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

National ZIP placement

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
31st 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.

FHFA HPI release change

What changed in the latest House Price Index year

2023 -> 2024
  • FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 79605 (Abilene, TX) rose +3.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 268.4 in 2023 to 277.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).

Arithmetic difference between stored FHFA all-transactions ZIP House Price Index annual values - a developmental index from repeat sales and appraisals, not a transaction median, appraisal opinion, or forecast. Thin markets can move sharply.

National HPI changes Year-pair CSV

ZIP code 79605 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, with 30,098 residents across 28.4 square miles, a density of 1,060 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 79605 reports a modest median household income of $62,929 (17% below the average Texas ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,276. The poverty rate is 14.6%, with unemployment at 2.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $163,600 (34% below the average Texas ZIP), and median rent is $1,117; owner occupancy is 60.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.6, and the average commute is 15 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Taylor County, so 79605 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 →

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Top industries in ZIP 79605

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Abilene, TX

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg

$34,276

Per Capita Income

14.6%

Poverty Rate

2.1%

Unemployment Rate

14.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 79605 ranks nationally

Abilene, TX 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 ZIP avg

$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

Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles

Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 79605, 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 (30,098 here; floor ≥1,000).

60018 · Des Plaines, IL 30,099 54016 · Hudson, WI 30,108 32578 · Niceville, FL 30,108 40245 · Louisville, KY 30,109

Similar median household income

Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.

04988 · Unity, ME $62,929 72157 · Springfield, AR $62,931 61410 · Abingdon, IL $62,925 56762 · Warren, MN $62,933

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.

Related

Compare this ZIP with another

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

This page explains the source records, calculation, and limits behind the figures shown. ZIP-level Census records are displayed directly; county, state, and national comparisons are calculated from those published records. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-06.