ZIP Code 78738

standard

Source:

Austin · Travis County · Texas

Population
12,134

276/sq mi

Median income
$183,048

▲ 140% vs US

higher than 98% of US ZIPs

Median home value
$916,300

▲ 229% vs US

higher than 97% of US ZIPs

Bachelor's or higher
75.0%

Median age 43.4

Land area
44.0 sq mi

Chicago

ZIP code 78738 in Austin, Texas has a population of 12,134. The median household income is $183,048, which is 140% above the national average. Median home value is $916,300, 229% above the US average. 75.0% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

ZIP code 78738 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 44.0 square miles in Austin, Travis County, Texas. The area is home to 12,134 residents, producing a population density of 276 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 78738 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 78738 sits at $183,048 (142% above the Texas average), while per-capita income is $99,621. The poverty rate stands at 3.8% and the unemployment rate at 3.3%. On housing, the median home value is $916,300 (270% above the state average) with median rent at $1,983 per month, and 75.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 78738 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 75.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Travis County, so you can benchmark 78738 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 78738

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 78738.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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

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 78738?

43.4

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

15.0%

Foreign-Born

White 70.7%
African American 3.0%
Asian 12.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 11.9%

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

$99,621

Per Capita Income

3.8%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment Rate

25.9 min

Mean Commute Time

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

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 83.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 75.0%

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

What does housing look like?

12,533

Total Housing Units

12,063

Occupied Units

470

Vacant Units

2.56

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.3%
Renter 24.7%

$916,300

Median Home Value

+270% vs state

$1,983

Median Rent

2011

Median Year Built

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

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 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

More ZIP Codes in Travis County

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.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Austin, TX

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.

PlainZIP is not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau or any government agency.