PlainZIP

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
$44,527
Median income
$87,800
Median home value
6.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Texas average), while per-capita income is $20,527. Poverty here runs at 27.6%, with unemployment measured at 4.4%. Housing costs here run $87,800 for a typical home value (65% below the state average), with rent averaging $844 a month; 74.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

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 -. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Hidalgo County, letting you compare 78543 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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.

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 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

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 78543?

33.2

Median Age

45.9%

Male

54.1%

Female

14.0%

Foreign-Born

White 23.1%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 69.2%
Hispanic or Latino 97.3%

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

$20,527

Per Capita Income

27.6%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 78543 ranks nationally

Elsa, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$44,527 9th percentile higher than 9% 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 47.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 6.6%

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

What does housing look like?

3,129

Total Housing Units

2,834

Occupied Units

295

Vacant Units

2.96

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.5%
Renter 25.5%

$87,800

Median Home Value

-65% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78543 ranks #5 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 78543 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 78543 ranks #3 of 7 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
78558 La Blanca, TX 882 2.2 mi
78538 Edcouch, TX 10,657 5.4 mi
78562 La Villa, TX 2,868 6.3 mi
78596 Weslaco, TX 63,844 9.6 mi
78537 Donna, TX 39,454 10.0 mi
78570 Mercedes, TX 32,525 10.1 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 Elsa, TX Texas

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.

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