PlainZIP

San Antonio, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78238

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

23,514
945/sq mi
$57,769
Median income
$209,700
Median home value
21.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

San Antonio pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

25th pct
household income, US ZIPs
46th pct
home value, US ZIPs
945
people per sq mi
45%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78238 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78238 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, with 23,514 residents across 24.9 square miles, a density of 945 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78238 reports a modest median household income of $57,769 (24% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $28,363. 13.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.9%. Housing costs here run $209,700 for a typical home value (15% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,232 a month; 44.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.1, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 78238 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Bexar 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 78238

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in San Antonio, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78238.

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 78238, San Antonio, 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

23,514

Population

24.9

Area (sq mi)

945

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 78238?

34.1

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

12.8%

Foreign-Born

White 29.4%
African American 7.9%
Asian 5.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 40.2%
Hispanic or Latino 69.1%

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?

$57,769

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$28,363

Per Capita Income

13.7%

Poverty Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 78238 ranks nationally

San Antonio, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$57,769 25th percentile higher than 25% 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 49.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.6%

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

What does housing look like?

11,686

Total Housing Units

10,384

Occupied Units

1,302

Vacant Units

2.50

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 44.8%
Renter 55.2%

$209,700

Median Home Value

-15% vs state

$1,232

Median Rent

1980

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

-0.1%

YoY Change (2024)

319

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+219%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 78238 have decreased 0.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +219% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.8% 234
2021 +12.7% 263
2022 +18.9% 313
2023 +1.9% 319
2024 -0.1% 319

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 1,015 business establishments in ZIP 78238, employing approximately 22,529 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,284,509,000.

1,015

Businesses

22,529

Employees

$1.3B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 235 23.1%
Accommodation and food services 126 12.4%
Other services (except public administration) 105 10.3%
Health care and social assistance 93 9.2%
Construction 69 6.8%
Wholesale trade 63 6.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 55 5.4%
Finance and insurance 54 5.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 52 5.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 42 4.1%
Manufacturing 39 3.8%
Transportation and warehousing 20 2.0%
Information 20 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 19 1.9%
Educational services 16 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.4%

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 78238 vs 78228 →

ZIP 78238 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 78238 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 78238 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 78238 ranks #6 of 9 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
78228 San Antonio, TX 58,811 2.9 mi
78240 San Antonio, TX 51,111 3.7 mi
78251 San Antonio, TX 49,435 3.5 mi
78227 San Antonio, TX 46,077 4.6 mi
78250 San Antonio, TX 54,903 3.6 mi
78229 San Antonio, TX 28,804 3.6 mi
78201 San Antonio, TX 45,307 5.4 mi
78237 San Antonio, TX 36,929 4.6 mi
78249 San Antonio, TX 49,951 6.7 mi
78236 Jbsa Lackland, TX 10,392 6.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Bexar County

78228 standard
San Antonio, TX
Pop: 58,811
78245 standard
San Antonio, TX
Pop: 56,511
78207 standard
San Antonio, TX
Pop: 55,514
78250 standard
San Antonio, TX
Pop: 54,903
78240 standard
San Antonio, TX
Pop: 51,111
78223 standard
San Antonio, TX
Pop: 50,637

Related Areas

Bexar County San Antonio, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78238 in? ▼
ZIP code 78238 (San Antonio) is located in Bexar County, Texas. Bexar County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bexar-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78238? ▼
ZIP code 78238 in San Antonio, TX has a population of 23,514 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78238? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78238 is $57,769, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78238? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78238 is $209,700, which is 25% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78238? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78238 is Two or More Ethnicities at 40.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 69.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78238? ▼
ZIP code 78238 has 1,015 business establishments employing approximately 22,529 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78238? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78238 are: Retail trade (235), Accommodation and food services (126), Other services (except public administration) (105). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78238? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78238 decreased by 0.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 219%. 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 78238? ▼
In ZIP code 78238, 49.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.6% 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 78238? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78238 is 24.9 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 78238? ▼
In ZIP code 78238, approximately 44.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 55.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78238? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78238 is 13.7% 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.