Edinburg, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78542
Hidalgo County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 63,293
- 144/sq mi High-density area
- $55,243
- Median income Below-median income area
- $150,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Edinburg pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated and unusually populous area.
- 21st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 25th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 144
- people per sq mi
- 76%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78542 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 78542 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas, with 63,293 residents across 440.1 square miles, a density of 144 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78542 reports a modest median household income of $55,243 (27% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,389. The poverty rate is 30.4%, 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 $150,200 (39% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $865; owner occupancy is 75.7%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 27.7, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Hidalgo County, so 78542 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 78542
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Edinburg, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78542.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
77 establishments
- Construction
Construction
47 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
44 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
31 establishments
- Wholesale trade 30
Wholesale trade
30 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 78542, Edinburg, 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
63,293
Population
440.1
Area (sq mi)
144
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78542?
27.7
Median Age
52.0%
Male
48.0%
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?
$55,243
Median Household Income
-27% vs state ZIP avg
$19,389
Per Capita Income
30.4%
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Unemployment Rate
24.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 78542 ranks nationally
Edinburg, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$55,243 21st percentile higher than 21% 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
26,187housing units
26,187
Total Housing Units
23,943
Occupied Units
2,244
Vacant Units
3.60
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$150,200
Median Home Value
-39% vs state ZIP avg
$865
Median Rent
2004
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
+0.7%
YoY Change (2024)
255
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+155%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 78542 have increased 0.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +155% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.8% | 163 |
| 2021 | +10.0% | 179 |
| 2022 | +24.5% | 223 |
| 2023 | +13.4% | 253 |
| 2024 | +0.7% | 255 |
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 388 business establishments in ZIP 78542, employing approximately 4,069 people with a combined annual payroll of $169,414,000.
388
Businesses
4,069
Employees
$169.4M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 77 | 19.9% |
| Construction | 47 | 12.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 44 | 11.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 31 | 8.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 30 | 7.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 28 | 7.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 24 | 6.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 22 | 5.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 19 | 4.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 16 | 4.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 15 | 3.9% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 3.4% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 6 | 1.6% |
| Educational services | 4 | 1.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 1.0% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.8% |
| Information | 3 | 0.8% |
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 78542 vs 78549 →
ZIP 78542 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
- 78549 990
Hargill (78549)
990 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78542 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78542 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78542
Edinburg (78542)
$55,243 median income
- 78538
Edcouch (78538)
$40,399 median income
- 78549 $19,222
Hargill (78549)
$19,222 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78542 ranks the highest of 3 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 78542, 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 (63,293 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 78542 in?
ZIP code 78542 (Edinburg) 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 78542?
ZIP code 78542 in Edinburg, TX has a population of 63,293 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78542?
The median household income in ZIP 78542 is $55,243, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78542?
The median home value in ZIP 78542 is $150,200, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78542?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78542 is Two or More Ethnicities at 71.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 95.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78542?
ZIP code 78542 has 388 business establishments employing approximately 4,069 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78542?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78542 are: Retail trade (77), Construction (47), Health care and social assistance (44). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78542?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78542 increased by 0.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 155%. 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 78542?
In ZIP code 78542, 44.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.8% 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 78542?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78542 is 24.6 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 78542?
In ZIP code 78542, approximately 75.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78542?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78542 is 30.4% 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 78542's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78542 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Edinburg, 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.