McAllen & Pharr

The commercial, medical, and retail heart of the Rio Grande Valley, anchored by McAllen (pop. ~149,000) and Pharr (pop. ~80,000). McAllen's north side features the upscale Tres Lagos master-planned community and La Plaza Mall, while the southern edge reaches the Rio Grande across from Reynosa, Mexico. Pharr lies directly east, home to the Pharr International Bridge and a growing logistics sector. San Juan and Hidalgo round out the urban core, with Hidalgo serving as a major border crossing point. Interstate 2/US-83 runs east-west through the southern portion, and I-69C/US-281 bisects the area north-south through Pharr.