PlainZIP

San Antonio, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78242

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

31,395
1,541/sq mi
$50,644
Median income
$148,200
Median home value
10.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

San Antonio pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

15th pct
household income, US ZIPs
25th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,541
people per sq mi
54%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78242 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78242 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, with 31,395 residents across 20.4 square miles, a density of 1,541 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78242 reports a modest median household income of $50,644 (33% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $19,020. 23.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 11.5%. The typical home here is valued at $148,200 (40% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,270 monthly, and 53.6% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.7, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Bexar County, so you can benchmark 78242 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 78242

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in San Antonio, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78242.

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 78242, 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

31,395

Population

20.4

Area (sq mi)

1,541

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 78242?

29.7

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

18.7%

Foreign-Born

White 35.1%
African American 2.6%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 31.6%
Hispanic or Latino 86.5%

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?

$50,644

Median Household Income

-33% vs state

$19,020

Per Capita Income

23.3%

Poverty Rate

11.5%

Unemployment Rate

30.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 78242 ranks nationally

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

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

$50,644 15th percentile higher than 15% 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 43.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.3%

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

What does housing look like?

11,436

Total Housing Units

10,703

Occupied Units

733

Vacant Units

3.38

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.6%
Renter 46.4%

$148,200

Median Home Value

-40% vs state

$1,270

Median Rent

1979

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 119 business establishments in ZIP 78242, employing approximately 1,572 people with a combined annual payroll of $47,819,000.

119

Businesses

1,572

Employees

$47.8M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 32 26.9%
Accommodation and food services 26 21.9%
Construction 17 14.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 6 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 5.0%
Other services (except public administration) 6 5.0%
Transportation and warehousing 5 4.2%
Finance and insurance 5 4.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 4.2%
Information 4 3.4%
Health care and social assistance 4 3.4%

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 78242 vs 78243 →

ZIP 78242 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 78242 ranks #4 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 78242 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 78242 ranks #7 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
78243 San Antonio, TX 235 1.6 mi
78211 San Antonio, TX 31,944 2.7 mi
78236 Jbsa Lackland, TX 10,392 2.9 mi
78226 San Antonio, TX 6,648 3.2 mi
78227 San Antonio, TX 46,077 4.1 mi
78252 San Antonio, TX 7,372 5.9 mi
78237 San Antonio, TX 36,929 5.4 mi
78073 Von Ormy, TX 8,171 7.3 mi
78225 San Antonio, TX 13,025 5.5 mi
78224 San Antonio, TX 17,601 5.7 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 78242 in? ▼
ZIP code 78242 (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 78242? ▼
ZIP code 78242 in San Antonio, TX has a population of 31,395 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78242? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78242 is $50,644, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78242? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78242 is $148,200, which is 47% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78242? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78242 is White at 35.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 86.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78242? ▼
ZIP code 78242 has 119 business establishments employing approximately 1,572 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78242? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78242 are: Retail trade (32), Accommodation and food services (26), Construction (17). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78242? ▼
In ZIP code 78242, 43.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.3% 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 78242? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78242 is 30.1 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 78242? ▼
In ZIP code 78242, approximately 53.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 46.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78242? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78242 is 23.3% 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.