Population 37,580 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 78539
Household size in ZIP 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.13 | 3.67 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.20 | 3.72 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.05 | 3.66 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 3.42 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.50 | −0.25 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.63 people per household, ZIP 78539 sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the wider McAllen area, where it has 3.42 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.13, 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 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0 | 28.7 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.5 | 29.5 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.7 | 30.0 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.9 | 31.9 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.9 | +3.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 78539 is young: half of its residents are under 35.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults and children. Still, the population here is older than in the wider McAllen area, where the median age is 31.9. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 31.0, as it has nationally.
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 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 19.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.6% | 18.6% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in ZIP 78539 (17.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. ZIP 78539 has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Texas ZIP codes.
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 78539
Renters in ZIP 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6% | 29.2% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.8% | 32.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.5% | 32.0% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.2% | 32.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +3.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in ZIP 78539 than nationally: 45.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 45.6% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the south. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.7 points, 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 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 14.6% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 12.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 13.1% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 12.4% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in ZIP 78539 than nationally: 11.8%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.0 points, as it has 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 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1992 | 1991 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1991 | 1993 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1995 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1998 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +8 | +6 |
ZIP 78539 has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1998, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1992 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the east 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 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $684 | $597 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $746 | $652 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $847 | $737 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,118 | $987 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$434 | +$390 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 78539 costs $1,118 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the wider McAllen area ($987). Rent has climbed $434 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 28.6% 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 78539
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 15.1% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.0% | 16.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.8% | 18.4% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.9% | 20.3% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in ZIP 78539 as nationally: 35.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in the wider McAllen area (20.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.5 points, mirroring the country.
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 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.7% | 59.4% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.0% | 61.5% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.4% | 64.9% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.4% | 69.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +10.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in seven adults in ZIP 78539 never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Locally, though, the rate is higher than in the McAllen area overall (69.8%). The share with a diploma is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 78539
| Period | ZIP 78539 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 10.2% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.5% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 6.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 7.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in ZIP 78539 than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.5 points, as it has nationally. 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 78539 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 78539 | 2.63 | 35.9 | 17.6% | 45.2% | 11.8% | 1998 | $1,118 | 35.9% | 86.4% | 3.8% |
| ZIP 78504 | 3.26 | 33.5 | 13.4% | 30.2% | 9.7% | 1999 | $1,275 | 39.1% | 86.7% | 7.0% |
| ZIP 78541 | 3.21 | 30.0 | 15.8% | 45.3% | 10.2% | 2002 | $1,089 | 26.1% | 75.5% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 78542 | 3.63 | 29.7 | 19.1% | 24.6% | 9.8% | 2002 | $905 | 13.3% | 67.4% | 9.1% |
| ZIP 78501 | 2.76 | 36.3 | 14.9% | 51.3% | 13.6% | 1987 | $975 | 28.5% | 76.1% | 5.2% |
| ZIP 78589 | 3.45 | 33.9 | 17.7% | 20.8% | 10.9% | 1996 | $979 | 14.2% | 64.5% | 7.3% |
| ZIP 78577 | 3.54 | 30.1 | 22.2% | 40.9% | 12.9% | 2000 | $1,091 | 19.0% | 71.1% | 7.5% |
| ZIP 78516 | 3.60 | 32.4 | 21.8% | 24.4% | 18.8% | 1997 | $771 | 12.3% | 59.1% | 11.2% |
| ZIP 78573 | 3.58 | 29.1 | 18.3% | 33.9% | 11.0% | 2002 | $1,027 | 18.7% | 67.4% | 8.4% |
| ZIP 78503 | 3.10 | 33.3 | 16.2% | 40.6% | 12.5% | 1997 | $1,178 | 27.1% | 75.2% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 78558 | 4.09 | 26.1 | 27.3% | 17.3% | 6.6% | 1999 | $807 | 13.5% | 63.6% | 7.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 21093, MD · 27320, NC · 24401, VA · 24153, VA · 23831, VA · 23321, VA · 63011, MO · 23220, VA · 23111, VA · 22201, VA
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 78539. 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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