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 classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 15.4 square miles in Elsa, Hidalgo County, Texas. The area is home to 8,447 residents, producing a population density of 548 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 78543 against Texas and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 78543 sits at $44,527 (41% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $20,527. The poverty rate stands at 27.6% and the unemployment rate at 4.4%. On housing, the median home value is $87,800 (65% below the state average) with median rent at $844 per month, and 74.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 78543 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 6.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.2, and the average commute is —. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Hidalgo County, so you can benchmark 78543 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 78543
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
$20,527
Per Capita Income
27.6%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 78543 ranks nationally
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
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?
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
$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.
More ZIP Codes in Hidalgo County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78543? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78543? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78543? ▼
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What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 78543? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Elsa, TX
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.