PlainZIP

Santa Elena, TX · standard

ZIP Code 78591

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

265
1/sq mi
$35,750
Median income
20.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Santa Elena pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
1
people per sq mi
90%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78591 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 78591 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Santa Elena, Starr County, Texas, home to just 265 residents across 331.3 square miles, a density of 1 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 78591 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,750 (53% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $31,329. 28.5% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is - with median rent at - per month, and 89.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.1, and the average commute is -. To put 78591 in local context, 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Starr 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 →

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 78591, Santa Elena, 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

265

Population

331.3

Area (sq mi)

1

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 78591?

56.1

Median Age

52.5%

Male

47.5%

Female

24.7%

Foreign-Born

White 15.8%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 75.3%
Hispanic or Latino 96.8%

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?

$35,750

Median Household Income

-53% vs state

$31,329

Per Capita Income

28.5%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 78591 ranks nationally

Santa Elena, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$35,750 4th percentile higher than 4% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 66.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.0%

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

What does housing look like?

205

Total Housing Units

76

Occupied Units

129

Vacant Units

2.08

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 89.5%
Renter 10.5%

1979

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 78591 vs 78536 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
78536 Delmita, TX 451 6.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Starr County

78582 standard
Rio Grande City, TX
Pop: 40,455
78584 standard
Roma, TX
Pop: 18,128
78548 standard
Grulla, TX
Pop: 675
78545 standard
Falcon Heights, TX
Pop: 555
78536 standard
Delmita, TX
Pop: 451
78585 standard
Salineno, TX
Pop: 396

Related Areas

Starr County Santa Elena, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78591 in? ▼
ZIP code 78591 (Santa Elena) is located in Starr County, Texas. Starr County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/starr-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78591? ▼
ZIP code 78591 in Santa Elena, TX has a population of 265 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78591? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 78591 is $35,750, which is 53% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78591? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 78591 is Two or More Ethnicities at 75.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 96.8% of the population.
What is the education level in ZIP code 78591? ▼
In ZIP code 78591, 66.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.0% 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 78591? ▼
In ZIP code 78591, approximately 89.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78591? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78591 is 28.5% 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.