Higher Education in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area

Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area can be considered to have a less-educated 2005 population, with 13.6 percent of the population (+25) having received a BA or higher, as reported in American Community Survey of 2005. The Brownsville-Harlingen MSA counted a lower percent of the population with at least a Bachelors than the State of Texas's proportion of 25.2 percent and a lower percent than the US proportion of 27.2 percent.

From the years 2000 to 2005, the proportion of the male population that could be considered highly educated has increased by 0.6 percent. By 2005, 15.6 percent of the total male population, in the area, has obtained at least a Bachelors Degree. From 2000 to 2005, the percent of women with a Bachelors or Higher has decreased by a total of 0.2 percent. By the year 2005, a total of 12 percent of the total female population achieved this high level of education.

Since the year 2000, the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area has increased in the percent of the population that is over the age of 25 with a BA or Higher. This population cohort has grown by 0.2 percent to a total of 13.6 percent in 2005, according to the American Community Survey. The 2005 proportion of highly educated population is less than the State of Texas percent of 25.2 and less than the average US percent of 27.2.

Reported by the 2005 American Community Survey in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area, the largest educational attainment category for men is the Less than High School category, with 36 percent achieving this level. The female population in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area have attainment on average a lower level of higher education (Bachelors or Higher) than men; 15.6 percent (Men) versus 12 percent (Women). The most common level of education for women in the area is Less than High School category, with 41.2 percent of the female population achieving this education level.

In the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area according the 2005 American Community Survey, 14 percent of the White Alone, . percent of Black or African American, . percent of the Asian alone and 9.8 percent of the Hispanic or Latino population (over 25) has obtained a Bachelors Degree or Higher.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.

Demographic Profile for Brownsville-Harlingen, TX

The U.S. Census Bureau, in the year 2005, estimated the median age in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area to be 28.5 years old. The median age in Brownsville-Harlingen is less than the median age in Texas of 33.2. From 2000, the area has seen a decline in this median, when at that time it was 29.0 years of age. With 9.6 percent of the 2005 population being made up of children and youth younger than 18, Brownsville-Harlingen can be understood as being made up of a medium-high proportion of youths. The 18 to 64 years old population group has a medium-low representation within the estimated 2005 area population, making up 61.6 percent of the population within the age category. People 65 years old and older make up 13.4 percent of the population in the area. When compared to other metro areas throughout the United States, this represents a medium-low percent of the population base.

The Brownsville-Harlingen metro area had an estimated population of 378,311 in the year 2005. The population has increased sharply, since the 2000 total population of 336,827. This growth represents an increase of 12.3 percent. Brownsville-Harlingen ranks 6 of 25 MSAs by growth in total population in Texas and the metro area ranks 65 of 361 metro areas when analyzing total MSA population change across the nation.

When calculating the total land area, the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area spans a total area of 906 square miles. The land areas has a medium-high density of 418 persons per square mile. Similar metro areas in the US, in terms of density, include: -- more densely populated -- New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner (418 per sq. mile ), Gainesville (421 per sq. mile ), Elkhart-Goshen (421 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown (413 per sq. mile ), Toledo (405 per sq. mile ), Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville (401 per sq. mile ).

The Brownsville-Harlingen metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has a population base that is comprised of 12.9 percent White, 0.3 percent African American, 0.5 percent Asian, and 86 percent Hispanic. The population mix can be considered to have a very high level of diversity, with 86.8 percent of the population made up of minorities. This is greater than the State of Texas percent of 49.5. Since 2000, Brownsville-Harlingen has increased the percent of minority makeup when 85.3 percent of the total population were minorities.

From 2000, a very high number of individuals have migrated into the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area, with 11,797 people migrating in internationally. The international migration into Brownsville-Harlingen totals 1.8 percent of the total migration into the State of Texas. This level of international migration can be considered very high when analyzed against the base population in the year 2005 and compared to other metro areas across the US.

Datasource: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Bureau of the Census.