PlainZIP

Port Arthur, TX · standard

ZIP Code 77642

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

37,111
728/sq mi
$42,950
Median income
$104,700
Median home value
11.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Port Arthur pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
11th pct
home value, US ZIPs
728
people per sq mi
53%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 77642 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 77642 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas, with 37,111 residents across 51.0 square miles, a density of 728 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 77642 reports a modest median household income of $42,950 (43% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $24,940. 31.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.8%. The typical home here is valued at $104,700 (58% below the state average); renters pay a median of $948 monthly, and 53.0% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.3, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 77642 in local context, 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Jefferson 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 77642

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Port Arthur, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 77642.

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 77642, Port Arthur, 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

37,111

Population

51.0

Area (sq mi)

728

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 77642?

32.3

Median Age

49.8%

Male

50.2%

Female

23.1%

Foreign-Born

White 15.8%
African American 38.7%
Asian 5.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 20.7%
Hispanic or Latino 42.4%

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?

$42,950

Median Household Income

-43% vs state

$24,940

Per Capita Income

31.8%

Poverty Rate

7.8%

Unemployment Rate

25.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 77642 ranks nationally

Port Arthur, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$42,950 8th percentile higher than 8% 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 47.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.6%

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

What does housing look like?

16,446

Total Housing Units

14,306

Occupied Units

2,140

Vacant Units

2.65

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.0%
Renter 47.0%

$104,700

Median Home Value

-58% vs state

$948

Median Rent

1976

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

-6.8%

YoY Change (2024)

224

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+124%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 77642 have decreased 6.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +124% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.5% 169
2021 +18.4% 200
2022 +2.3% 205
2023 +17.0% 240
2024 -6.8% 224

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 535 business establishments in ZIP 77642, employing approximately 10,129 people with a combined annual payroll of $488,508,000.

535

Businesses

10,129

Employees

$488.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 102 19.1%
Health care and social assistance 85 15.9%
Accommodation and food services 73 13.6%
Other services (except public administration) 50 9.3%
Finance and insurance 44 8.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 34 6.4%
Construction 33 6.2%
Transportation and warehousing 26 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 20 3.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 3.2%
Wholesale trade 15 2.8%
Manufacturing 14 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 1.5%
Educational services 6 1.1%
Information 5 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 77642 vs 77619 →

ZIP 77642 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 77642 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 77642 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 77642 ranks #7 of 7 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
77619 Groves, TX 16,147 0.6 mi
77640 Port Arthur, TX 16,875 4.3 mi
77651 Port Neches, TX 13,043 4.0 mi
77627 Nederland, TX 21,454 6.5 mi
77611 Bridge City, TX 8,219 7.6 mi
77630 Orange, TX 26,796 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Jefferson County

77705 standard
Beaumont, TX
Pop: 40,475
77706 standard
Beaumont, TX
Pop: 28,258
77627 standard
Nederland, TX
Pop: 21,454
77707 standard
Beaumont, TX
Pop: 17,080
77640 standard
Port Arthur, TX
Pop: 16,875
77619 standard
Groves, TX
Pop: 16,147

Related Areas

Jefferson County Port Arthur, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 77642 in? ▼
ZIP code 77642 (Port Arthur) is located in Jefferson County, Texas. Jefferson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/jefferson-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 77642? ▼
ZIP code 77642 in Port Arthur, TX has a population of 37,111 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 77642? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 77642 is $42,950, which is 44% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 77642? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 77642 is $104,700, which is 62% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 77642? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 77642 is African American at 38.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 42.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 77642? ▼
ZIP code 77642 has 535 business establishments employing approximately 10,129 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 77642? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 77642 are: Retail trade (102), Health care and social assistance (85), Accommodation and food services (73). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 77642? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 77642 decreased by 6.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 124%. 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 77642? ▼
In ZIP code 77642, 47.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.6% 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 77642? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 77642 is 25.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 77642? ▼
In ZIP code 77642, approximately 53.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 77642? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 77642 is 31.8% 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.