Relocating to Harlingen

Thinking of relocating? Want to trade high crime, heavy traffic, and difficult winters for benefits like top-notch medical facilities, abundant outdoor sporting opportunities, and convenient access to clean beaches and international travel?

Come to Harlingen, the southern “Tropical Playground of Texas” located in the lush and lovely Rio Grande Valley!

Just north of Mexico and minutes from Texas’ Gulf Coast, Harlingen is blessed with a rich culture, warm climate, and welcoming people who’ll make you want to put down roots. With a relaxed lifestyle and thriving economy, the Harlingen area was built on agriculture but has diversified into logistics, manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, and education---interests that attract more visitors and residents every year.

Mild tropic winters and assorted leisure activities enhance the area’s carefree cultural life and economy. With South Padre Island and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico just 45 minutes away, multitudes of fishing and boating pleasures await the outdoors lover. Exciting year-round birding and the internationally known Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival bring thousands of avian enthusiasts to the area annually. And environmentalists and sportsmen alike enjoy the Rio Grande Valley’s varied and abundant wildlife habitats and natural refuges.

Newcomers are pleasantly surprised to learn how much home their dollar buys in Harlingen. So delighted is one recent transplant that he jokes about being able to afford three or four houses for less than the inflated price of his former California residence. Home values in the Rio Grande Valley have risen steadily but reasonably, yet still represent eminent affordability. Over 15 years, median home prices in Harlingen increased by more than 50%, from $54,621 in 1990 to $101,943 in 2005. (Harlingen-San Benito Board of Realtors)

In fact, Harlingen and all of the popular Rio Grande Valley have experienced explosive growth over the past ten years. Census figures for the Rio Grande Valley show a population increase of more than 260,000 from 1990 to 2000, with Harlingen’s mid-2006 population count at about 87,000. Between now and 2008, projections call for continued increases of at least 13%. Residents’ median age is 27, with 39% of the population ranging between ages 18 and 45. The numerous seasonal seniors (affectionately called “Winter Texans”) who annually come to take advantage of the area’s mild tropic winters attest to its vitality, comfort, and convenience. (Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce)

Harlingen has long been an important Rio Grande Valley healthcare hub with the region’s largest hospital, Valley Baptist Medical Center. In 2002 the city’s second hospital opened, Harlingen Medical Center. That same year, a new medical school campus also premiered, the Regional Academic Health Center of the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio. The RAHC trains third- and fourth-year medical students and guides newly graduated doctors through a three-year Internal Medicine residency program. As a result, Harlingen is now the acknowledged heart of medical research and treatment resources in the region.

Harlingen is also a leader in education. The Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District has earned the “Recognized District” distinction from the Texas Education Agency for seven years running, and all of the district’s 21 eligible schools have been named either “TEA “Exemplary” or “TEA Recognized” during the past four years. Excellent post-secondary education is provided by two branches of the University of Texas and two thriving community colleges, all within a 40-mile radius. Moreover, the largest branch of the state’s premier technical school, Texas State Technical College (TSTC), is located right here in Harlingen, specializing in high-caliber programs such as computer technology, electronics, information management, medical and surgical technology, robotics, computerized drafting, welding, aviation maintenance, and other emerging technologies. The growing campus generates a steady supply of highly trained technical and vocational graduates for the workforce.

Adjacent to TSTC are the world-renowned Marine Military Academy and a branch of Lockheed-Martin’s vast aerospace-engineering facilities. Just across the street, Harlingen’s Valley International Airport makes in-and-out travel easy and convenient. VIA is the Rio Grande Valley’s leading airport for passenger activity, infrastructure and services, and was selected by the FAA as Texas’ Best Regional Airport! (www.iflyharlingen.com) Popular carriers include Southwest Airlines, Continental Express, and Sun Country Airlines (seasonal).

Harlingen is also one of the few locations offering truly multi-modal options for public, private, and industrial transportation. A pair of four-lane divided expressways intersects in Harlingen. US Highway 77 links the Rio Grande Valley to the rest of the state and connects with Interstate 37 at Corpus Christi, while US Highway 83 runs east-west through the Valley and connects with Interstate 35 at Laredo. Currently under construction, Interstate 69 will connect the Valley to all points north. (www.I69texas.org)

Frequent travel to and from nearby Mexico is simplified by three local international bridges, allowing quick access to shops and restaurants for day trippers and convenient passage further south for extended visits. Other transportation modes that facilitate business include the NAFTA Cargo Port’s range of air freight services, the Port of Harlingen’s river and wharf facilities, and Union Pacific Railroad’s local terminal and switching yard.

And speaking of business – Harlingen Industrial Parks has prime industrial property ready for development, offering amenities such as full infrastructure, low-cost utilities, an Enterprise Zone, a Foreign Trade Zone, easy access to Mexico, and a state-of-the-art airport (VIA) within five miles.

Underlying all these attractive features is Harlingen’s safe, low-crime profile. In 2003, only 324 violent crimes (two murders) were reported – fewer than 5.4 per 1,000 persons.

Whether you’re interested in finding a home for a family, a base for a corporation, or a spot for a captivating and relaxing vacation, Harlingen’s the place!