Brownsville, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78526
Cameron County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 42,460
- 372/sq mi High-density area
- $70,565
- Median income Near-median income area
- $185,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 33.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Brownsville pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 48th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 39th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 372
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78526 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 78526 (Brownsville, TX) rose +4.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 228.0 in 2023 to 237.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 78526 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas, with 42,460 residents across 114.3 square miles, a density of 372 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78526 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,565 (7% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,600. The poverty rate is 16.9%, with unemployment at 5.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $185,000 (25% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $1,095; owner occupancy is 69.2%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.7, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cameron County, so 78526 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 78526
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Brownsville, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78526.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
162 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
110 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
107 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 53
Other services (except public administration)
53 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 51
Professional, scientific, and technical services
51 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 78526, 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
42,460
Population
114.3
Area (sq mi)
372
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78526?
29.7
Median Age
49.8%
Male
50.2%
Female
24.4%
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?
$70,565
Median Household Income
-7% vs state ZIP avg
$26,600
Per Capita Income
16.9%
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Unemployment Rate
21.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 78526 ranks nationally
Brownsville, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$70,565 48th percentile higher than 48% 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
18,639housing units
18,639
Total Housing Units
17,516
Occupied Units
1,123
Vacant Units
3.39
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$185,000
Median Home Value
-25% vs state ZIP avg
$1,095
Median Rent
2003
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
+4.2%
YoY Change (2024)
237
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+137%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 78526 have increased 4.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.3% | 153 |
| 2021 | +15.1% | 176 |
| 2022 | +18.9% | 210 |
| 2023 | +8.6% | 228 |
| 2024 | +4.2% | 237 |
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 769 business establishments in ZIP 78526, employing approximately 12,611 people with a combined annual payroll of $436,872,000.
769
Businesses
12,611
Employees
$436.9M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 162 | 21.1% |
| Retail trade | 110 | 14.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 107 | 13.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 53 | 6.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 51 | 6.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 48 | 6.2% |
| Construction | 44 | 5.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 41 | 5.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 41 | 5.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 36 | 4.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 26 | 3.4% |
| Manufacturing | 18 | 2.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 1.4% |
| Educational services | 9 | 1.2% |
| Information | 5 | 0.7% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3 | 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 78526 vs 78575 →
ZIP 78526 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78521
Brownsville (78521)
93,818 residents
- 78520
Brownsville (78520)
59,408 residents
- 78526
Brownsville (78526)
42,460 residents
- 78578 12,516
Port Isabel (78578)
12,516 residents
- 78575 8,056
Olmito (78575)
8,056 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78526 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78526 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
- 78578
Port Isabel (78578)
$51,880 median income
- 78520
Brownsville (78520)
$50,116 median income
- 78521
Brownsville (78521)
$44,509 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78526 ranks #2 of 5 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 78526, 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 (42,460 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 78526 in?
ZIP code 78526 (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 78526?
ZIP code 78526 in Brownsville, TX has a population of 42,460 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78526?
The median household income in ZIP 78526 is $70,565, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78526?
The median home value in ZIP 78526 is $185,000, which is 33% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78526?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78526 is Two or More Ethnicities at 59.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 92.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78526?
ZIP code 78526 has 769 business establishments employing approximately 12,611 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78526?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78526 are: Health care and social assistance (162), Retail trade (110), Accommodation and food services (107). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78526?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78526 increased by 4.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 78526?
In ZIP code 78526, 55.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.9% 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 78526?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78526 is 21.0 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 78526?
In ZIP code 78526, approximately 69.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78526?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78526 is 16.9% 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 78526's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78526 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.