Roma was part of Mexico until 1836! Actually, this whole part of Texas was a part of Mexico prior to Texan independence, so this town was under Mexican jurisdiction and you can very much feel the Mexican influence still while you're here!
Roma is a city in Starr County, Texas with a population of 9,765
Roma was part of Mexico until 1836! Actually, this whole part of Texas was a part of Mexico prior to Texan independence, so this town was under Mexican jurisdiction and you can very much feel the Mexican influence still while you're here!
Roma is a city in Starr County, Texas with a population of 9,765. It's located along the Rio Grande River, across for Ciudad Miguel Aleman in Tamaulipas, Mexico! The city was founded in 1765 and has a rich and interesting history. That includes the food, the architecture and the tropical climate! It's now a U.S. entry point into Mexico via the Roma-Ciudad Miguel Aleman International Bridge. There are a number of important historical structures in the area, including the Customs House and the John Vale/Noah Cox House. Roma is the official name, but most people here call it Roma-Los Saenz, since it incorporated with Los Saenz.
Moving to Roma
If you're looking for an apartment for rent in Roma, you have a pretty good chance of finding something great. There are plenty of available units here and a lot of the apartments are rentals. The median home cost is about 1/3 or the national median as well, so you'll have some extra money to travel or save up if you end up renting here. The flipside is that it's pretty isolated. There are a few small towns along the Mexican border, but there's a whole lots of desert in between you and San Antonio, which is the closest big city to the North. But for prices like this, you might not mind being a bit off the beaten path. If you're thinking of moving here, start to consider what kind of apartment you want to rent. The more you know about what you're looking for, the easier it will be to find exactly the place you want! Do you want to live in a single-family home or an apartment complex? Do you want a garage? Do you want to be close to the highway or close to a park? Do you like having grocery stores and restaurants nearby? All of these questions will help you figure out exactly where you want to end up.
Once you've narrowed down your apartment search, make appointments with landlords to see available places all over the city. It will help give you a sense of what is out there and what the prices are for different apartments. It's a good idea not to look for places here in the middle of summer. You're in the desert, after all and temperatures can get boiling hot. Wait for the fall or winter months when things start to cool down a little bit. When you go to meet your prospective landlord, show up on time and have a friendly attitude. You're in the south now and people care about manners! Bring along a folder with all the necessary rental documents so that you can get the application process rolling if you find a place you like. This includes a copy of your ID, bank statements, credit report, pay stubs, and anything else you might need. Having all this ready to go will save you a lot of time in the long run. Bring your checkbook, too. That way you can write out a deposit check if you see an apartment you love that you want to secure right away.
Neighborhoods of Roma
Roma is home to a few different neighborhoods throughout town, all offering their own amenities and charm! Take a look below to decide which is the right one for you.
Villa de Frontera Colonia: This area is north of the Rio Grande and stretches up into the desert. It's pretty rural, but there are a few single family homes and apartment buildings here and real estate is cheap! It's also home to the beautiful Roma Park.
City Center: This is the area around Route 83 where the Juarez Museum of Art is located. There's a very high vacancy rate here so it's worth looking into the single-family homes and apartment buildings here!
El Bosque Number 1: This area is made up of a few small subdivisions and is where you'll find many medium-sized homes and mobile homes. For shopping, you can try the Family Dollar Store on East Grant!
Living in Roma
The city is only three square miles big but its an important setting for many reasons. It's was the location in Clive Cussler's novel, Treasure, as well as for the John Steinbeck script for Viva Zapata.
Aside from the neighboring towns in Mexico, there are very few towns around Roma on the U.S. side, so you'll be able to enjoy the quiet of the surrounding desert. I-83 connects Roma to other parts of Texas, such as Rio Grande City to the east and Laredo to the North.
The Juarez Museum of Art is a wonderful place to visit to see both local and international art and Roma Park is a favorite for people who like to gather along the river. The Roma Cemetery is also one of the area's most beautiful landmarks.
Most of the restaurants are located right around Portscheller Street, like Las Alitas Sports & Wings, Whataburger and Fiesta Fried Chicken. On the East side of town on Grant Street, you'll find El Barquito Oyster Bar and La Parilla Carnes Asadas. There's also a few dollar stores and convenient shops around.
For a dose of history, check out Rosita's Cantina. It's a remarkable architectural masterpiece that was once a bar. Roma residents would show up on horseback to drink whiskey and beer -- the word BEER still shows up on the side of the building to invite people in! It was thought to have been built in 1880. And of course, if you have your passport handy, you can always cross over into Mexico to take advantage of the fun and culture!
