PlainZIP

Combes, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78535

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

581
184/sq mi
$39,000
Median income
$107,300
Median home value
14.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Combes pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
12th pct
home value, US ZIPs
184
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78535 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78535 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Combes, Cameron County, Texas, home to just 581 residents across 3.2 square miles, a density of 184 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78535 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $39,000 (48% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $29,938. Poverty here runs at 32.2%, with unemployment measured at 3.7%. The typical home here is valued at $107,300 (57% below the state average); renters pay a median of $778 monthly, and 73.5% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 53.4, and the average commute is -. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cameron County, so you can benchmark 78535 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 →

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 78535, Combes, 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

581

Population

3.2

Area (sq mi)

184

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 78535?

53.4

Median Age

48.2%

Male

51.8%

Female

20.2%

Foreign-Born

White 44.0%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 52.7%
Hispanic or Latino 62.4%

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?

$39,000

Median Household Income

-48% vs state

$29,938

Per Capita Income

32.2%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 78535 ranks nationally

Combes, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$39,000 5th percentile higher than 5% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 50.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.0%

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

What does housing look like?

222

Total Housing Units

204

Occupied Units

18

Vacant Units

2.08

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.5%
Renter 26.5%

$107,300

Median Home Value

-57% vs state

$778

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 10 business establishments in ZIP 78535, employing approximately 93 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,011,000.

10

Businesses

93

Employees

$3.0M

Annual Payroll

1

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 3 30.0%

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 78535 vs 78552 →

ZIP 78535 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 78535 ranks #8 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 78535 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 78535 ranks #7 of 8 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
78552 Harlingen, TX 34,111 4.1 mi
78550 Harlingen, TX 53,152 4.7 mi
78593 Santa Rosa, TX 6,324 5.1 mi
78569 Lyford, TX 4,039 8.1 mi
78594 Sebastian, TX 1,990 7.1 mi
78559 La Feria, TX 12,751 9.2 mi
78586 San Benito, TX 55,878 12.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cameron County

78521 standard
Brownsville, TX
Pop: 93,818
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

Related Areas

Cameron County Combes, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78535 in? ▼
ZIP code 78535 (Combes) 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 78535? ▼
ZIP code 78535 in Combes, TX has a population of 581 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78535? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78535 is $39,000, which is 49% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78535? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78535 is $107,300, which is 61% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78535? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78535 is Two or More Ethnicities at 52.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 62.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78535? ▼
ZIP code 78535 has 10 business establishments employing approximately 93 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78535? ▼
In ZIP code 78535, 50.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 78535? ▼
In ZIP code 78535, approximately 73.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78535? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78535 is 32.2% 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.