Penitas, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78576

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

8,775
88/sq mi
$49,137
Median income
$131,400
Median home value
7.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Penitas pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

13th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
88
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78576 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78576 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 99.6 square miles in Penitas, Hidalgo County, Texas. The area is home to 8,775 residents, producing a population density of 88 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 78576 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 78576 sits at $49,137 (35% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $15,968. The poverty rate stands at 36.6% and the unemployment rate at 5.5%. On housing, the median home value is $131,400 (47% below the state average) with median rent at $697 per month, and 84.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 78576 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 7.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 22.4, and the average commute is . We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Hidalgo County, so you can benchmark 78576 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 78576

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78576.

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 78576, Penitas, 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

8,775

Population

99.6

Area (sq mi)

88

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 78576?

22.4

Median Age

48.4%

Male

51.6%

Female

31.0%

Foreign-Born

White 8.9%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 89.2%
Hispanic or Latino 99.0%

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?

$49,137

Median Household Income

-35% vs state

$15,968

Per Capita Income

36.6%

Poverty Rate

5.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 78576 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$49,137 13th percentile higher than 13% 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 37.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.0%

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

What does housing look like?

3,947

Total Housing Units

3,637

Occupied Units

310

Vacant Units

4.26

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.6%
Renter 15.4%

$131,400

Median Home Value

-47% vs state

$697

Median Rent

2003

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 82 business establishments in ZIP 78576, employing approximately 1,164 people with a combined annual payroll of $33,522,000.

82

Businesses

1,164

Employees

$33.5M

Annual Payroll

9

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 16 19.5%
Retail trade 15 18.3%
Finance and insurance 12 14.6%
Construction 9 11.0%
Accommodation and food services 8 9.8%
Other services (except public administration) 7 8.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 6.1%
Manufacturing 3 3.7%
Wholesale trade 3 3.7%

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 78576 vs 78560 →

ZIP 78576 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 78576 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 78576 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 78576 ranks #5 of 5 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
78560 La Joya, TX 4,368 4.4 mi
78595 Sullivan City, TX 6,082 4.4 mi
78574 Mission, TX 57,071 6.6 mi
78565 Los Ebanos, TX 402 6.4 mi
78572 Mission, TX 75,221 8.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Hidalgo County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78576 in?
ZIP code 78576 (Penitas) 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 78576?
ZIP code 78576 in Penitas, TX has a population of 8,775 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78576?
The median household income in ZIP 78576 is $49,137, which is 36% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78576?
The median home value in ZIP 78576 is $131,400, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78576?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78576 is Two or More Ethnicities at 89.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 99.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78576?
ZIP code 78576 has 82 business establishments employing approximately 1,164 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78576?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78576 are: Health care and social assistance (16), Retail trade (15), Finance and insurance (12). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78576?
In ZIP code 78576, 37.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 7.0% 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 78576?
In ZIP code 78576, approximately 84.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78576?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78576 is 36.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Penitas, TX

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