PlainZIP

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
$55,243
Median income
$150,200
Median home value
12.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

21th 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 classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 440.1 square miles in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas. The area is home to 63,293 residents, producing a population density of 144 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 78542 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 78542 sits at $55,243 (27% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $19,389. The poverty rate stands at 30.4% and the unemployment rate at 9.7%. On housing, the median home value is $150,200 (39% below the state average) with median rent at $865 per month, and 75.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 78542 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 12.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 27.7, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Hidalgo County, so you can benchmark 78542 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 78542

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78542.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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

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 78542?

27.7

Median Age

52.0%

Male

48.0%

Female

25.5%

Foreign-Born

White 18.8%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 71.1%
Hispanic or Latino 95.4%

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?

$55,243

Median Household Income

-27% vs state

$19,389

Per Capita Income

30.4%

Poverty Rate

9.7%

Unemployment Rate

24.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 78542 ranks nationally

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

$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 44.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.8%

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

What does housing look like?

26,187

Total Housing Units

23,943

Occupied Units

2,244

Vacant Units

3.60

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.7%
Renter 24.3%

$150,200

Median Home Value

-39% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78542 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 78542 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 78542 ranks the highest of 3 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
78549 Hargill, TX 990 3.2 mi
78538 Edcouch, TX 10,657 8.5 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
78501 standard
Mcallen, TX
Pop: 61,219
78574 standard
Mission, TX
Pop: 57,071
78504 standard
Mcallen, TX
Pop: 48,703

Related Areas

Hidalgo County Edinburg, TX Texas

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.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Edinburg, TX

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.