PlainZIP

Brownsville, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78521

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

93,818
389/sq mi
$44,509
Median income
$99,700
Median home value
16.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

9th pct
household income, US ZIPs
10th pct
home value, US ZIPs
389
people per sq mi
60%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78521 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78521 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas, with 93,818 residents across 241.2 square miles, a density of 389 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78521 reports a modest median household income of $44,509 (41% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $19,594. Poverty here runs at 30.2%, with unemployment measured at 6.9%. The typical home here is valued at $99,700 (60% below the state average); renters pay a median of $889 monthly, and 60.3% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.3, and the average commute is 22 minutes. To put 78521 in local context, 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Cameron 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 78521

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Brownsville, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78521.

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 78521, 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

93,818

Population

241.2

Area (sq mi)

389

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 78521?

31.3

Median Age

47.9%

Male

52.1%

Female

30.4%

Foreign-Born

White 32.4%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 55.6%
Hispanic or Latino 96.1%

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?

$44,509

Median Household Income

-41% vs state

$19,594

Per Capita Income

30.2%

Poverty Rate

6.9%

Unemployment Rate

22.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 78521 ranks nationally

Brownsville, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$44,509 9th percentile higher than 9% 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 42.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.7%

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

What does housing look like?

29,741

Total Housing Units

27,731

Occupied Units

2,010

Vacant Units

3.14

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.3%
Renter 39.7%

$99,700

Median Home Value

-60% vs state

$889

Median Rent

1989

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

+5.7%

YoY Change (2024)

263

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+163%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 78521 have increased 5.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +163% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.3% 163
2021 +12.5% 183
2022 +18.5% 217
2023 +14.7% 249
2024 +5.7% 263

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 1,384 business establishments in ZIP 78521, employing approximately 28,048 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,209,154,000.

1,384

Businesses

28,048

Employees

$1.2B

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 217 15.7%
Health care and social assistance 187 13.5%
Accommodation and food services 153 11.1%
Transportation and warehousing 129 9.3%
Wholesale trade 110 8.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 102 7.4%
Finance and insurance 94 6.8%
Other services (except public administration) 92 6.7%
Construction 82 5.9%
Manufacturing 63 4.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 61 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 37 2.7%
Information 21 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 0.9%
Educational services 9 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 6 0.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.4%
Industries not classified 3 0.2%

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 78521 vs 78578 →

ZIP 78521 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 78521 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 78521 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 78521 ranks #3 of 3 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
78578 Port Isabel, TX 12,516 7.1 mi
78526 Brownsville, TX 42,460 7.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cameron County

78520 standard
Brownsville, TX
Pop: 59,408
78586 standard
San Benito, TX
Pop: 55,878
78550 standard
Harlingen, TX
Pop: 53,152
78526 standard
Brownsville, TX
Pop: 42,460
78552 standard
Harlingen, TX
Pop: 34,111
78566 standard
Los Fresnos, TX
Pop: 16,230

Related Areas

Cameron County Brownsville, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78521 in? ▼
ZIP code 78521 (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 78521? ▼
ZIP code 78521 in Brownsville, TX has a population of 93,818 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78521? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78521 is $44,509, which is 42% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78521? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78521 is $99,700, which is 64% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78521? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78521 is Two or More Ethnicities at 55.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 96.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78521? ▼
ZIP code 78521 has 1,384 business establishments employing approximately 28,048 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78521? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78521 are: Retail trade (217), Health care and social assistance (187), Accommodation and food services (153). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78521? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78521 increased by 5.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 163%. 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 78521? ▼
In ZIP code 78521, 42.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.7% 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 78521? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78521 is 22.4 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 78521? ▼
In ZIP code 78521, approximately 60.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78521? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78521 is 30.2% 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.