Texas has a new city, largely thanks to Elon Musk's SpaceX. Residents in Cameron County, Texas, voted on May 3 to officially create Starbase, a new city along the state's southern border.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Texas has a brand-new city, and its name is Starbase. A vote Saturday to decide whether to turn part of south Texas into a new city centered around Elon Musk’s SpaceX ...

The city at the southern tip of Texas near the Mexico border is only about 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers), crisscrossed by a few roads and dappled with airstream trailers and modest ...

The city of Starbase would encompass the SpaceX rocket testing and launch complex in South Texas. It could lay the groundwork for similar towns Musk plans to create here in future.

Texas generally gives municipalities a lot of discretion on how to manage and govern themselves, according to Alan Bojorquez, an attorney who specializes in city governance. “The reality is ...

An aerial view of SpaceX Starbase outside Brownsville on March 28, 2025. / Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Newsroom. Elon Musk wants to create his own city.