PlainZIP

Smiley, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78159

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

1,023
3/sq mi
$35,083
Median income
$132,600
Median home value
7.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Smiley pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78159 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78159 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Smiley, Gonzales County, Texas, home to just 1,023 residents across 409.2 square miles, a density of 3 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78159 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,083 (54% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $21,052. The poverty rate stands at 22.0% and the unemployment rate at 7.9%. On housing, the median home value is $132,600 (46% below the state average) with median rent at $921 per month, and 68.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 7.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.6, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 2 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Gonzales County, letting you compare 78159 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 78159

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Smiley, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78159.

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 78159, Smiley, 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

1,023

Population

409.2

Area (sq mi)

3

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 78159?

41.6

Median Age

53.3%

Male

46.7%

Female

5.1%

Foreign-Born

White 58.6%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 37.2%
Hispanic or Latino 60.4%

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?

$35,083

Median Household Income

-54% vs state

$21,052

Per Capita Income

22.0%

Poverty Rate

7.9%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 78159 ranks nationally

Smiley, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$35,083 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 69.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.6%

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

What does housing look like?

303

Total Housing Units

257

Occupied Units

46

Vacant Units

2.42

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.9%
Renter 31.1%

$132,600

Median Home Value

-46% vs state

$921

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 20 business establishments in ZIP 78159, employing approximately 90 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,190,000.

20

Businesses

90

Employees

$4.2M

Annual Payroll

4

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 4 20.0%
Retail trade 3 15.0%
Transportation and warehousing 3 15.0%
Other services (except public administration) 3 15.0%

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 78159 vs 78677 →

ZIP 78159 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 78159 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 Code City Population Distance
78677 Wrightsboro, TX 92 7.9 mi
77994 Westhoff, TX 321 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Gonzales County

78629 standard
Gonzales, TX
Pop: 11,887
78140 standard
Nixon, TX
Pop: 3,380
78959 standard
Waelder, TX
Pop: 1,837
78632 standard
Harwood, TX
Pop: 910
78614 standard
Cost, TX
Pop: 456
78122 standard
Leesville, TX
Pop: 418

Related Areas

Gonzales County Smiley, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78159 in? ▼
ZIP code 78159 (Smiley) is located in Gonzales County, Texas. Gonzales County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/gonzales-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78159? ▼
ZIP code 78159 in Smiley, TX has a population of 1,023 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78159? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78159 is $35,083, which is 54% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78159? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78159 is $132,600, which is 52% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78159? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78159 is White at 58.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 60.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78159? ▼
ZIP code 78159 has 20 business establishments employing approximately 90 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78159? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78159 are: Health care and social assistance (4), Retail trade (3), Transportation and warehousing (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78159? ▼
In ZIP code 78159, 69.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 7.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 78159? ▼
In ZIP code 78159, approximately 68.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78159? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78159 is 22.0% 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.