PlainZIP

Houston, TX · standard

ZIP Code 77042

Harris County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

36,385
2,256/sq mi
$59,097
Median income
$411,800
Median home value
45.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Houston pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

28th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 20%
home value, US ZIPs
2,256
people per sq mi
26%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 77042 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 77042 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Houston, Harris County, Texas, with 36,385 residents across 16.1 square miles, a density of 2,256 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 77042 reports a modest median household income of $59,097 (22% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $44,173. The poverty rate stands at 17.7% and the unemployment rate at 8.6%. On housing, the median home value is $411,800 (66% above the state average) with median rent at $1,346 per month, and 26.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 45.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.4, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Harris County, so you can benchmark 77042 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 77042

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Houston, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 77042.

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 77042, 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

36,385

Population

16.1

Area (sq mi)

2,256

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 77042?

34.4

Median Age

50.3%

Male

49.7%

Female

34.9%

Foreign-Born

White 34.5%
African American 23.5%
Asian 8.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 18.7%
Hispanic or Latino 36.0%

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?

$59,097

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$44,173

Per Capita Income

17.7%

Poverty Rate

8.6%

Unemployment Rate

29.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 77042 ranks nationally

Houston, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,097 28th percentile higher than 28% 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 64.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.3%

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

What does housing look like?

21,410

Total Housing Units

18,122

Occupied Units

3,288

Vacant Units

2.13

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 26.3%
Renter 73.7%

$411,800

Median Home Value

+66% vs state

$1,346

Median Rent

1985

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

+5.1%

YoY Change (2023)

323

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+223%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 77042 have increased 5.1% over the past year (2023). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +223% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2018 – 177
2019 +9.7% 194
2020 +10.6% 215
2021 +5.1% 226
2023 – 323

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 2023. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,662 business establishments in ZIP 77042, employing approximately 41,072 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,122,099,000.

1,662

Businesses

41,072

Employees

$5.1B

Annual Payroll

19

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 436 26.2%
Accommodation and food services 151 9.1%
Finance and insurance 147 8.8%
Wholesale trade 128 7.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 123 7.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 120 7.2%
Health care and social assistance 113 6.8%
Retail trade 100 6.0%
Other services (except public administration) 75 4.5%
Construction 63 3.8%
Information 43 2.6%
Transportation and warehousing 36 2.2%
Management of companies and enterprises 30 1.8%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 29 1.7%
Manufacturing 29 1.7%
Educational services 19 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 0.7%
Utilities 5 0.3%
Industries not classified 3 0.2%

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 77042 vs 77063 →

ZIP 77042 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 77042 ranks #7 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 77042 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 77042 ranks #7 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
77063 Houston, TX 34,299 2.4 mi
77077 Houston, TX 52,151 3.3 mi
77036 Houston, TX 71,969 3.1 mi
77072 Houston, TX 56,526 3.2 mi
77057 Houston, TX 39,208 4.3 mi
77024 Houston, TX 34,775 3.6 mi
77079 Houston, TX 31,280 3.6 mi
77043 Houston, TX 23,358 5.0 mi
77099 Houston, TX 47,091 5.1 mi
77074 Houston, TX 37,267 4.5 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 77042 in? ▼
ZIP code 77042 (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 77042? ▼
ZIP code 77042 in Houston, TX has a population of 36,385 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 77042? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 77042 is $59,097, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 77042? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 77042 is $411,800, which is 48% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 77042? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 77042 is White at 34.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 36.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 77042? ▼
ZIP code 77042 has 1,662 business establishments employing approximately 41,072 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 77042? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 77042 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (436), Accommodation and food services (151), Finance and insurance (147). There are 19 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 77042? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 77042 increased by 5.1% in 2023. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 223%. 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 77042? ▼
In ZIP code 77042, 64.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 45.3% 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 77042? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 77042 is 29.8 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 77042? ▼
In ZIP code 77042, approximately 26.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 73.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 77042? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 77042 is 17.7% 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.