Houston, TX · standard
ZIP Code 77021
Harris County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 26,042
- 1,654/sq mi High-density area
- $45,574
- Median income Below-median income area
- $227,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 33.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Houston pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 10th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 48%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,654
- people per sq mi
- 42%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 77021 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 77021 (Houston, TX) rose +4.9% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 77021 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Houston, Harris County, Texas, with 26,042 residents across 15.7 square miles, a density of 1,654 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 77021 reports a modest median household income of $45,574 (40% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,887. Economic pressure is pronounced: 29.0% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 11.7%. Median home value is $227,900 (8% below the average Texas ZIP) and median rent is $1,236; 41.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.5, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Harris County, so 77021 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 77021
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Houston, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 77021.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
76 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
70 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
44 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
44 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
44 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 77021, Houston, TX · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
26,042
Population
15.7
Area (sq mi)
1,654
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 77021?
36.5
Median Age
46.0%
Male
54.0%
Female
11.8%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$45,574
Median Household Income
-40% vs state ZIP avg
$35,887
Per Capita Income
29.0%
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Unemployment Rate
28.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 77021 ranks among Texas ZIPs
Houston, TX household income vs. every Texas ZIP code
Median household income among 1,737 reporting Texas ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$45,574 9th percentile higher than 9% of 1,737 Texas ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Texas ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
12,986housing units
12,986
Total Housing Units
11,258
Occupied Units
1,728
Vacant Units
2.28
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$227,900
Median Home Value
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$1,236
Median Rent
1967
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 435 business establishments in ZIP 77021, employing approximately 8,079 people with a combined annual payroll of $409,605,000.
435
Businesses
8,079
Employees
$409.6M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 76 | 17.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 70 | 16.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 44 | 10.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 44 | 10.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 44 | 10.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 27 | 6.2% |
| Construction | 22 | 5.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 22 | 5.1% |
| Manufacturing | 21 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 15 | 3.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 15 | 3.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13 | 3.0% |
| Information | 9 | 2.1% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 0.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 77021 vs 77004 →
ZIP 77021 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 77087
Houston (77087)
36,399 residents
- 77004
Houston (77004)
32,692 residents
- 77023
Houston (77023)
28,998 residents
- 77033
Houston (77033)
27,965 residents
- 77021
Houston (77021)
26,042 residents
- 77054
Houston (77054)
22,290 residents
- 77002
Houston (77002)
16,793 residents
- 77051
Houston (77051)
15,085 residents
- 77003 10,508
Houston (77003)
10,508 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 77021 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 77021 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 77010
Houston (77010)
$189,315 median income
- 77002
Houston (77002)
$86,394 median income
- 77003
Houston (77003)
$83,980 median income
- 77030
Houston (77030)
$77,336 median income
- 77004 $71,199
Houston (77004)
$71,199 median income
- 77054 $62,106
Houston (77054)
$62,106 median income
- 77087 $52,847
Houston (77087)
$52,847 median income
- 77023 $51,430
Houston (77023)
$51,430 median income
- 77021 $45,574
Houston (77021)
$45,574 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 77021 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77004 | Houston, TX | 32,692 | 1.9 mi |
| 77033 | Houston, TX | 27,965 | 2.4 mi |
| 77030 | Houston, TX | 10,258 | 2.8 mi |
| 77010 | Houston, TX | 366 | 3.9 mi |
| 77023 | Houston, TX | 28,998 | 2.9 mi |
| 77051 | Houston, TX | 15,085 | 3.1 mi |
| 77054 | Houston, TX | 22,290 | 3.1 mi |
| 77003 | Houston, TX | 10,508 | 3.7 mi |
| 77087 | Houston, TX | 36,399 | 3.3 mi |
| 77002 | Houston, TX | 16,793 | 4.1 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 77021, both outside TX so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (26,042 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Harris County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 77021 in?
ZIP code 77021 (Houston) is located in Harris County, Texas. Harris County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/harris-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 77021?
ZIP code 77021 in Houston, TX has a population of 26,042 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 77021?
The median household income in ZIP 77021 is $45,574, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 77021?
The median home value in ZIP 77021 is $227,900, which is 18% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 77021?
The largest racial group in ZIP 77021 is African American at 59.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 23.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 77021?
ZIP code 77021 has 435 business establishments employing approximately 8,079 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 77021?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 77021 are: Retail trade (76), Health care and social assistance (70), Professional, scientific, and technical services (44). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 77021?
In ZIP code 77021, 59.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 77021?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 77021 is 28.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 77021?
In ZIP code 77021, approximately 41.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 58.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 77021?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 77021 is 29.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 77021's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 77021 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Houston, TX ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.