Brownsville, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78520
Cameron County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 59,408
- 628/sq mi High-density area
- $50,116
- Median income Below-median income area
- $146,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 23.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Brownsville pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated and unusually populous area.
- 14th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 24th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 628
- people per sq mi
- 60%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78520 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 78520 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas, with 59,408 residents across 94.6 square miles, a density of 628 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78520 reports a modest median household income of $50,116 (34% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $21,364. The poverty rate is 23.2%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $146,000 (41% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $865; owner occupancy is 60.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cameron County, so 78520 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 78520
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Brownsville, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78520.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
208 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
183 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
148 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
137 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
99 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 78520, Brownsville, 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
59,408
Population
94.6
Area (sq mi)
628
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78520?
31.9
Median Age
48.6%
Male
51.4%
Female
27.2%
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?
$50,116
Median Household Income
-34% vs state ZIP avg
$21,364
Per Capita Income
23.2%
Poverty Rate
6.6%
Unemployment Rate
22.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 78520 ranks nationally
Brownsville, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$50,116 14th percentile higher than 14% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
23,135housing units
23,135
Total Housing Units
20,847
Occupied Units
2,288
Vacant Units
3.06
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$146,000
Median Home Value
-41% vs state ZIP avg
$865
Median Rent
1991
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
-0.4%
YoY Change (2024)
250
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+150%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 78520 have decreased 0.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +150% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.6% | 163 |
| 2021 | +16.2% | 189 |
| 2022 | +18.2% | 223 |
| 2023 | +12.2% | 251 |
| 2024 | -0.4% | 250 |
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 1,169 business establishments in ZIP 78520, employing approximately 20,609 people with a combined annual payroll of $659,725,000.
1,169
Businesses
20,609
Employees
$659.7M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 208 | 17.8% |
| Retail trade | 183 | 15.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 148 | 12.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 137 | 11.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 99 | 8.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 79 | 6.8% |
| Construction | 65 | 5.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 61 | 5.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 41 | 3.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 39 | 3.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 33 | 2.8% |
| Manufacturing | 26 | 2.2% |
| Educational services | 18 | 1.5% |
| Information | 12 | 1.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 0.8% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 4 | 0.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.3% |
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 78520 vs 78575 →
ZIP 78520 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78520
Brownsville (78520)
59,408 residents
- 78586
San Benito (78586)
55,878 residents
- 78526
Brownsville (78526)
42,460 residents
- 78575 8,056
Olmito (78575)
8,056 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78520 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78520 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78575
Olmito (78575)
$71,765 median income
- 78526
Brownsville (78526)
$70,565 median income
- 78520
Brownsville (78520)
$50,116 median income
- 78586
San Benito (78586)
$45,575 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78520 ranks #3 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 78520, 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 (59,408 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cameron County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 78520 in?
ZIP code 78520 (Brownsville) is located in Cameron County, Texas. Cameron County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cameron-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78520?
ZIP code 78520 in Brownsville, TX has a population of 59,408 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78520?
The median household income in ZIP 78520 is $50,116, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78520?
The median home value in ZIP 78520 is $146,000, which is 48% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78520?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78520 is Two or More Ethnicities at 54.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 92.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78520?
ZIP code 78520 has 1,169 business establishments employing approximately 20,609 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78520?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78520 are: Health care and social assistance (208), Retail trade (183), Accommodation and food services (148). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78520?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78520 decreased by 0.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 150%. 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 78520?
In ZIP code 78520, 46.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.9% 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 78520?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78520 is 22.5 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 78520?
In ZIP code 78520, approximately 60.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78520?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78520 is 23.2% 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 78520's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78520 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Brownsville, TX ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.