SpaceX's Texas launch site is officially a new city called Starbase. What to know.

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.

The area is home to SpaceX's rocket launch site and is where the company hopes to one day send humans to Mars. It's also slated to become the company's headquarters, Musk said in 2024.

In last weekend's election, a total of 218 votes were cast for the measure, with 212 opting to pass it, according to the Cameron County Elections Department. Most of the area's residents work for SpaceX, according to The New York Times.

"Starbase, Texas Is now a real city!" Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.

Where is Starbase, Texas?

The newly formed city of Starbase is in Cameron County, Texas, about 22 miles east of Brownsville.

The area is along the southern perimeter of Texas and on the edge of the Mexico border. It consists of 220,000 square feet of buildings spread over 350 acres.

Musk initially proposed creating the city in 2021. In December 2024, residents in the county submitted a petition calling for an election to incorporate the community of Starbase as a city.

Starbase, TX, election results

Of the 218 voters who cast ballots to officially form Starbase as a city, 212 chose to pass the measure while just six voted against it.

With the incorporation of Starbase, the area now has a city council, mayor and commissioners.

Voters unanimously elected a mayor, Bobby Peden, who works for SpaceX, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Two newly elected commissioners — Jordan Buss and Jenna Petrzelka — have also worked for the company, according to their LinkedIn profiles.

Starbase, TX, becomes new city. Why it matters

SpaceX has not said why it wanted to form the town, but given it's home to many of its employees, the area's municipal government will likely work closely with the company.

"Becoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible for the men and women building the future of humanity's place in space," an X account for Starbase posted late Saturday.

The city houses a SpaceX landing pad, launch facility, launch control center and tracking station to test its rockets, including Starship, the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, according to SpaceX.

A $100 million five-story office building was also finished earlier this year, according to records from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Last year, Musk also announced plans to move SpaceX's headquarters from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the SAFETY Act into law.

Contributing: USA TODAY's Rick Jervis

Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY. She can be reached at [email protected].