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 Moderate-density area
- $49,137
- Median income Below-median income area
- $131,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 7.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Penitas, Hidalgo County, Texas, home to 8,775 residents across 99.6 square miles, a density of 88 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78576 reports a modest median household income of $49,137 (35% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $15,968. The poverty rate is 36.6%, 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 $131,400 (47% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $697; owner occupancy is 84.6%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 7.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 22.4, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Hidalgo County, so 78576 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 78576
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Penitas, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78576.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
16 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
15 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
12 establishments
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
8 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 78576, Penitas, 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
8,775
Population
99.6
Area (sq mi)
88
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78576?
22.4
Median Age
48.4%
Male
51.6%
Female
31.0%
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?
$49,137
Median Household Income
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$15,968
Per Capita Income
36.6%
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 78576 ranks among Texas ZIPs
Penitas, 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)
$49,137 14th percentile higher than 14% 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
3,947housing units
3,947
Total Housing Units
3,637
Occupied Units
310
Vacant Units
4.26
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$131,400
Median Home Value
-47% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 78572
Mission (78572)
75,221 residents
- 78574
Mission (78574)
57,071 residents
- 78576 8,775
Penitas (78576)
8,775 residents
- 78595 6,082
Sullivan City (78595)
6,082 residents
- 78560 4,368
La Joya (78560)
4,368 residents
- 78565 402
Los Ebanos (78565)
402 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78576 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78576 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78595
Sullivan City (78595)
$58,846 median income
- 78560
La Joya (78560)
$55,721 median income
- 78572
Mission (78572)
$54,298 median income
- 78574
Mission (78574)
$52,393 median income
- 78576
Penitas (78576)
$49,137 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 78576, 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 (8,775 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 78576's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78576 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Penitas, TX ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.