Neighborhood in San Benito, Cameron County

Living in Central San Benito, San Benito

D+

4th of 6areas in San Benito
Overall score 27 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
San Benito overall: C-

Central San Benito covers part of San Benito, TX, home to about 8,600 people. It gets a D+, in the bottom third of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 4th of 6 areas we score in San Benito. It does best on getting around and worst on jobs and income.

  • Affordable
  • Short commutes
  • Lots of parks
  • Jobs and income scores low (4 of 100)
  • Education levels scores low (14 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.7 mi
Pharmacy0.9 mi
Park0.3 mi
Cafe0.8 mi
Restaurant0.3 mi
Gym0.8 mi
Hospital or urgent care1.1 mi
Childcare0.7 mi
Library1.0 mi

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

Population
8,620
Median rent
$760
Median home value
$83,000
Household income
$40,300
Average commute
19 min
Homes owned
59%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Central San Benito

Central San Benito is an area in San Benito with about 8,600 residents, homes built around 1975, a mix of owners and renters and 37% of households with children.

It grades D+ against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 4th of 6 areas in San Benito, which grades C- overall.

Pros of living in Central San Benito

  • Groceries close by. The nearest grocery store is about 0.7 miles from the middle of the neighborhood.
  • Parks within walking distance. The closest park is about 0.3 miles away.

Cons of living in Central San Benito

  • Higher unemployment. 11% of the labor force is out of work, against 7.3% across San Benito.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of hurricanes as very high in this part of town.

Central San Benito report card

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

  • Cost of living: grade B+

    Median rent $760, homes cost 2.0x income.

    78 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade F

    Median household income $40,300, 11% unemployed.

    4 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade C-

    Nearby schools average 77 of 100 on the state rating.

    34 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 203 violent crimes per 100k, 2,488 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade C-

    Some everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    40 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade A-

    Average commute 19 min, 8.7% work from home.

    81 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D-

    19% have a bachelor’s degree.

    14 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D-

    41% of adults uninsured.

    10 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade D+

    59% of homes owner-occupied.

    30 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade D-

    78% of homes have broadband.

    11 of 100 vs TX areas

Central San Benito compared with San Benito

Better than San Benito

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 19%5 points higher than San Benito (14%)
  • Median rent: $7609% lower than San Benito ($839)
  • Vacant homes: 8.8%2 points lower than San Benito (11%)

Worse than San Benito

  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 69%8 points higher than San Benito (61%)
  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 59%7 points lower than San Benito (66%)
  • People below the poverty line: 34%5 points higher than San Benito (30%)

Closest public schools

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

  • ACash ElementaryElementary, San Benito CISD0.9 mi
  • CMiller Jordan MiddleMiddle, San Benito CISD1 mi
  • DSan Benito High SchoolHigh, San Benito CISD2.9 mi

Cost of living in Central San Benito

Median rent in Central San Benito is $760 a month, 9% lower than the San Benito median. A household would need about $30,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $83,000, about the same as the San Benito median, which means a monthly payment of about $557 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereSan BenitoTexas
Median rent9% lower than San Benito$760$839$1,403
Median home valueAbout the same as San Benito$83,000$85,300$283,800
Home value to income5% higher than San Benito2.0x2.0x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent8 points higher than San Benito69%61%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them7 points lower than San Benito59%66%63%
Vacant homes2 points lower than San Benito8.8%11%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as San Benito197519871992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$557
Mortgage payment
$454
Property tax
$102
Median rent, for comparison
$760

Based on a $83,000 home in Central San Benito, 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

MeasureHereSan BenitoTexas
Median household income8% lower than San Benito$40,300$43,639$78,476
Unemployment rate4 points higher than San Benito11%7.3%5.3%
People below the poverty line5 points higher than San Benito34%30%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher5 points higher than San Benito19%14%34%
Average commute9% higher than San Benito19 min18 min27 min
Workers who work from home2 points lower than San Benito8.7%11%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transitAbout the same as San Benito2.0%1.0%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet3 points lower than San Benito78%81%91%

Natural hazard risk

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

  • River floodingLow
  • Coastal floodingVery low
  • HurricanesVery high
  • TornadoesModerate
  • HailHigh
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresModerate
  • Winter stormsModerate
  • Strong windModerate

Who lives in Central San Benito

Under 1827%
18 to 3422%
35 to 6431%
65 and over19%
Race and ethnicity
White4.3%
Hispanic or Latino95%
Black0.1%
Asian0%
Other or more than one race0.2%

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

Other neighborhoods in San Benito

  1. 1BHunter's CrossingMedian rent $710
  2. 2C-West San BenitoMedian rent $1,460
  3. 3D+Northwest San BenitoMedian rent $980
  4. 5D+Sundance Apartment HomesMedian rent $780
  5. 6DSunnyside SubdivisionMedian rent $1,110

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. D+Central Rio Grande CityRio Grande City
  2. D+Ft. Concho EastSan Angelo
  3. D+South Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi

Questions about Central San Benito

Is Central San Benito a good place to live?

Central San Benito covers part of San Benito, TX, home to about 8,600 people. It gets a D+, in the bottom third of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 4th of 6 areas we score in San Benito. It does best on getting around and worst on jobs and income.

How much does it cost to live in Central San Benito?

Median rent in Central San Benito is $760 a month, 9% lower than the San Benito median. The median home is worth $83,000, about the same as the San Benito median. A median home costs 2.0x the median household income, compared with 2.0x across San Benito.

What schools serve Central San Benito?

The closest rated public schools are Cash Elementary (elementary, rated A), Miller Jordan Middle (middle, rated C) and San Benito High School (high, rated D). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area groups 7 Census block groups in this part of San Benito 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.