Palmer is a community in Cameron County, Texas, home to about 1,435 people across 1.1 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 78586.
Homes sold for a median of $152 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly San Benito; part is in Palmer
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Palmer. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Palmer’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | San Antonio International Airport (SAT)240 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Valley International Airport (HRL)7 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Corpus Christi, TX116 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | San Antonio, TX236 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Palmer; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
It’s the 864th largest of 1,778 towns in Texas by population.
Cameron County grew from 16,095 residents in 1900 to 421,017 in 2020.
Cameron County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 98°F in summer, and winter lows average 51°F. About 28.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 0 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Harlingen, TX weather station (5 miles away).
123,749 jobs at 6,732 businesses in Cameron County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
84 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Palmer.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 14 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 6 |
| Dentists | 10 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 26 |
| Mental health providers | 15 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 8 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 7 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (5 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by San Benito CISD, Driscoll ISD, Los Fresnos CISD and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angela Gerusa Leal ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 351 | Public | 4.0 mi |
| Cash ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 611 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Downs Fine Arts AcademySan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 426 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Driscoll Play and Learn Day Care San Benito CenterSan Benito | Pre-K | 22 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Fred Booth Global Leadership AcademySan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 441 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| Judge Oscar De La Fuente ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 271 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| La Encantada ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 488 | Public | 7.2 mi |
| La Paloma ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 474 | Public | 5.9 mi |
| Las Yescas ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 354 | Public | 10.4 mi |
| Laureles ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 516 | Public | 8.0 mi |
| Palmer-Laakso ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 582 | Public | 10.8 mi |
| Rangerville ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 203 | Public | 6.6 mi |
| Raul Garza Jr. Steam AcademySan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 437 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Roberts ElSan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 303 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Sullivan Environmental Science AcademySan Benito | Pre-K–5 | 367 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Greyhounds Online AcademySan Benito | K–10 | 76 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Idea Academy San BenitoSan Benito | K–5 | 685 | Charter | 2.2 mi |
| Berta Cabaza MiddleSan Benito | 6–8 | 695 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Collegiate AcademySan Benito | 6–8 | 117 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Idea College Preparatory San BenitoSan Benito | 6–12 | 780 | Charter | 2.2 mi |
| Liberty Memorial MiddleSan Benito | 6–8 | 673 | Public | 8.2 mi |
| Miller Jordan MiddleSan Benito | 6–8 | 477 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Positive Redirection CtrSan Benito | 6–12 | — | Alternative Education | 1.0 mi |
| San Benito Riverside MiddleSan Benito | 6–8 | 558 | Public | 6.2 mi |
| South Texas ISD Rising Scholars AcademySan Benito | 6–8 | 781 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Hester Juvenile DetentSan Benito | 7–11 | 40 | Alternative Education | 2.2 mi |
| Cameron Co J J A E PSan Benito | 8–12 | 8 | Alternative Education | 2.2 mi |
| Cameron Co J J A E PSan Benito | 8–12 | 6 | Alternative Education | 2.2 mi |
| Cameron Co J J A E PSan Benito | 8–12 | 9 | Alternative Education | 2.2 mi |
| Rgv Youth Recovery HomeSan Benito | 8–12 | 12 | Alternative Education | 5.2 mi |
And 4 more.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with San Benito, Brownsville, Harlingen, La Paloma, Encantada-Ranchito-El Calaboz, Rice Tracts, Arroyo Colorado Estates, Los Indios, Green Valley Farms, Arroyo Gardens, Bluetown, Lozano, El Camino Angosto, Lago and Villa del Sol.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.