PlainZIP

Abilene, TX · standard

ZIP Code 79606

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

22,885
141/sq mi
$79,196
Median income
$272,600
Median home value
37.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Abilene pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

Top 39%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 38%
home value, US ZIPs
141
people per sq mi
53%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 79606 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 79606 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 161.8 square miles in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas. The area is home to 22,885 residents, producing a population density of 141 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 79606 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 79606 sits at $79,196 (5% above the Texas average), while per-capita income is $42,942. The poverty rate stands at 6.9% and the unemployment rate at 2.0%. On housing, the median home value is $272,600 (10% above the state average) with median rent at $1,194 per month, and 53.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 79606 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 37.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.3, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Taylor County, so you can benchmark 79606 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 79606

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 79606.

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 79606, 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

22,885

Population

161.8

Area (sq mi)

141

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 79606?

34.3

Median Age

48.6%

Male

51.4%

Female

6.9%

Foreign-Born

White 73.3%
African American 6.6%
Asian 3.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.4%
Hispanic or Latino 18.9%

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?

$79,196

Median Household Income

+5% vs state

$42,942

Per Capita Income

6.9%

Poverty Rate

2.0%

Unemployment Rate

17.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 79606 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$79,196 Top 39% higher than 61% 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 60.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.8%

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

What does housing look like?

13,710

Total Housing Units

12,267

Occupied Units

1,443

Vacant Units

2.34

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.0%
Renter 47.0%

$272,600

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$1,194

Median Rent

1989

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

+2.6%

YoY Change (2024)

247

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+147%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 79606 have increased 2.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +147% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.0% 183
2021 +10.4% 202
2022 +16.2% 234
2023 +2.7% 241
2024 +2.6% 247

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 691 business establishments in ZIP 79606, employing approximately 13,541 people with a combined annual payroll of $562,742,000.

691

Businesses

13,541

Employees

$562.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 139 20.1%
Retail trade 128 18.5%
Accommodation and food services 88 12.7%
Other services (except public administration) 57 8.3%
Construction 55 8.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 53 7.7%
Finance and insurance 44 6.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 33 4.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 26 3.8%
Information 18 2.6%
Transportation and warehousing 14 2.0%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 11 1.6%
Wholesale trade 9 1.3%
Manufacturing 6 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 0.7%

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 79606 vs 79607 →

ZIP 79606 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 79606 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 79606 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 79606 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 4.7 mi
79508 Buffalo Gap, TX 1,242 6.0 mi
79603 Abilene, TX 24,288 4.4 mi
79605 Abilene, TX 30,098 5.7 mi
79563 Tye, TX 1,161 6.4 mi
79562 Tuscola, TX 3,669 8.4 mi
79699 Abilene, TX 321 9.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Taylor County

79605 standard
Abilene, TX
Pop: 30,098
79601 standard
Abilene, TX
Pop: 25,085
79603 standard
Abilene, TX
Pop: 24,288
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 79606 in? ▼
ZIP code 79606 (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 79606? ▼
ZIP code 79606 in Abilene, TX has a population of 22,885 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 79606? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 79606 is $79,196, which is 4% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 79606? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 79606 is $272,600, which is 2% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 79606? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 79606 is White at 73.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 18.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 79606? ▼
ZIP code 79606 has 691 business establishments employing approximately 13,541 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 79606? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 79606 are: Health care and social assistance (139), Retail trade (128), Accommodation and food services (88). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 79606? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 79606 increased by 2.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 147%. 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 79606? ▼
In ZIP code 79606, 60.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.8% 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 79606? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 79606 is 17.1 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 79606? ▼
In ZIP code 79606, approximately 53.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 79606? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 79606 is 6.9% 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.