McAllen is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas. It is located at the very southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 106,414. Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the United States-Mexico border, the Rio Grande River.

McAllen is known as the “City of Palms” for the thousands of palm trees that dot the local lanscape and line many of the city's streets. Local residents (and most Texans) simply refer to the entire 4-county area that comprises the Lower Rio Grande Valley as “the Valley”. A center for international commerce and trade, McAllen is a major gateway to Mexico and the countries of Central America. The city’s population nearly doubles from October through March, as retirees descend upon the area from the north. These “Winter Texans” come to south Texas to enjoy the tropical climate, Mexican culture, square dancing, golf courses and other unique recreational outdoor opportunities. Most "Winter Texans" live in mobile home parks and RV campgrounds, but in recent years, a small but growing number have permanently relocated to the Valley.

In its subtropical setting with wide streets, tall palms, and flowers at every turn, McAllen has a thriving business climate geared toward trade with Mexico. McAllen is a shopping, social, trade, recreation, cultural and healthcare center serving the needs of a half million people. With the city’s present population topping the 120,000 mark, the McAllen metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing in Texas and the nation, according to the McAllen Economic Development Corporation. When the Mexican city of Reynosa is taken into account, more than a million people reside within a 15-mile radius of the City of Palms.

Many local residents claim that the laid-back subtropical setting easily lends itself to a slower, more relaxed, and somehow more pleasant life-style; for many McAllenites, the musical sounds of the Spanish language on the streets and in the shops confirm that “you are not in Kansas anymore”, but in a unique, very special place.

Close proximity to Mexico has fostered a Multiculturalism making McAllen and its environs very different from "typical" American cities. The unique blend of Mexican and American traditions has created a distinct bi-national border culture that permeates almost all aspects of life in the Valley. McAllen is a gateway community for legal and illegal Mexican immigrants, and official census population estimates probably undercount the actual population by many thousands. Heavy and continual immigration has led to both opportunities and challenges for McAllen. On one hand, McAllen's cultural diversity has been enriched by immigrants from throughout Mexico (and, to a lesser extent, Central America), and the city's expanding labor market has led many companies to relocate manufacturing operations to the McAllen area to take advantage of lower wages; however, the Valley remains one of the poorest regions in the United States, and unemployment and underemployment among local residents is a serious problem. Some "Anglo" residents of McAllen have also left the area in recent years as the city's hispanic population, fueled by new arrivals, dramatically increased.

Fields of vegetables, sugar cane, onions and grapefruit and orange trees can be found throughout neighborhoods and farther out into the country as farmers take advantage of the long growing season and warm temperatures. The Valley's citrus industry has played a particularly important role in the region's development, and although much smaller than during it's heydey in the 1950's and 1960's, it remains an integral part of the Valley's agricultural economy. The famous Ruby Red Grapefruit was originally developed in the Sharyland area just outside of McAllen.

Downtown McAllen is host to several events throughout the year. There is a Street Market the first Sunday of each month from January through March, a Mini Grand Prix Car Race the last weekend in February, a patriotic parade and a grand display of fireworks July 4th and the famous Candlelight Posada during December.