PlainZIP

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
$45,574
Median income
$227,900
Median home value
33.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 Texas average), while per-capita income is $35,887. The poverty rate stands at 29.0% and the unemployment rate at 11.7%. On housing, the median home value is $227,900 (8% below the state average) with median rent at $1,236 per month, and 41.8% of occupied units 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. To put 77021 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Harris County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 77021?

36.5

Median Age

46.0%

Male

54.0%

Female

11.8%

Foreign-Born

White 13.0%
African American 59.8%
Asian 3.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.4%
Hispanic or Latino 23.8%

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

$35,887

Per Capita Income

29.0%

Poverty Rate

11.7%

Unemployment Rate

28.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 77021 ranks nationally

Houston, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$45,574 10th percentile higher than 10% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 59.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

12,986

Total Housing Units

11,258

Occupied Units

1,728

Vacant Units

2.28

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 41.8%
Renter 58.2%

$227,900

Median Home Value

-8% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 77021 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 77021 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
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

More ZIP Codes in Harris County

77084 standard
Houston, TX
Pop: 95,137
77449 standard
Katy, TX
Pop: 94,382
77429 standard
Cypress, TX
Pop: 72,264
77036 standard
Houston, TX
Pop: 71,969
77450 standard
Katy, TX
Pop: 71,889
77083 standard
Houston, TX
Pop: 70,837

Related Areas

Harris County Houston, TX Texas

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.