Alton, TX: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

Looking for facts about Alton? It is a small incorporated city in Hidalgo County, Texas, with an estimated 18,105 people according to our dataset. It lies at 26.288°N, 98.310°W in Central time. The sections below cover its size, ZIP codes, neighbors and distances.

What are the key facts about Alton, TX?

What is the population of Alton, TX?

Alton has an estimated population of 18,105. That makes it the 169th largest of the 1,679 places we list in Texas, and the 8th largest of 53 places in Hidalgo County. The typical place in Texas has about 1,441 residents, so Alton is roughly 12.6 times the size of a typical neighbor in the state.

Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.

Places in Texas with a similar population include Kilgore (18,265), Palestine (18,243), Boerne (18,232), Orange (18,118), Beeville (18,068). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how Alton differs from communities of the same scale.

How dense is Alton?

Alton has about 2,476 people per square mile (956 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within Texas, it is denser than about 88% of the listed places. Land at this level is usually a mix of single-family neighborhoods, shopping corridors and parks, where driving is common but destinations are close. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.

What ZIP codes does Alton use?

The postal data lists a single ZIP code for Alton: 78573. A single code usually means a compact delivery area, but the same code may also serve addresses just outside the town line. Codes beginning with 7 are assigned to the south-central states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.

What time zone is Alton in?

Alton is in the Central time zone, which is UTC−6 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/Chicago). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Hobbs, NM, about 532 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Central time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.

Where is Alton located in Texas?

Alton lies in the southern part of Texas, at 26.288° north latitude and 98.310° west longitude. The state capital, Austin, is about 279 miles to the north. The closest listed place in another state is Carlyss, LA, roughly 403 miles to the northeast, which shows how near Alton is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is McAllen, TX, 6 miles to the southeast.

Which cities are near Alton, TX?

The closest listed place to Alton is La Homa, TX, 3.1 miles to the west. Of the eight nearest places below, 8 are in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.

Which county is Alton in?

Alton is in Hidalgo County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 48215. The county contains 53 places in our data, 21 of which have their own page here and 32 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include McAllen (804,114), Edinburg (101,170), Mission (84,331), Pharr (79,112), Weslaco (41,629). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.

How far is Alton from major US cities?

Among six major hubs, Alton is closest to Houston, TX at about 300 miles and farthest from New York, NY at about 1,712 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called Alton?

Yes. Our data lists 6 other places named Alton: Alton, IL (78,905), Alton, IA (1,248), Alton, MO (834), Alton, UT (120), Alton, KS (91), Alton, IN (54). When you search for Alton, add the state or county so you land on the right one. This page covers the Alton in Hidalgo County, Texas.

Planning a move to Alton?

If you are weighing Alton, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. The radius search tool lists every place within any distance of it. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.

Where to go next

Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.