Houston, TX · standard
ZIP Code 77038
Harris County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 26,713
- 1,095/sq mi High-density area
- $57,232
- Median income Below-median income area
- $194,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 15.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Houston pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 24th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 42nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,095
- people per sq mi
- 58%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 77038 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 77038 (Houston, TX) rose +12.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 289.1 in 2023 to 326.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 77038 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Houston, Harris County, Texas, with 26,713 residents across 24.4 square miles, a density of 1,095 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 77038 reports a modest median household income of $57,232 (24% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $21,403. The poverty rate is 21.5%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $194,200 (22% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $1,372; owner occupancy is 57.6%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.5, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Harris County, so 77038 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 77038
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Houston, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 77038.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
49 establishments
- Construction
Construction
42 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
38 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
34 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
25 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 77038, 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
26,713
Population
24.4
Area (sq mi)
1,095
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 77038?
30.5
Median Age
54.0%
Male
46.0%
Female
37.1%
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?
$57,232
Median Household Income
-24% vs state ZIP avg
$21,403
Per Capita Income
21.5%
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Unemployment Rate
31.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 77038 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)
$57,232 26th percentile higher than 26% 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
9,267housing units
9,267
Total Housing Units
8,902
Occupied Units
365
Vacant Units
3.66
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$194,200
Median Home Value
-22% vs state ZIP avg
$1,372
Median Rent
1988
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+12.9%
YoY Change (2024)
326
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+226%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 77038 have increased 12.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +226% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +7.3% | 218 |
| 2021 | +13.9% | 248 |
| 2022 | +23.1% | 305 |
| 2023 | -5.4% | 289 |
| 2024 | +12.9% | 326 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 309 business establishments in ZIP 77038, employing approximately 12,347 people with a combined annual payroll of $769,322,000.
309
Businesses
12,347
Employees
$769.3M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 49 | 15.9% |
| Construction | 42 | 13.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 38 | 12.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 34 | 11.0% |
| Manufacturing | 25 | 8.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 24 | 7.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 20 | 6.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 17 | 5.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 4.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 14 | 4.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 14 | 4.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 7 | 2.3% |
| Educational services | 4 | 1.3% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3 | 1.0% |
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 77038 vs 77067 →
ZIP 77038 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 77088
Houston (77088)
49,660 residents
- 77060
Houston (77060)
40,830 residents
- 77090
Houston (77090)
32,930 residents
- 77066
Houston (77066)
31,366 residents
- 77067
Houston (77067)
30,559 residents
- 77014
Houston (77014)
28,684 residents
- 77086
Houston (77086)
28,009 residents
- 77038
Houston (77038)
26,713 residents
- 77018
Houston (77018)
25,563 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 77038 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 77038 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 77018
Houston (77018)
$127,017 median income
- 77066
Houston (77066)
$87,138 median income
- 77037
Houston (77037)
$58,750 median income
- 77086
Houston (77086)
$58,200 median income
- 77038
Houston (77038)
$57,232 median income
- 77014
Houston (77014)
$55,589 median income
- 77088
Houston (77088)
$54,411 median income
- 77067
Houston (77067)
$52,032 median income
- 77090
Houston (77090)
$50,903 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 77038 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77067 | Houston, TX | 30,559 | 2.4 mi |
| 77088 | Houston, TX | 49,660 | 2.6 mi |
| 77086 | Houston, TX | 28,009 | 3.0 mi |
| 77060 | Houston, TX | 40,830 | 2.9 mi |
| 77091 | Houston, TX | 23,472 | 4.5 mi |
| 77037 | Houston, TX | 19,819 | 3.4 mi |
| 77014 | Houston, TX | 28,684 | 4.5 mi |
| 77090 | Houston, TX | 32,930 | 6.2 mi |
| 77066 | Houston, TX | 31,366 | 4.5 mi |
| 77018 | Houston, TX | 25,563 | 6.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 77038, 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 (26,713 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 77038 in?
ZIP code 77038 (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 77038?
ZIP code 77038 in Houston, TX has a population of 26,713 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 77038?
The median household income in ZIP 77038 is $57,232, which is 25% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 77038?
The median home value in ZIP 77038 is $194,200, which is 30% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 77038?
The largest racial group in ZIP 77038 is Two or More Ethnicities at 29.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 70.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 77038?
ZIP code 77038 has 309 business establishments employing approximately 12,347 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 77038?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 77038 are: Retail trade (49), Construction (42), Wholesale trade (38). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 77038?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 77038 increased by 12.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 226%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 77038?
In ZIP code 77038, 46.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.7% 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 77038?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 77038 is 31.1 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 77038?
In ZIP code 77038, approximately 57.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 77038?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 77038 is 21.5% 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 77038's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 77038 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.