SpaceX’s Starbase Becomes Official City Following Local Vote
Elon Musk’s SpaceX now has its own official city. The area surrounding the company’s Starbase launch facility in southern Texas has voted to incorporate, forming a new municipality also called Starbase.
According to figures from the Cameron County Elections Department, residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move—212 in support, with only six opposed.
Musk celebrated the news on X (formerly Twitter), declaring, “Starbase, Texas is now a real city!”
The newly incorporated city is largely populated by SpaceX employees. Voters also chose three individuals closely tied to the company—Bobby Peden, Jordan Buss, and Jenna Petrzelka—to serve as mayor and city commissioners. All three ran unopposed.
While SpaceX hasn’t offered detailed reasons for the incorporation, the company has stated that it already oversees local infrastructure, utilities, and services such as education and healthcare. It also hopes to transfer jurisdiction from the county to the new city government, giving it more authority—such as potentially restricting access to nearby Boca Chica Beach and the adjacent state park during rocket launches.
Last year, Musk relocated SpaceX’s headquarters from El Segundo, California, to the Texas site. He cited safety concerns in California and opposition to state legislation regarding student privacy as key factors in the decision.
Following the vote, a newly created X account for the city posted: “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.”
