PlainZIP

Harlingen, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78552

Cameron County, Texas — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

34,111
268/sq mi
$69,811
Median income
$169,300
Median home value
24.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Harlingen pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

46th pct
household income, US ZIPs
34th pct
home value, US ZIPs
268
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78552 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78552 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 127.4 square miles in Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas. The area is home to 34,111 residents, producing a population density of 268 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 78552 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 78552 sits at $69,811 (8% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $29,015. The poverty rate stands at 21.6% and the unemployment rate at 5.4%. On housing, the median home value is $169,300 (32% below the state average) with median rent at $1,113 per month, and 75.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 78552 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 24.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.4, and the average commute is 20 minutes. We also surface 8 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cameron County, so you can benchmark 78552 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 78552

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78552.

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 78552, Harlingen, 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

34,111

Population

127.4

Area (sq mi)

268

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 78552?

33.4

Median Age

49.4%

Male

50.6%

Female

15.3%

Foreign-Born

White 46.2%
African American 1.0%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 42.8%
Hispanic or Latino 80.6%

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?

$69,811

Median Household Income

-8% vs state

$29,015

Per Capita Income

21.6%

Poverty Rate

5.4%

Unemployment Rate

19.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 78552 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$69,811 46th percentile higher than 46% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 51.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.0%

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

What does housing look like?

15,840

Total Housing Units

13,567

Occupied Units

2,273

Vacant Units

3.11

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.3%
Renter 24.7%

$169,300

Median Home Value

-32% vs state

$1,113

Median Rent

1997

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

+3.9%

YoY Change (2024)

215

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+115%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 78552 have increased 3.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +115% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.9% 141
2021 +9.7% 154
2022 +17.0% 180
2023 +14.8% 207
2024 +3.9% 215

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 431 business establishments in ZIP 78552, employing approximately 8,210 people with a combined annual payroll of $264,155,000.

431

Businesses

8,210

Employees

$264.2M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 86 19.9%
Health care and social assistance 64 14.8%
Accommodation and food services 40 9.3%
Construction 39 9.1%
Finance and insurance 34 7.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 31 7.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 30 7.0%
Other services (except public administration) 26 6.0%
Wholesale trade 23 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 5.1%
Transportation and warehousing 12 2.8%
Information 6 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.4%
Manufacturing 4 0.9%
Educational services 4 0.9%

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 78552 vs 78535 →

ZIP 78552 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 78552 ranks #3 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 78552 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 78552 ranks the highest 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
78535 Combes, TX 581 4.1 mi
78559 La Feria, TX 12,751 6.0 mi
78550 Harlingen, TX 53,152 6.7 mi
78593 Santa Rosa, TX 6,324 7.0 mi
78567 Los Indios, TX 533 9.9 mi
78586 San Benito, TX 55,878 9.7 mi
78592 Santa Maria, TX 836 10.8 mi
78562 La Villa, TX 2,868 11.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cameron County

78521 standard
Brownsville, TX
Pop: 93,818
78520 standard
Brownsville, TX
Pop: 59,408
78586 standard
San Benito, TX
Pop: 55,878
78550 standard
Harlingen, TX
Pop: 53,152
78526 standard
Brownsville, TX
Pop: 42,460
78566 standard
Los Fresnos, TX
Pop: 16,230

Related Areas

Cameron County Harlingen, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78552 in? ▼
ZIP code 78552 (Harlingen) is located in Cameron County, Texas. Cameron County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cameron-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78552? ▼
ZIP code 78552 in Harlingen, TX has a population of 34,111 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78552? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78552 is $69,811, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78552? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78552 is $169,300, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78552? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78552 is White at 46.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 80.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78552? ▼
ZIP code 78552 has 431 business establishments employing approximately 8,210 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78552? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78552 are: Retail trade (86), Health care and social assistance (64), Accommodation and food services (40). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78552? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78552 increased by 3.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 115%. 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 78552? ▼
In ZIP code 78552, 51.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.0% 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 78552? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78552 is 19.5 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 78552? ▼
In ZIP code 78552, approximately 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78552? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78552 is 21.6% 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 Harlingen, 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.