El Refugio Texas Map

About El Refugio, Texas

El Refugio is a locality in Starr County, Texas, United States. It is a small community with a population of 780. The population density is 424.4 people per km². El Refugio is located at 26.3403°N, 98.7559°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. ZIP code: 78582.

El Refugio lies under a sky that stretches wide and pale, a canvas for the sun's relentless, golden brushstrokes. It lies 28.0 miles west-north-west of Mission, TX (from Mission, TX: bearing 288°T), and is situated 4.8 miles south-east of Rio Grande City. The land here is a study in subtle undulations, a low-lying terrain where mesquite and various scrub brush cling tenaciously to the earth, their thorny branches casting intricate, dancing shadows as the day wears on. The air itself carries a dry, persistent warmth, a subtle perfume of dust and distant, sun-baked earth, punctuated by the occasional, sharp cry of a hawk circling high above. This is a place where the horizon feels perpetually close, a gentle curve against the vast, blue expanse, and the silence is often broken only by the whisper of the wind through the sparse vegetation. The history of El Refugio is deeply entwined with the agricultural pulse of the Rio Grande Valley, a legacy of fertile soil and the enduring spirit of those who coaxed life from it. For generations, cotton and citrus have been the lifeblood of this region, their cultivation shaping the very character of the landscape and the livelihoods of its people. While the boom-and-bust cycles of agriculture have played their part, a resilient spirit persists, a quiet determination to thrive amidst the changing tides of the economy. The local character is one of understated pride, a deep connection to the land and a welcoming warmth that belies the sometimes harsh beauty of the surroundings.

About This El Refugio Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of El Refugio, Texas — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 26.340345, -98.755859. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on El Refugio and Starr County.

Detailed location data for El Refugio includes the ZIP code (78582), telephone area code (830), county seat of Starr County (Rio Grande City), and school district assignment (Rio Grande City Grulla Independent School District). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct El Refugio is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.