Population 22,533 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 78503
Household size in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.23 | 3.67 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.46 | 3.72 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.21 | 3.66 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.10 | 3.42 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.25 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
ZIP 78503 is a place of big households: 3.10 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Still, the typical household here is smaller than in the wider McAllen area, where it has 3.42 people. Household size has dropped from 3.23 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.7 | 28.7 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.7 | 29.5 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.6 | 30.0 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.3 | 31.9 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +3.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 78503 is young: half of its residents are under 33.3, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 31.7 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 19.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 18.6% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in ZIP 78503 (16.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Even so, single parents are less common here than in the McAllen area overall (18.6%). The single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 78503
Renters in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.0% | 29.2% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.2% | 32.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.0% | 32.0% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.6% | 32.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +3.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in ZIP 78503 rent their homes (40.6%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 61.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.5% | 14.6% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 12.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 13.1% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 12.4% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in ZIP 78503: 12.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 7.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1992 | 1991 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1993 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1997 | 1995 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1997 | 1998 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +8 | +6 |
ZIP 78503 has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1997, versus 1980 nationally. That is in line with the rest of the McAllen area. The median year built has moved up from 1992 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $701 | $597 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $788 | $652 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $919 | $737 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,178 | $987 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$476 | +$390 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 78503 costs $1,178 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the McAllen area as a whole ($987). Rents are up $476 a month from 2006–10, a 68% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 78503
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.6% | 15.1% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.9% | 16.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.8% | 18.4% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 20.3% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in ZIP 78503 than nationally: 27.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Still, the share is higher than in the McAllen area as a whole (20.3%). The share with a degree has risen 3.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.3% | 59.4% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 66.3% | 61.5% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 63.5% | 64.9% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.2% | 69.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +10.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a quarter of adults in ZIP 78503 never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Even so, the rate is higher than in the McAllen area overall (69.8%). The share with a diploma is up 10.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 78503
| Period | ZIP 78503 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 10.2% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 10.5% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 6.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 7.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in ZIP 78503 is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the McAllen area as a whole (7.6%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 78503 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 78503 | 3.10 | 33.3 | 16.2% | 40.6% | 12.5% | 1997 | $1,178 | 27.1% | 75.2% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 78501 | 2.76 | 36.3 | 14.9% | 51.3% | 13.6% | 1987 | $975 | 28.5% | 76.1% | 5.2% |
| ZIP 78577 | 3.54 | 30.1 | 22.2% | 40.9% | 12.9% | 2000 | $1,091 | 19.0% | 71.1% | 7.5% |
| ZIP 78557 | 3.71 | 30.3 | 21.0% | 19.4% | 8.6% | 2003 | $938 | 22.6% | 71.3% | 8.6% |
| ZIP 78572 | 3.04 | 37.8 | 16.3% | 27.9% | 16.7% | 1996 | $1,116 | 25.5% | 75.1% | 7.0% |
| ZIP 78504 | 3.26 | 33.5 | 13.4% | 30.2% | 9.7% | 1999 | $1,275 | 39.1% | 86.7% | 7.0% |
| ZIP 78589 | 3.45 | 33.9 | 17.7% | 20.8% | 10.9% | 1996 | $979 | 14.2% | 64.5% | 7.3% |
| ZIP 78573 | 3.58 | 29.1 | 18.3% | 33.9% | 11.0% | 2002 | $1,027 | 18.7% | 67.4% | 8.4% |
| ZIP 78516 | 3.60 | 32.4 | 21.8% | 24.4% | 18.8% | 1997 | $771 | 12.3% | 59.1% | 11.2% |
| ZIP 78539 | 2.63 | 35.9 | 17.6% | 45.2% | 11.8% | 1998 | $1,118 | 35.9% | 86.4% | 3.8% |
| ZIP 78574 | 3.73 | 29.2 | 22.2% | 19.8% | 9.9% | 2001 | $857 | 16.2% | 58.6% | 8.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 98642, WA · 55412, MN · 40160, KY · 40047, KY · 02021, MA · 78757, TX · 80528, CO · 81501, CO · 85350, AZ · 89134, NV
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 78503. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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