Edcouch, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78538
Hidalgo County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,657
- 58/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $40,399
- Median income Below-median income area
- $92,100
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Edcouch pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 6th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 7th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 58
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78538 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 78538 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Edcouch, Hidalgo County, Texas, home to 10,657 residents across 184.1 square miles, a density of 58 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78538 reports a modest median household income of $40,399 (47% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $17,362. The poverty rate is 37.3%, 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 $92,100 (63% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $556; owner occupancy is 72.9%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.6, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Hidalgo County, so 78538 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 78538
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Edcouch, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78538.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
14 establishments
- Construction
Construction
10 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
6 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 78538, Edcouch, 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
10,657
Population
184.1
Area (sq mi)
58
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78538?
32.6
Median Age
49.9%
Male
50.1%
Female
25.5%
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?
$40,399
Median Household Income
-47% vs state ZIP avg
$17,362
Per Capita Income
37.3%
Poverty Rate
8.7%
Unemployment Rate
23.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 78538 ranks among Texas ZIPs
Edcouch, TX household income vs. every Texas ZIP code
Median household income among 1,737 reporting Texas ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$40,399 5th percentile higher than 5% of 1,737 Texas ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Texas 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
3,934housing units
3,934
Total Housing Units
3,556
Occupied Units
378
Vacant Units
3.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$92,100
Median Home Value
-63% vs state ZIP avg
$556
Median Rent
2000
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 59 business establishments in ZIP 78538, employing approximately 525 people with a combined annual payroll of $18,554,000.
59
Businesses
525
Employees
$18.6M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 14 | 23.7% |
| Construction | 10 | 16.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 11.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 11.9% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 10.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 6.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 5.1% |
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 78538 vs 78543 →
ZIP 78538 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78542
Edinburg (78542)
63,293 residents
- 78538 10,657
Edcouch (78538)
10,657 residents
- 78543 8,447
Elsa (78543)
8,447 residents
- 78562 2,868
La Villa (78562)
2,868 residents
- 78549 990
Hargill (78549)
990 residents
- 78558 882
La Blanca (78558)
882 residents
- 78561 779
Lasara (78561)
779 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78538 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78538 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78561
Lasara (78561)
$102,528 median income
- 78558
La Blanca (78558)
$57,969 median income
- 78542
Edinburg (78542)
$55,243 median income
- 78543
Elsa (78543)
$44,527 median income
- 78538 $40,399
Edcouch (78538)
$40,399 median income
- 78562 $31,522
La Villa (78562)
$31,522 median income
- 78549 $19,222
Hargill (78549)
$19,222 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78538 ranks #5 of 7 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 78538, 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 (10,657 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Hidalgo County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 78538 in?
ZIP code 78538 (Edcouch) 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 78538?
ZIP code 78538 in Edcouch, TX has a population of 10,657 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78538?
The median household income in ZIP 78538 is $40,399, which is 47% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78538?
The median home value in ZIP 78538 is $92,100, which is 67% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78538?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78538 is Two or More Ethnicities at 67.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 97.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78538?
ZIP code 78538 has 59 business establishments employing approximately 525 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78538?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78538 are: Health care and social assistance (14), Construction (10), Transportation and warehousing (7). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78538?
In ZIP code 78538, 47.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.0% 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 78538?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78538 is 23.2 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 78538?
In ZIP code 78538, approximately 72.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78538?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78538 is 37.3% 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 78538's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78538 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Edcouch, TX ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.