PlainZIP

Port Isabel, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78578

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

12,516
81/sq mi
$51,880
Median income
$196,200
Median home value
28.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Port Isabel pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

17th pct
household income, US ZIPs
42th pct
home value, US ZIPs
81
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78578 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78578 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Port Isabel, Cameron County, Texas, home to 12,516 residents across 155.1 square miles, a density of 81 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78578 reports a modest median household income of $51,880 (31% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $37,249. 27.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.6%. The typical home here is valued at $196,200 (21% below the state average); renters pay a median of $749 monthly, and 74.6% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49, and the average commute is 17 minutes. To put 78578 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Cameron County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 78578

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Port Isabel, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78578.

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 78578, Port Isabel, 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

12,516

Population

155.1

Area (sq mi)

81

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 78578?

49.0

Median Age

47.0%

Male

53.0%

Female

22.4%

Foreign-Born

White 61.5%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 32.2%
Hispanic or Latino 57.3%

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?

$51,880

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$37,249

Per Capita Income

27.0%

Poverty Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

17.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 78578 ranks nationally

Port Isabel, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$51,880 17th percentile higher than 17% 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 56.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.6%

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

What does housing look like?

6,480

Total Housing Units

4,379

Occupied Units

2,101

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.6%
Renter 25.4%

$196,200

Median Home Value

-21% vs state

$749

Median Rent

1991

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

+8.8%

YoY Change (2024)

290

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+190%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 78578 have increased 8.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +190% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.0% 173
2021 +19.0% 206
2022 +10.4% 228
2023 +16.8% 266
2024 +8.8% 290

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 211 business establishments in ZIP 78578, employing approximately 1,997 people with a combined annual payroll of $64,089,000.

211

Businesses

1,997

Employees

$64.1M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 40 19.0%
Retail trade 32 15.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 22 10.4%
Other services (except public administration) 16 7.6%
Health care and social assistance 15 7.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 6.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 5.7%
Construction 11 5.2%
Finance and insurance 11 5.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 4.3%
Wholesale trade 7 3.3%
Transportation and warehousing 6 2.8%
Information 6 2.8%
Manufacturing 3 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.4%

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 78578 vs 78521 →

ZIP 78578 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 78578 ranks #4 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 78578 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 78578 ranks #3 of 4 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
78521 Brownsville, TX 93,818 7.1 mi
78566 Los Fresnos, TX 16,230 8.3 mi
78526 Brownsville, TX 42,460 8.7 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
78552 standard
Harlingen, TX
Pop: 34,111

Related Areas

Cameron County Port Isabel, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78578 in? ▼
ZIP code 78578 (Port Isabel) 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 78578? ▼
ZIP code 78578 in Port Isabel, TX has a population of 12,516 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78578? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78578 is $51,880, which is 32% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78578? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 78578 is $196,200, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78578? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78578 is White at 61.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 57.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78578? ▼
ZIP code 78578 has 211 business establishments employing approximately 1,997 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78578? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78578 are: Accommodation and food services (40), Retail trade (32), Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (22). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78578? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78578 increased by 8.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 190%. 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 78578? ▼
In ZIP code 78578, 56.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.6% 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 78578? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78578 is 17.3 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 78578? ▼
In ZIP code 78578, approximately 74.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78578? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78578 is 27.0% 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.