SpaceX’s headquarters in Starbase, Texas, emerges unexpectedly after miles of long, dusty dirt roads. Before SpaceX arrived, the area was known primarily for its coastal wildlife, especially bird watching. Locals say there were a few dozen homes, mostly winter residences for retirees.
The cities are a study in contrasts. Starbase is a company town with residents largely transplants from cities like Austin and San Francisco who come not for the birds but for the work. Brownsville’s predominantly Latino population works mostly in farming and shrimping.
SpaceX employs over 4,000 workers at its Starbase facilities, with roughly 70% coming from the local area, according to company records. The company plans to nearly double that workforce to around 8,000 employees this year.
SpaceX’s growth took a major leap forward when its shares went public in the largest-ever initial public offering. The IPO instantly lifted the company’s market value to more than $2 trillion and made SpaceX founder Elon Musk the first person to be worth at least $1 trillion.
Business owners in the area say SpaceX has been good for business, bringing employees from the company along with other visitors drawn to the area by the rocket launches. At Double Day Bar of Champions, a restaurant and bar in nearby Port Isabel, Texas, owner Mikael Hinojosa has seen a similar surge.
However, environmental activist group Save RGV contends the company’s rocket launches have left nearby homes covered in debris, disrupted native wildlife, and harmed air quality. Brownsville native Etienne Rosas, who ran for Congress earlier this year, says SpaceX’s growth has triggered a surge in housing prices throughout the Rio Grande Valley as employees bought homes.
SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.
The arrival of SpaceX has also reshaped downtown Brownsville, drawing new investment and development aimed at a tech-oriented demographic. Yet Rosas said the jobs and investment have come at a cost to families who have lived in the region for generations.