Neighborhood in Donna, Hidalgo County

Living in Central Donna, Donna

C-

1st of 6areas in Donna
Overall score 33 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Donna overall: D-

Central Donna covers part of Donna, TX, home to about 3,100 people. It gets a C-, just below the middle of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 1st of 6 areas we score in Donna. It does best on cost of living and worst on health.

  • Affordable
  • Jobs and income scores low (8 of 100)
  • Education levels scores low (3 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.8 mi
Pharmacy1.3 mi
Park1.3 mi
Cafe1.7 mi
Restaurant0.8 mi
Gym1.6 mi
Hospital or urgent care2.3 mi
Childcare1.2 mi
Library2.1 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
3,100
Median rent
$800
Median home value
$83,000
Household income
$51,500
Average commute
26 min
Homes owned
92%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Central Donna

Central Donna is an area in Donna with about 3,100 residents, homes built around 1997, mostly owner-occupied (92%) and 78% of households with children.

It grades C- against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 1st of 6 areas in Donna, which grades D- overall.

Pros of living in Central Donna

No clear standouts in our data.

Cons of living in Central Donna

  • Higher unemployment. 9.2% of the labor force is out of work, against 5.4% across Donna.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of hurricanes, heat waves and hail as very high in this part of town.

Central Donna report card

Each grade compares Central Donna with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade A-

    Median rent $800, homes cost 1.6x income.

    86 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade F

    Median household income $51,500, 9.2% unemployed.

    8 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade C+

    Nearby schools average 81 of 100 on the state rating.

    51 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 1,900 violent crimes per 100k, 4,493 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade D

    Few everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    21 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade B-

    Average commute 26 min, 4.4% work from home.

    62 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade F

    9.3% have a bachelor’s degree.

    3 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade F

    46% of adults uninsured.

    1 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade B

    92% of homes owner-occupied.

    65 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade C-

    90% of homes have broadband.

    36 of 100 vs TX areas

Central Donna compared with Donna

Better than Donna

  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 92%34 points higher than Donna (58%)
  • Median household income: $51,50027% higher than Donna ($40,438)
  • Home value to income: 1.6x25% lower than Donna (2.1x)

Worse than Donna

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 9.3%4 points lower than Donna (14%)
  • Unemployment rate: 9.2%4 points higher than Donna (5.4%)
  • Adults 18 to 64 without health insurance: 46%3 points higher than Donna (44%)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • CGuzman ElementaryElementary, Donna ISD1.5 mi
  • AA P Solis MiddleMiddle, Donna ISD1.9 mi
  • BDonna High SchoolHigh, Donna ISD2 mi

Cost of living in Central Donna

Median rent in Central Donna is $800 a month, about the same as the Donna median. A household would need about $32,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $83,000, about the same as the Donna median, which means a monthly payment of about $544 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereDonnaTexas
Median rentAbout the same as Donna$800$806$1,403
Median home value4% lower than Donna$83,000$86,100$283,800
Home value to income25% lower than Donna1.6x2.1x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent1 points lower than Donna55%56%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them34 points higher than Donna92%58%63%
Vacant homes6 points lower than Donna10%16%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Donna199719891992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$544
Mortgage payment
$454
Property tax
$90
Median rent, for comparison
$800

Based on a $83,000 home in Central Donna, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereDonnaTexas
Median household income27% higher than Donna$51,500$40,438$78,476
Unemployment rate4 points higher than Donna9.2%5.4%5.3%
People below the poverty line9 points lower than Donna32%41%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher4 points lower than Donna9.3%14%34%
Average commute5% higher than Donna26 min25 min27 min
Workers who work from homeAbout the same as Donna4.4%4.6%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit2 points higher than Donna3.3%0.9%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet9 points higher than Donna90%81%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingLow
  • HurricanesVery high
  • TornadoesModerate
  • HailVery high
  • Heat wavesVery high
  • WildfiresHigh
  • Winter stormsHigh
  • Strong windLow

Who lives in Central Donna

Under 1845%
18 to 3429%
35 to 6424%
65 and over2.2%
Race and ethnicity
White0.3%
Hispanic or Latino98%
Black1.4%
Asian0%
Other or more than one race0%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Donna

  1. 2D+North DonnaMedian rent $810
  2. 3D+La Villita EstatesMedian rent $880
  3. 4DNortheast DonnaMedian rent $990
  4. 5DNorthwest DonnaMedian rent $750
  5. 6FTierra Prieta ColoniaMedian rent $800

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. C+Central EdinburgEdinburg
  2. DPleasantvilleHouston
  3. B-Hilda Colonia Number 2La Homa

Questions about Central Donna

Is Central Donna a good place to live?

Central Donna covers part of Donna, TX, home to about 3,100 people. It gets a C-, just below the middle of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 1st of 6 areas we score in Donna. It does best on cost of living and worst on health.

How much does it cost to live in Central Donna?

Median rent in Central Donna is $800 a month, about the same as the Donna median. The median home is worth $83,000, 4% lower than the Donna median. A median home costs 1.6x the median household income, compared with 2.1x across Donna.

What schools serve Central Donna?

The closest rated public schools are Guzman Elementary (elementary, rated C), A P Solis Middle (middle, rated A) and Donna High School (high, rated B). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area groups 1 Census block group in this part of Donna that have no neighborhood name on the map. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.