PlainZIP

Port Lavaca, TX · standard

ZIP Code 77979

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

17,144
19/sq mi
$77,039
Median income
$156,200
Median home value
20.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Port Lavaca pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 42%
household income, US ZIPs
28th pct
home value, US ZIPs
19
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 77979 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 77979 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Port Lavaca, Calhoun County, Texas, home to 17,144 residents across 883.7 square miles, a density of 19 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 77979 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $77,039 (2% above the Texas average), while per-capita income is $41,161. The poverty rate stands at 9.1% and the unemployment rate at 8.0%. Median home value sits at $156,200 (37% below the state average), median rent at $865 a month, and owner-occupancy at 75.3%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.1, and the average commute is 20 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 77979, plus 3 more within Calhoun County, give a clearer read than the 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 77979

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Port Lavaca, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 77979.

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 77979, Port Lavaca, 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

17,144

Population

883.7

Area (sq mi)

19

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 77979?

40.1

Median Age

51.7%

Male

48.3%

Female

10.2%

Foreign-Born

White 52.2%
African American 2.9%
Asian 4.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 29.3%
Hispanic or Latino 54.7%

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?

$77,039

Median Household Income

+2% vs state

$41,161

Per Capita Income

9.1%

Poverty Rate

8.0%

Unemployment Rate

19.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 77979 ranks nationally

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

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

$77,039 Top 42% higher than 58% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 49.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.0%

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

What does housing look like?

8,307

Total Housing Units

7,140

Occupied Units

1,167

Vacant Units

2.27

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.3%
Renter 24.7%

$156,200

Median Home Value

-37% vs state

$865

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

+7.0%

YoY Change (2024)

259

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+159%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 77979 have increased 7.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +159% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.7% 199
2021 +12.8% 224
2022 +9.0% 244
2023 -1.1% 242
2024 +7.0% 259

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 347 business establishments in ZIP 77979, employing approximately 5,936 people with a combined annual payroll of $352,135,000.

347

Businesses

5,936

Employees

$352.1M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 55 15.8%
Retail trade 46 13.3%
Other services (except public administration) 40 11.5%
Construction 33 9.5%
Health care and social assistance 30 8.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 26 7.5%
Finance and insurance 24 6.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 16 4.6%
Transportation and warehousing 15 4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 4.3%
Manufacturing 11 3.2%
Wholesale trade 11 3.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 8 2.3%
Information 7 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.4%
Educational services 3 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 77979 vs 77978 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
77978 Point Comfort, TX 743 4.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Calhoun County

77983 standard
Seadrift, TX
Pop: 2,209
77982 standard
Port O Connor, TX
Pop: 1,253
77978 standard
Point Comfort, TX
Pop: 743

Related Areas

Calhoun County Port Lavaca, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 77979 in? ▼
ZIP code 77979 (Port Lavaca) is located in Calhoun County, Texas. Calhoun County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/calhoun-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 77979? ▼
ZIP code 77979 in Port Lavaca, TX has a population of 17,144 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 77979? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 77979 is $77,039, which is 1% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 77979? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 77979 is $156,200, which is 44% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 77979? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 77979 is White at 52.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 54.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 77979? ▼
ZIP code 77979 has 347 business establishments employing approximately 5,936 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 77979? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 77979 are: Accommodation and food services (55), Retail trade (46), Other services (except public administration) (40). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 77979? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 77979 increased by 7.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 159%. 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 77979? ▼
In ZIP code 77979, 49.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.0% 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 77979? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 77979 is 19.6 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 77979? ▼
In ZIP code 77979, approximately 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 77979? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 77979 is 9.1% 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.