The Brownsville–Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of one county – Cameron – in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas, anchored by the cities of Brownsville and Harlingen.The 2012 U.S. Census Bureau estimate places the Brownsville–Harlingen metropolitan area population at 415,557 allotting it the eighth most populous metropolitan area in the state of Texas, it has recently been named the poorest city in the United States. The typical Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas household earns just $32,093 a year, or $21,564 less than the typical American household. The city is by several measures the poorest in the country. More than 35% of area residents live in poverty, the highest poverty rate in the country. Low incomes in the area may be the result of a poorly educated workforce. Just 64.6% of Brownsville area adults have at least a high school diploma, 22.3 percentage points fewer than the national figure. About 29% of area households rely on food stamps, the third highest share of any metro area in the country.
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The Brownsville–Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area is also a component of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville Combined Statistical Area, which covers two counties (Cameron and Willacy) and had an estimated population of 416,766 as of July 1, 2009.