La Joya, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Joya, Texas
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| La Joya | |
| Nickname(s):
The Jewel City
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| Motto(s):
The Jewel of the Rio Grande Valley
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Location of La Joya, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hidalgo |
| Incorporated | 1965 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.38 sq mi (11.35 km2) |
| • Land | 4.21 sq mi (10.89 km2) |
| • Water | 0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2) |
| Elevation | 174 ft (53 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,457 |
| • Density | 1,017.6/sq mi (392.69/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
78560
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| Area code(s) | 956 |
| FIPS code | 48-40384 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1339334 |
La Joya is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,457 at the 2020 United States Census. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.
History
Its name, meaning "the jewel", was inspired by a small natural lake west of the city; early settlers were said to observe that the lake shined in the sun like a jewel. The site on which La Joya was founded was part of what was known as "Los Ejidos de Reynosa Viejo". The ejidos were the shared grazing lands used for the livestock of the settlers of Reynosa Viejo ("Old Reynosa"). During the early 1800s, at the site of what is now La Joya, Francisco de la Garza, a descendant of the early colonizers of the area who soon decided to change his last name from de la Garza to Garza, founded a community, called "Tabasco", adjacent to the northern bank of the Rio Grande. It was a prosperous community that died out after floods in 1908 and 1909. The settlers moved their belongings just north to higher and less flood-prone ground, present-day La Joya.
Geography
La Joya is located in southwestern Hidalgo County at 26°14′31″N 98°28′48″W / 26.24194°N 98.48000°W (26.241996, –98.480138). It is bordered to the east by the city of Peñitas and to the west by unincorporated Havana. Interstate 2 passes through the center of La Joya, leading east 16 miles (26 km) to the center of McAllen and northwest 24 miles (39 km) to Rio Grande City.
According to the United States Census Bureau, La Joya has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11.4 km2), of which 4.2 square miles (10.9 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), or 4.05%, are water. Walker Lake is in the southeastern part of the city limits.
| Climate data for La Joya, Texas (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 71.1 (21.7) |
75.3 (24.1) |
82.2 (27.9) |
87.2 (30.7) |
91.4 (33.0) |
96.4 (35.8) |
97.3 (36.3) |
98.5 (36.9) |
93.6 (34.2) |
88.4 (31.3) |
81.7 (27.6) |
72.1 (22.3) |
86.3 (30.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 48.0 (8.9) |
51.5 (10.8) |
57.5 (14.2) |
63.7 (17.6) |
70.8 (21.6) |
75.2 (24.0) |
75.7 (24.3) |
75.8 (24.3) |
72.1 (22.3) |
64.8 (18.2) |
56.8 (13.8) |
47.8 (8.8) |
63.3 (17.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.56 (40) |
1.41 (36) |
0.86 (22) |
1.27 (32) |
1.53 (39) |
2.16 (55) |
2.56 (65) |
0.94 (24) |
4.26 (108) |
2.76 (70) |
1.22 (31) |
1.50 (38) |
22.03 (560) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 1,217 | — | |
| 1980 | 2,018 | 65.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,604 | 29.0% | |
| 2000 | 3,303 | 26.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,985 | 20.6% | |
| 2020 | 4,457 | 11.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 86 | 1.93% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 2 | 0.04% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 5 | 0.11% |
| Asian (NH) | 5 | 0.11% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 19 | 0.43% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 8 | 0.18% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,332 | 97.2% |
| Total | 4,457 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,457 people, 1,235 households, and 880 families residing in the city.
Education
La Joya is served by the La Joya Independent School District. The zoned schools for residents of La Joya city are Tabasco Elementary School, Lorenzo de Zavala Middle School, and La Joya High School.
In addition, residents are allowed to apply to magnet schools operated by the South Texas Independent School District.
La Joya Public Library is located in the city.
Notable people
- Sergio Castillo, CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers Place Kicker, 2021 Grey Cup Champion
- Macarena Hernandez, award-winning journalist, educator and La Joya High School graduate
- Mayra Rosales, one of the heaviest women of all time
See also
In Spanish: La Joya (Texas) para niños
