Elsa, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78543
Hidalgo County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,447
- 548/sq mi High-density area
- $44,527
- Median income Below-median income area
- $87,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 6.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Elsa 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.
- 9th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 6th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 548
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78543 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 78543 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Elsa, Hidalgo County, Texas, home to 8,447 residents across 15.4 square miles, a density of 548 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78543 reports a modest median household income of $44,527 (41% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $20,527. The poverty rate is 27.6%, 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 $87,800 (65% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $844; owner occupancy is 74.5%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 6.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.2, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Hidalgo County, so 78543 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 78543
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Elsa, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78543.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
20 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
19 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
18 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
17 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 7
Other services (except public administration)
7 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 78543, Elsa, 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
8,447
Population
15.4
Area (sq mi)
548
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78543?
33.2
Median Age
45.9%
Male
54.1%
Female
14.0%
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?
$44,527
Median Household Income
-41% vs state ZIP avg
$20,527
Per Capita Income
27.6%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 78543 ranks among Texas ZIPs
Elsa, 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)
$44,527 8th percentile higher than 8% 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
3,129housing units
3,129
Total Housing Units
2,834
Occupied Units
295
Vacant Units
2.96
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$87,800
Median Home Value
-65% vs state ZIP avg
$844
Median Rent
1994
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 107 business establishments in ZIP 78543, employing approximately 1,968 people with a combined annual payroll of $67,763,000.
107
Businesses
1,968
Employees
$67.8M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 20 | 18.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 19 | 17.8% |
| Retail trade | 18 | 16.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 17 | 15.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 6.5% |
| Construction | 4 | 3.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 3.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 3.7% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 2.8% |
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 78543 vs 78558 →
ZIP 78543 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78596
Weslaco (78596)
63,844 residents
- 78537
Donna (78537)
39,454 residents
- 78570
Mercedes (78570)
32,525 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
- 78558 882
La Blanca (78558)
882 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78543 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78543 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78596
Weslaco (78596)
$58,411 median income
- 78558
La Blanca (78558)
$57,969 median income
- 78543
Elsa (78543)
$44,527 median income
- 78570
Mercedes (78570)
$41,965 median income
- 78537
Donna (78537)
$40,668 median income
- 78538
Edcouch (78538)
$40,399 median income
- 78562
La Villa (78562)
$31,522 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78543 ranks #3 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 78543, 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 (8,447 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 78543 in?
ZIP code 78543 (Elsa) 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 78543?
ZIP code 78543 in Elsa, TX has a population of 8,447 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78543?
The median household income in ZIP 78543 is $44,527, which is 42% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78543?
The median home value in ZIP 78543 is $87,800, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78543?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78543 is Two or More Ethnicities at 69.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 97.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78543?
ZIP code 78543 has 107 business establishments employing approximately 1,968 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78543?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78543 are: Health care and social assistance (20), Accommodation and food services (19), Retail trade (18). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78543?
In ZIP code 78543, 47.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 6.6% 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 78543?
In ZIP code 78543, approximately 74.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78543?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78543 is 27.6% 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 78543's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78543 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Elsa, 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.