La Vernia, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78121
Wilson County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 11,381
- 43/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $120,048
- Median income Above-median income area
- $402,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 32.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
La Vernia pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 10%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 20%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 43
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78121 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 78121 (La Vernia, TX) rose +4.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 283.0 in 2023 to 295.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 78121 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in La Vernia, Wilson County, Texas, home to 11,381 residents across 266.5 square miles, a density of 43 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78121 skews affluent, with a median household income of $120,048 (59% above the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,254. The poverty rate is 8.0%, with unemployment at 2.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $402,600 (63% above the average Texas ZIP), while 86.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,192.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.2, and the average commute is 36 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Wilson County, so 78121 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 78121
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in La Vernia, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78121.
- Construction
Construction
63 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
37 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
33 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
29 establishments
- Retail trade 23
Retail trade
23 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 78121, La Vernia, 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
11,381
Population
266.5
Area (sq mi)
43
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78121?
38.2
Median Age
49.9%
Male
50.1%
Female
6.6%
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?
$120,048
Median Household Income
+59% vs state ZIP avg
$46,254
Per Capita Income
8.0%
Poverty Rate
2.7%
Unemployment Rate
36.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 78121 ranks among Texas ZIPs
La Vernia, 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)
$120,048 Top 7% higher than 93% 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
5,426housing units
5,426
Total Housing Units
5,274
Occupied Units
152
Vacant Units
3.04
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$402,600
Median Home Value
+63% vs state ZIP avg
$1,192
Median Rent
2003
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
+4.5%
YoY Change (2024)
296
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+196%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 78121 have increased 4.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +196% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.8% | 212 |
| 2021 | +9.9% | 233 |
| 2022 | +20.6% | 281 |
| 2023 | +0.7% | 283 |
| 2024 | +4.5% | 296 |
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 284 business establishments in ZIP 78121, employing approximately 2,023 people with a combined annual payroll of $76,984,000.
284
Businesses
2,023
Employees
$77.0M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 63 | 22.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 37 | 13.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 33 | 11.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 29 | 10.2% |
| Retail trade | 23 | 8.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 18 | 6.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 17 | 6.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 13 | 4.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 12 | 4.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 11 | 3.9% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 2.1% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 5 | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 1.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.8% |
| Utilities | 3 | 1.1% |
| Information | 3 | 1.1% |
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 78121 vs 78161 →
ZIP 78121 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78121
La Vernia (78121)
11,381 residents
- 78101
Adkins (78101)
7,898 residents
- 78152 2,294
Saint Hedwig (78152)
2,294 residents
- 78161 864
Sutherland Springs (78161)
864 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78121 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78121 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78152
Saint Hedwig (78152)
$123,981 median income
- 78121
La Vernia (78121)
$120,048 median income
- 78101
Adkins (78101)
$111,280 median income
- 78161
Sutherland Springs (78161)
$79,904 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78121 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 78121, 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 (11,381 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Wilson County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 78121 in?
ZIP code 78121 (La Vernia) is located in Wilson County, Texas. Wilson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wilson-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78121?
ZIP code 78121 in La Vernia, TX has a population of 11,381 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78121?
The median household income in ZIP 78121 is $120,048, which is 57% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78121?
The median home value in ZIP 78121 is $402,600, which is 45% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78121?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78121 is White at 72.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 28.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78121?
ZIP code 78121 has 284 business establishments employing approximately 2,023 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78121?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78121 are: Construction (63), Other services (except public administration) (37), Professional, scientific, and technical services (33). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78121?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78121 increased by 4.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 196%. 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 78121?
In ZIP code 78121, 58.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.1% 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 78121?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78121 is 36.0 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 78121?
In ZIP code 78121, approximately 86.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78121?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78121 is 8.0% 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 78121's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78121 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where La Vernia, 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.