Hidalgo County, TX elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Hidalgo County: 17 seats on 5 elected bodies. 12 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Commissioners Court

Hidalgo County Commissioners Court

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County JudgeRichard Cortez sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, Precinct 1David L. Fuentes source
County Commissioner, Precinct 2Eduardo "Eddie" Cantu sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, Precinct 3Everardo "Ever" Villarreal source
County Commissioner, Precinct 4Ellie Torres sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County ClerkArturo Guajardo, Jr. sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Criminal District AttorneyToribio Palacios sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District ClerkLaura Hinojosa sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Special districts

Boards elected by the voters who live in each district.

Hidalgo County Justices of the Peace · 9 seats
OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 1Gilberto Saenz source
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2Andrew Gonzalez sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 1Ricardo Perez sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 2Jaime (Jerry) Munoz sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 1Ramon Segovia source
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2Juan (J.J.) Pena sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 1Charlie Espinoza source
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 2Andre Maldonado sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 1Jason (J.P.) Pena sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Hidalgo County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 81 local governments in Hidalgo County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships220
School districts (school boards)160
Special districts (elected boards)421

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Hidalgo County

891,977people
30.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$54,338 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
26.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
20.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$140,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
7.6%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
26.1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
3.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
28.2%U.S.: 8.4%
48.7%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
32.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 91.9% · White 6% · Black 0.6% · Asian 1% · Other or more than one race 0.5% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Hidalgo County

5.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 6.4%. Texas: 4.3%.
22,913people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
384,317people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
407,230in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Hidalgo County 0.0%3.0%6.0%9.1%12.1% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)5.6%22,913384,317407,230
August 20266.3%25,744380,722406,466
July 20266.8%27,592379,953407,545
June 20267.0%28,564377,874406,438
May 20266.1%24,929381,579406,508
April 20265.7%22,982382,355405,337
March 20265.9%24,038381,764405,802
February 20266.4%26,114383,493409,607
January 20266.9%28,147381,218409,365
December 20256.4%26,272385,593411,865
November 20256.3%25,977386,227412,204
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20256.4%26,280381,331407,611
August 20256.8%27,943380,015407,958
July 20257.0%28,264378,311406,575
June 20256.6%26,806377,994404,800
May 20255.9%23,961378,912402,873
April 20255.6%22,601382,824405,425
March 20255.9%23,724381,040404,764
February 20256.0%24,300382,367406,667
January 20256.3%25,380380,612405,992
December 20246.1%24,717380,747405,464
November 20245.8%23,426379,235402,661
October 20245.3%21,142376,567397,709
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.3%25,592381,384406,976
20246.0%23,734373,789397,523
20236.1%23,535364,311387,846
20226.5%24,579355,006379,585
20218.9%33,557341,614375,171
202011.5%41,980322,063364,043
20196.2%21,905331,726353,631
20186.6%22,894326,222349,116
20177.4%25,600318,757344,357
20167.7%26,247312,713338,960

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Texas's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Hidalgo County

281.1 per 100,0002025. Texas: 344.9.
1,294.8 per 100,0002025. Texas: 1,786.0.
20murders2025, 2,591 violent crimes in all.
By police agency (21)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office20257682,035260,330
McAllen Police Department20251902,137150,422
Edinburg Police Department20252351,638110,822
Mission Police Department20251201,03789,265
Pharr Police Department202517088381,470
Weslaco Police Department20251481,19244,714
San Juan Police Department20256341837,852
Alton Police Department202522316224,213
Alamo Police Department202513761220,960
Mercedes Police Department20256232417,869
Donna Police Department202532175416,893
Palmview Police Department20255318516,078
Hidalgo Police Department20252216115,468
Penitas Police Department20252466,598
Elsa Police Department2024191755,702
La Joya Police Department20259225,300
Progreso Police Department20251305,274
Sullivan City Police Department202522233,898
Edcouch Police Department20186253,393
La Villa Police Department20246363,160
Palmhurst Police Department202541612,602

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Texas · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.59 per 1,000 residents2025, 21 agencies serving 921,742 people.
1,464sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
1,001civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (21), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office304581260,330
McAllen Police Department285140150,422
Edinburg Police Department17163110,822
Mission Police Department1734789,265
Pharr Police Department1343181,470
Weslaco Police Department833044,714
San Juan Police Department471837,852
Alamo Police Department381320,960
Donna Police Department351416,893
Hidalgo Police Department361115,468
Alton Police Department29824,213
Mercedes Police Department27817,869
Palmview Police Department211016,078
Elsa Police Department1755,769
La Joya Police Department1265,300
Palmhurst Police Department1252,602
Sullivan City Police Department963,898
Edcouch Police Department932,673
Penitas Police Department1116,598
La Villa Police Department513,272
Progreso Police Department605,274

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Hidalgo County County Clerk?
Arturo Guajardo, Jr. is the County Clerk of Hidalgo County, Texas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney?
Toribio Palacios is the Criminal District Attorney of Hidalgo County, Texas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hidalgo County District Clerk?
Laura Hinojosa is the District Clerk of Hidalgo County, Texas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Hidalgo County commissioners?
Richard Cortez (County Judge); David L. Fuentes (Precinct 1); Eduardo "Eddie" Cantu (Precinct 2); Everardo "Ever" Villarreal (Precinct 3); Ellie Torres (Precinct 4).
What is the population of Hidalgo County?
About 891,977 people, with a median age of 30.5; the median household income is $54,338 and 26.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Hidalgo County?
5.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 22,913 people unemployed in a labor force of 407,230, against 6.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Hidalgo County?
81 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 22 municipal, 16 school district and 42 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Office of Court Administration's directory of trial courts by county (May 2026), the Texas Secretary of State's county officer lists, the Comptroller's county directory and each county's own website (commissioners); officials appointed since those lists were updated may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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