ZIP Code 79536

ZIP code 79536 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 817.7 square miles in Merkel, Taylor County, Texas. The area is home to 4,988 residents, producing a population density of 6 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 79536 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 79536 sits at $71,131 (6% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $38,922. The poverty rate stands at 13.7% and the unemployment rate at 1.3%. On housing, the median home value is $136,400 (45% below the state average) with median rent at $1,198 per month, and 74.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 79536 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 14.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Taylor County, so you can benchmark 79536 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 →