Population 87,656 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 78521
Household size in ZIP 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.83 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.69 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.61 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.25 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.58 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
ZIP 78521 is a place of big households: 3.25 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has dropped from 3.83 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 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.8 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.7 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.1 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.1 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 32.1, ZIP 78521 is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 26.8, mirroring the country. ZIP 78521 is younger than the great majority of Texas ZIP codes.
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 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.4% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.1% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 21.1% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in ZIP 78521: 21.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 1,017 Texas ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 89 have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 78521
Renters in ZIP 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.3% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.4% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.9% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in ZIP 78521 than nationally: 39.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 70.1% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in ZIP 78521: 7.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 5.5 points since 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 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in ZIP 78521 is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1990, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $550 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $630 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $733 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $910 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$360 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in ZIP 78521 pays $910 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $360 a month from 2006–10, a 65% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 31.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the center.
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 78521
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in ZIP 78521: 17.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
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 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.1% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 53.6% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 57.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 64.4% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.3 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over a third of adults in ZIP 78521 never finished high school, well above the national share: only 64.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 13.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 47 of the 1,017 Texas ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 78521
| Period | ZIP 78521 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in ZIP 78521 than nationally: unemployment was 7.0%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.1 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 78521 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 78521 | 3.25 | 32.1 | 21.1% | 39.9% | 7.4% | 1990 | $910 | 17.0% | 64.4% | 7.0% |
| ZIP 78526 | 3.53 | 29.5 | 16.9% | 31.2% | 6.4% | 2002 | $1,323 | 34.5% | 80.9% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 78520 | 3.20 | 32.8 | 17.0% | 40.1% | 10.2% | 1991 | $931 | 24.6% | 70.9% | 6.2% |
| ZIP 78575 | 3.21 | 32.8 | 13.6% | 28.2% | 9.4% | 2003 | $1,385 | 39.4% | 84.9% | 2.3% |
| ZIP 78566 | 3.55 | 34.5 | 17.6% | 23.7% | 11.5% | 1999 | $942 | 23.0% | 73.6% | 4.9% |
| ZIP 78578 | 2.37 | 46.5 | 8.3% | 28.5% | 23.9% | 1990 | $797 | 27.7% | 80.4% | 3.4% |
| ZIP 78567 | 3.77 | 31.3 | 16.7% | 25.3% | 9.4% | 1992 | $985 | 6.6% | 70.0% | 4.1% |
| ZIP 78592 | 2.84 | 50.4 | 14.1% | 0.0% | 13.0% | 1989 | $1,009 | 2.6% | 39.0% | 0.1% |
| ZIP 78579 | 3.85 | 30.8 | 30.8% | 35.8% | 17.1% | 1997 | $1,110 | 16.8% | 55.7% | 2.8% |
| ZIP 34101 | 1.76 | 62.9 | 2.6% | 22.1% | 21.3% | 2014 | $2,908 | 41.6% | 94.8% | 3.4% |
| ZIP 34113 | 2.40 | 55.1 | 9.5% | 28.0% | 26.7% | 1999 | $2,119 | 38.6% | 86.1% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 10314, NY · 10456, NY · 10462, NY · 11214, NY · 11204, NY · 11206, NY · 11212, NY · 91710, CA · 90250, CA · 90280, CA
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 78521. 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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