Austin, TX · standard
ZIP Code 78738
Travis County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 12,134
- 276/sq mi High-density area
- $183,048
- Median income Above-median income area
- $916,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 75.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Austin pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 2%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 3%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 276
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 78738 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 78738 (Austin, TX) rose +1.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 286.5 in 2023 to 291.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 78738 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Austin, Travis County, Texas, home to 12,134 residents across 44.0 square miles, a density of 276 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 78738 skews affluent, with a median household income of $183,048 (142% above the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $99,621. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 3.8% and unemployment is 3.3%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $916,300 (270% above the average Texas ZIP), while 75.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,983.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 75.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Travis County, so 78738 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 78738
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Austin, TX
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78738.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
318 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
154 establishments
- Finance and insurance 123
Finance and insurance
123 establishments
- Retail trade 117
Retail trade
117 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 97
Real estate and rental and leasing
97 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 78738, Austin, 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
12,134
Population
44.0
Area (sq mi)
276
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 78738?
43.4
Median Age
50.4%
Male
49.6%
Female
15.0%
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?
$183,048
Median Household Income
+142% vs state ZIP avg
$99,621
Per Capita Income
3.8%
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Unemployment Rate
25.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 78738 ranks among Texas ZIPs
Austin, 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)
$183,048 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
12,533housing units
12,533
Total Housing Units
12,063
Occupied Units
470
Vacant Units
2.56
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$916,300
Median Home Value
+270% vs state ZIP avg
$1,983
Median Rent
2011
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
+1.7%
YoY Change (2024)
291
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+191%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 78738 have increased 1.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +191% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.3% | 193 |
| 2021 | +14.9% | 222 |
| 2022 | +41.2% | 313 |
| 2023 | -8.5% | 287 |
| 2024 | +1.7% | 291 |
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 1,288 business establishments in ZIP 78738, employing approximately 13,677 people with a combined annual payroll of $966,720,000.
1,288
Businesses
13,677
Employees
$966.7M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 318 | 24.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 154 | 12.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 123 | 9.6% |
| Retail trade | 117 | 9.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 97 | 7.5% |
| Construction | 88 | 6.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 85 | 6.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 82 | 6.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 63 | 4.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 34 | 2.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 29 | 2.3% |
| Information | 28 | 2.2% |
| Educational services | 26 | 2.0% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 1.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 12 | 0.9% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 7 | 0.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 0.5% |
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 78738 vs 78736 →
ZIP 78738 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78749
Austin (78749)
34,449 residents
- 78746
Austin (78746)
26,928 residents
- 78734
Austin (78734)
17,655 residents
- 78735
Austin (78735)
16,131 residents
- 78732
Austin (78732)
14,060 residents
- 78738 12,134
Austin (78738)
12,134 residents
- 78737 12,081
Austin (78737)
12,081 residents
- 78645 9,773
Leander (78645)
9,773 residents
- 78733 8,762
Austin (78733)
8,762 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 78738 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 78738 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 78733
Austin (78733)
$206,368 median income
- 78732
Austin (78732)
$192,500 median income
- 78746
Austin (78746)
$188,414 median income
- 78738
Austin (78738)
$183,048 median income
- 78737
Austin (78737)
$168,920 median income
- 78730
Austin (78730)
$158,673 median income
- 78735
Austin (78735)
$139,191 median income
- 78734
Austin (78734)
$130,784 median income
- 78645
Leander (78645)
$113,008 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 78738 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78736 | Austin, TX | 6,946 | 4.0 mi |
| 78734 | Austin, TX | 17,655 | 4.1 mi |
| 78733 | Austin, TX | 8,762 | 4.9 mi |
| 78732 | Austin, TX | 14,060 | 5.7 mi |
| 78737 | Austin, TX | 12,081 | 9.1 mi |
| 78645 | Leander, TX | 9,773 | 9.0 mi |
| 78735 | Austin, TX | 16,131 | 6.6 mi |
| 78730 | Austin, TX | 7,955 | 7.9 mi |
| 78746 | Austin, TX | 26,928 | 9.0 mi |
| 78749 | Austin, TX | 34,449 | 9.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 78738, 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 (12,134 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Travis County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 78738 in?
ZIP code 78738 (Austin) is located in Travis County, Texas. Travis County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/travis-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 78738?
ZIP code 78738 in Austin, TX has a population of 12,134 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 78738?
The median household income in ZIP 78738 is $183,048, which is 140% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 78738?
The median home value in ZIP 78738 is $916,300, which is 229% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 78738?
The largest racial group in ZIP 78738 is White at 70.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 78738?
ZIP code 78738 has 1,288 business establishments employing approximately 13,677 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 78738?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 78738 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (318), Health care and social assistance (154), Finance and insurance (123). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 78738?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 78738 increased by 1.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 191%. 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 78738?
In ZIP code 78738, 83.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 75.0% 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 78738?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 78738 is 25.9 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 78738?
In ZIP code 78738, approximately 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78738?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 78738 is 3.8% 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 78738's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 78738 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Austin, 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.