PlainZIP

Donna, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78537

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

39,454
244/sq mi
$40,668
Median income
$81,900
Median home value
10.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

6th pct
household income, US ZIPs
5th pct
home value, US ZIPs
244
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78537 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78537 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Donna, Hidalgo County, Texas, with 39,454 residents across 161.8 square miles, a density of 244 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78537 reports a modest median household income of $40,668 (46% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $15,590. Poverty here runs at 37.0%, with unemployment measured at 9.8%. On housing, the median home value is $81,900 (67% below the state average) with median rent at $763 per month, and 74.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 26.6, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 78537 in local context, 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Hidalgo 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 78537

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Donna, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78537.

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 78537, Donna, 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

39,454

Population

161.8

Area (sq mi)

244

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 78537?

26.6

Median Age

51.3%

Male

48.7%

Female

27.3%

Foreign-Born

White 29.8%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 58.4%
Hispanic or Latino 95.0%

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?

$40,668

Median Household Income

-46% vs state

$15,590

Per Capita Income

37.0%

Poverty Rate

9.8%

Unemployment Rate

24.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 78537 ranks nationally

Donna, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$40,668 6th percentile higher than 6% 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 38.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.4%

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

What does housing look like?

16,457

Total Housing Units

13,909

Occupied Units

2,548

Vacant Units

3.70

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.2%
Renter 25.8%

$81,900

Median Home Value

-67% vs state

$763

Median Rent

1997

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 315 business establishments in ZIP 78537, employing approximately 6,219 people with a combined annual payroll of $176,127,000.

315

Businesses

6,219

Employees

$176.1M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 75 23.8%
Health care and social assistance 54 17.1%
Construction 32 10.2%
Accommodation and food services 30 9.5%
Wholesale trade 28 8.9%
Finance and insurance 21 6.7%
Manufacturing 16 5.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 4.8%
Other services (except public administration) 13 4.1%
Transportation and warehousing 12 3.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 7 2.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 1.6%

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 78537 vs 78596 →

ZIP 78537 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 78537 ranks #3 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 78537 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 78537 ranks #9 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
78596 Weslaco, TX 63,844 4.2 mi
78516 Alamo, TX 33,722 4.0 mi
78589 San Juan, TX 38,004 6.1 mi
78577 Pharr, TX 70,840 8.4 mi
78570 Mercedes, TX 32,525 9.1 mi
78558 La Blanca, TX 882 9.6 mi
78579 Progreso, TX 4,580 8.0 mi
78543 Elsa, TX 8,447 10.0 mi
78539 Edinburg, TX 30,783 11.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Hidalgo County

78572 standard
Mission, TX
Pop: 75,221
78577 standard
Pharr, TX
Pop: 70,840
78596 standard
Weslaco, TX
Pop: 63,844
78542 standard
Edinburg, TX
Pop: 63,293
78501 standard
Mcallen, TX
Pop: 61,219
78574 standard
Mission, TX
Pop: 57,071

Related Areas

Hidalgo County Donna, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78537 in? ▼
ZIP code 78537 (Donna) is located in Hidalgo County, Texas. Hidalgo County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/hidalgo-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78537? ▼
ZIP code 78537 in Donna, TX has a population of 39,454 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78537? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78537 is $40,668, which is 47% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78537? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78537 is $81,900, which is 71% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78537? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78537 is Two or More Ethnicities at 58.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 95.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78537? ▼
ZIP code 78537 has 315 business establishments employing approximately 6,219 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78537? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78537 are: Retail trade (75), Health care and social assistance (54), Construction (32). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78537? ▼
In ZIP code 78537, 38.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.4% 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 78537? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78537 is 24.4 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 78537? ▼
In ZIP code 78537, approximately 74.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78537? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78537 is 37.0% 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.