San Benito, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78586
Cameron County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 55,878
- 122/sq mi High-density area
- $45,575
- Median income Below-median income area
- $87,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
San Benito pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated and unusually populous area.
- 10th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 6th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 122
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78586 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 78586 (San Benito, TX) rose +2.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 243.3 in 2023 to 249.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 78586 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in San Benito, Cameron County, Texas, with 55,878 residents across 456.5 square miles, a density of 122 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78586 reports a modest median household income of $45,575 (40% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,322. The poverty rate is 28.8%, 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 $87,200 (65% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $796; owner occupancy is 74.2%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cameron County, so 78586 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 78586
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in San Benito, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78586.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
84 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
66 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
51 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
42 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
39 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 78586, San Benito, 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
55,878
Population
456.5
Area (sq mi)
122
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78586?
32.0
Median Age
50.6%
Male
49.4%
Female
22.9%
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?
$45,575
Median Household Income
-40% vs state ZIP avg
$19,322
Per Capita Income
28.8%
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Unemployment Rate
20.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 78586 ranks nationally
San Benito, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$45,575 10th percentile higher than 10% 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
17,259housing units
17,259
Total Housing Units
15,699
Occupied Units
1,560
Vacant Units
3.23
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$87,200
Median Home Value
-65% vs state ZIP avg
$796
Median Rent
1993
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
+2.5%
YoY Change (2024)
249
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+149%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 78586 have increased 2.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +149% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.5% | 148 |
| 2021 | +12.5% | 166 |
| 2022 | +16.6% | 194 |
| 2023 | +25.7% | 243 |
| 2024 | +2.5% | 249 |
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 454 business establishments in ZIP 78586, employing approximately 6,334 people with a combined annual payroll of $223,145,000.
454
Businesses
6,334
Employees
$223.1M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 84 | 18.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 66 | 14.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 51 | 11.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 42 | 9.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 39 | 8.6% |
| Construction | 38 | 8.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 24 | 5.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 23 | 5.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 18 | 4.0% |
| Manufacturing | 15 | 3.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 15 | 3.3% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.1% |
| Information | 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 78586 vs 78567 →
ZIP 78586 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78520
Brownsville (78520)
59,408 residents
- 78586
San Benito (78586)
55,878 residents
- 78552
Harlingen (78552)
34,111 residents
- 78575 8,056
Olmito (78575)
8,056 residents
- 78535 581
Combes (78535)
581 residents
- 78567 533
Los Indios (78567)
533 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78586 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78586 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78575
Olmito (78575)
$71,765 median income
- 78552
Harlingen (78552)
$69,811 median income
- 78520
Brownsville (78520)
$50,116 median income
- 78586
San Benito (78586)
$45,575 median income
- 78535
Combes (78535)
$39,000 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78586 ranks #4 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 78586, 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 (55,878 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cameron County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 78586 in?
ZIP code 78586 (San Benito) 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 78586?
ZIP code 78586 in San Benito, TX has a population of 55,878 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78586?
The median household income in ZIP 78586 is $45,575, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78586?
The median home value in ZIP 78586 is $87,200, which is 69% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78586?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78586 is Two or More Ethnicities at 58.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 95.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78586?
ZIP code 78586 has 454 business establishments employing approximately 6,334 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78586?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78586 are: Retail trade (84), Health care and social assistance (66), Accommodation and food services (51). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78586?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78586 increased by 2.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 149%. 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 78586?
In ZIP code 78586, 42.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.6% 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 78586?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78586 is 20.8 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 78586?
In ZIP code 78586, approximately 74.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78586?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78586 is 28.8% 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 78586's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78586 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where San Benito, 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.