PlainZIP

Abilene, TX · standard

ZIP Code 79605

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

30,098
1,060/sq mi
$62,929
Median income
$163,600
Median home value
26.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Abilene pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

35th pct
household income, US ZIPs
31th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,060
people per sq mi
60%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 79605 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 79605 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 28.4 square miles in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas. The area is home to 30,098 residents, producing a population density of 1,060 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 79605 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 79605 sits at $62,929 (17% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $34,276. The poverty rate stands at 14.6% and the unemployment rate at 2.1%. On housing, the median home value is $163,600 (34% below the state average) with median rent at $1,117 per month, and 60.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 79605 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 26.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.6, and the average commute is 15 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Taylor County, so you can benchmark 79605 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 79605

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 79605.

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 79605, Abilene, 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

30,098

Population

28.4

Area (sq mi)

1,060

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 79605?

33.6

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

6.3%

Foreign-Born

White 68.1%
African American 7.9%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.6%
Hispanic or Latino 24.2%

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?

$62,929

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$34,276

Per Capita Income

14.6%

Poverty Rate

2.1%

Unemployment Rate

14.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 79605 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$62,929 35th percentile higher than 35% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 57.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.0%

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

What does housing look like?

12,458

Total Housing Units

11,152

Occupied Units

1,306

Vacant Units

2.48

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.2%
Renter 39.8%

$163,600

Median Home Value

-34% vs state

$1,117

Median Rent

1959

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

+3.3%

YoY Change (2024)

277

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+177%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 79605 have increased 3.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +177% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.5% 203
2021 +10.2% 223
2022 +10.6% 247
2023 +8.7% 268
2024 +3.3% 277

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 730 business establishments in ZIP 79605, employing approximately 8,554 people with a combined annual payroll of $315,944,000.

730

Businesses

8,554

Employees

$315.9M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 123 16.9%
Other services (except public administration) 95 13.0%
Accommodation and food services 90 12.3%
Health care and social assistance 85 11.6%
Finance and insurance 57 7.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 51 7.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 49 6.7%
Construction 40 5.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 32 4.4%
Wholesale trade 24 3.3%
Manufacturing 16 2.2%
Educational services 16 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 2.0%
Information 13 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 12 1.6%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 8 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.4%

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 79605 vs 79607 →

ZIP 79605 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 79605 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 79605 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 79605 ranks #3 of 7 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
79607 Dyess Afb, TX 2,865 2.6 mi
79699 Abilene, TX 321 4.3 mi
79606 Abilene, TX 22,885 5.7 mi
79603 Abilene, TX 24,288 6.4 mi
79563 Tye, TX 1,161 7.4 mi
79602 Abilene, TX 21,519 9.2 mi
79601 Abilene, TX 25,085 12.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Taylor County

79601 standard
Abilene, TX
Pop: 25,085
79603 standard
Abilene, TX
Pop: 24,288
79606 standard
Abilene, TX
Pop: 22,885
79602 standard
Abilene, TX
Pop: 21,519
79536 standard
Merkel, TX
Pop: 4,988
79562 standard
Tuscola, TX
Pop: 3,669

Related Areas

Taylor County Abilene, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 79605 in? ▼
ZIP code 79605 (Abilene) is located in Taylor County, Texas. Taylor County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/taylor-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 79605? ▼
ZIP code 79605 in Abilene, TX has a population of 30,098 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 79605? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 79605 is $62,929, which is 18% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 79605? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 79605 is $163,600, which is 41% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 79605? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 79605 is White at 68.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 79605? ▼
ZIP code 79605 has 730 business establishments employing approximately 8,554 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 79605? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 79605 are: Retail trade (123), Other services (except public administration) (95), Accommodation and food services (90). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 79605? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 79605 increased by 3.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 177%. 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 79605? ▼
In ZIP code 79605, 57.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.0% 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 79605? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 79605 is 14.9 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 79605? ▼
In ZIP code 79605, approximately 60.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 79605? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 79605 is 14.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Abilene, TX

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

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.