Population 45,483 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of ZIP 78596: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in ZIP 78596
Household size in ZIP 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.39 | 3.67 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.39 | 3.72 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.37 | 3.66 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.31 | 3.42 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.25 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 78596 are large by national standards, averaging 3.31 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Still, the typical household here is smaller than in the McAllen area as a whole, where it has 3.42 people. Of the 1,017 Texas ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 90 have larger households.
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 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 28.7 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 29.5 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.1 | 30.0 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.0 | 31.9 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.3 | +3.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 78596 is young: half of its residents are under 34.0, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with 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 dropped from 36.3, even as the national median rose.
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 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 19.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 18.6% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in ZIP 78596 (15.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Still, single parents are less common here than in the wider McAllen area (18.6%). The single-parent share is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 78596
Renters in ZIP 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.8% | 29.2% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.9% | 32.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 32.0% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.6% | 32.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +3.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in ZIP 78596 is about as common as it is nationally: 34.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 59.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the southeast. The renter share is up 6.8 points from 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 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.1% | 14.6% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 12.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 13.1% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 12.4% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.7% of the housing in ZIP 78596, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. ZIP 78596 has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five Texas ZIP codes.
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 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1991 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1993 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1995 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1998 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +7 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in ZIP 78596 is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1994, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Still, homes here are older than in the McAllen area overall, where the median home dates to 1998. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center 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 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $626 | $597 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $681 | $652 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $751 | $737 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $932 | $987 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$306 | +$390 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 78596 costs $932 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $306 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are 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 78596
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 15.1% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 16.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 18.4% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.7% | 20.3% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in ZIP 78596: 20.7% 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 4.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the north.
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 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.2% | 59.4% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 62.6% | 61.5% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 69.0% | 64.9% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.2% | 69.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +10.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a quarter of adults in ZIP 78596 never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Locally, though, the rate is higher than in the wider McAllen area (69.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 14.0 points, a much bigger shift than 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 78596
| Period | ZIP 78596 | McAllen area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 10.2% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 10.5% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 7.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in ZIP 78596 than nationally: unemployment was 6.2%, against 5.4%. Even so, the rate is lower than in the McAllen area overall (7.6%). Unemployment has fallen 5.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 78596 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 78596 | 3.31 | 34.0 | 15.9% | 34.6% | 17.7% | 1994 | $932 | 20.7% | 75.2% | 6.2% |
| ZIP 78599 | 3.86 | 28.0 | 26.3% | 32.0% | 8.1% | 2001 | $970 | 14.7% | 66.5% | 9.5% |
| ZIP 78579 | 3.85 | 30.8 | 30.8% | 35.8% | 17.1% | 1997 | $1,110 | 16.8% | 55.7% | 2.8% |
| ZIP 78570 | 3.81 | 30.8 | 19.1% | 27.1% | 13.1% | 1996 | $847 | 12.2% | 62.2% | 11.1% |
| ZIP 78537 | 3.80 | 29.3 | 22.4% | 26.7% | 14.1% | 1997 | $820 | 11.0% | 56.7% | 8.7% |
| ZIP 78516 | 3.60 | 32.4 | 21.8% | 24.4% | 18.8% | 1997 | $771 | 12.3% | 59.1% | 11.2% |
| ZIP 78559 | 2.93 | 38.5 | 17.9% | 26.5% | 16.9% | 1993 | $1,128 | 14.6% | 72.7% | 6.9% |
| ZIP 78543 | 2.98 | 33.9 | 13.5% | 25.6% | 11.2% | 1993 | $849 | 10.8% | 76.6% | 5.2% |
| ZIP 78592 | 2.84 | 50.4 | 14.1% | 0.0% | 13.0% | 1989 | $1,009 | 2.6% | 39.0% | 0.1% |
| ZIP 78558 | 4.09 | 26.1 | 27.3% | 17.3% | 6.6% | 1999 | $807 | 13.5% | 63.6% | 7.4% |
| ZIP 78589 | 3.45 | 33.9 | 17.7% | 20.8% | 10.9% | 1996 | $979 | 14.2% | 64.5% | 7.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 22015, VA · 95831, CA · 17701, PA · 18042, PA · 30294, GA · 19139, PA · 19144, PA · 19460, PA · 95380, CA · 20109, 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 78596. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.