resides within a Texas-Mexico border county. The vast majority (76%) of this population is concentrated in Hidalgo (31%), El Paso (30%) and Cameron (15%) counties.

Table 1: Population by EMA/TGA

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2017
 

Similar to the rest of Texas, the Texas-Mexico border region has experienced a population growth of 13.4 percent over the past 10 years (Figure 2). Population growth in this region is likely driven by cross-border migration from Mexico. The higher birth rate among Hispanics (1,790 per 100,000 Hispanic persons vs. 1,469 per 100,000 persons of all race/ethnicities), which comprise a majority of the population in the Texas-Mexico border region, may also drive population growth.
 

Figure 2. Population Growth 2007-2017 by Region 
 
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2017  
Data for Figure 2
 

The majority (89%) of residents of the Texas-Mexico border region identify as Hispanic/Latino, compared to 40 percent of all Texans. 
 

Figure 3. Racial Composition of Texas Population by Region 
 
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2017  
Data for Figure 3
 

Rates of poverty are significantly higher along the Texas-Mexico border compared to the rest of Texas. Twenty-three percent of all persons in the Texas-Mexico border counties are living under the Federal Poverty Line, and 25 percent of persons in the border counties lack health insurance. Among employed persons, health insurance coverage is even lower (Table 2). The economy in the Texas-Mexico border region is based on agriculture and manufacturing, and jobs in these industries may be seasonal and informal. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, businesses in Texas are not required to provide health insurance for seasonal and part-time work or if a business has less than 50 employees.

A large proportion of employed persons in the Texas-Mexico border region may work contract or part-time unskilled jobs, which do not provide health insurance benefits.
 

Table 2: Mean Poverty and Health Insurance Indicators, by EMA/TGA, 2016

Source: American Community Survey, 2016 5-year estimates, table DP03
 

Of the ten Texas counties with the highest rates of poverty among adults aged 18-64 years and the highest percent of employed adults with no health insurance, eight are located within the Texas-Mexico border region. In three of these border counties, fewer than 50 percent of employed adults lack health insurance (see Tables 3a and 3b).
 

Table 3a: Top 10 counties with the highest levels of poverty, 2016

Source: American Community Survey, 2016 5-year estimates, table DP03
 

Table 3b: Top 10 counties with the lowest levels of health insurance coverage, 2016

Source: American Community Survey, 2016 5-year estimates, Table S2701
 

Figure 4. Percent of Population Living under Federal Poverty Level, 2016 
   
Data for Figure 4

Both poverty and a lack of health insurance can make the cost of accessing medical care, including screening for HIV, STDs, and TB, prohibitive. Additionally, the rural nature of certain counties can impact the availability of medical care.
 

HIV, STDs, and TB in the Texas-Mexico Border Region