Houston, TX · standard
ZIP Code 77081
Harris County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 47,860
- 5,954/sq mi High-density area
- $43,251
- Median income Below-median income area
- $274,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 18.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-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 suburban-density, renter-heavy area.
- 8th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 38%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 5,954
- people per sq mi
- 7%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 77081 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 77081 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Houston, Harris County, Texas, with 47,860 residents across 8.0 square miles, a density of 5,954 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 77081 reports a modest median household income of $43,251 (43% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $22,062. The poverty rate is 31.8%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $274,000 (11% above the average Texas ZIP) and median rent is $1,014; 6.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 28.5, and the average commute is 30 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Harris County, so 77081 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 77081
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Houston, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 77081.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
144 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
118 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
87 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
83 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
71 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 77081, 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
47,860
Population
8.0
Area (sq mi)
5,954
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 77081?
28.5
Median Age
50.9%
Male
49.1%
Female
54.3%
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?
$43,251
Median Household Income
-43% vs state ZIP avg
$22,062
Per Capita Income
31.8%
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Unemployment Rate
29.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 77081 ranks nationally
Houston, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$43,251 8th percentile higher than 8% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
21,033housing units
21,033
Total Housing Units
19,337
Occupied Units
1,696
Vacant Units
2.58
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$274,000
Median Home Value
+11% vs state ZIP avg
$1,014
Median Rent
1978
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
-2.4%
YoY Change (2022)
260
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+160%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 77081 have decreased 2.4% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +160% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | -12.9% | 219 |
| 2019 | +17.9% | 258 |
| 2020 | +9.0% | 281 |
| 2021 | -5.3% | 266 |
| 2022 | -2.4% | 260 |
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 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 893 business establishments in ZIP 77081, employing approximately 14,468 people with a combined annual payroll of $796,712,000.
893
Businesses
14,468
Employees
$796.7M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 144 | 16.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 118 | 13.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 87 | 9.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 83 | 9.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 71 | 8.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 70 | 7.8% |
| Construction | 65 | 7.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 59 | 6.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 58 | 6.5% |
| Manufacturing | 47 | 5.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 41 | 4.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 18 | 2.0% |
| Educational services | 13 | 1.5% |
| Information | 10 | 1.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 0.3% |
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 77081 vs 77401 →
ZIP 77081 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 77036
Houston (77036)
71,969 residents
- 77081
Houston (77081)
47,860 residents
- 77057
Houston (77057)
39,208 residents
- 77074
Houston (77074)
37,267 residents
- 77035
Houston (77035)
35,896 residents
- 77063
Houston (77063)
34,299 residents
- 77096
Houston (77096)
32,628 residents
- 77005 25,528
Houston (77005)
25,528 residents
- 77056 18,673
Houston (77056)
18,673 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 77081 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 77081 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 77401
Bellaire (77401)
$243,750 median income
- 77005
Houston (77005)
$229,267 median income
- 77027
Houston (77027)
$103,812 median income
- 77056 $93,499
Houston (77056)
$93,499 median income
- 77096 $82,852
Houston (77096)
$82,852 median income
- 77057 $66,971
Houston (77057)
$66,971 median income
- 77063 $59,113
Houston (77063)
$59,113 median income
- 77035 $58,686
Houston (77035)
$58,686 median income
- 77074 $47,810
Houston (77074)
$47,810 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 77081 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77401 | Bellaire, TX | 17,491 | 1.3 mi |
| 77096 | Houston, TX | 32,628 | 2.6 mi |
| 77057 | Houston, TX | 39,208 | 2.4 mi |
| 77056 | Houston, TX | 18,673 | 2.6 mi |
| 77074 | Houston, TX | 37,267 | 2.7 mi |
| 77005 | Houston, TX | 25,528 | 3.4 mi |
| 77027 | Houston, TX | 14,331 | 2.9 mi |
| 77035 | Houston, TX | 35,896 | 4.1 mi |
| 77063 | Houston, TX | 34,299 | 2.9 mi |
| 77036 | Houston, TX | 71,969 | 3.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 77081, 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 (47,860 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 77081 in?
ZIP code 77081 (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 77081?
ZIP code 77081 in Houston, TX has a population of 47,860 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 77081?
The median household income in ZIP 77081 is $43,251, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 77081?
The median home value in ZIP 77081 is $274,000, which is 1% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 77081?
The largest racial group in ZIP 77081 is Two or More Ethnicities at 33.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 75.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 77081?
ZIP code 77081 has 893 business establishments employing approximately 14,468 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 77081?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 77081 are: Retail trade (144), Health care and social assistance (118), Accommodation and food services (87). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 77081?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 77081 decreased by 2.4% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 160%. 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 77081?
In ZIP code 77081, 40.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.0% 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 77081?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 77081 is 29.6 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 77081?
In ZIP code 77081, approximately 6.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 93.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 77081?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 77081 is 31.8% 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 77081's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 77081 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.