Big Spring, TX · standard
ZIP Code 79720
Howard County, Texas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 33,640
- 14/sq mi
- $68,785
- Median income
- $152,500
- Median home value
- 15.7%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Big Spring pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 45th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 26th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 14
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 79720 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 79720 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 2352.4 square miles in Big Spring, Howard County, Texas. The area is home to 33,640 residents, producing a population density of 14 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 79720 against Texas and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 79720 sits at $68,785 (9% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $34,930. The poverty rate stands at 14.6% and the unemployment rate at 5.4%. On housing, the median home value is $152,500 (38% below the state average) with median rent at $1,032 per month, and 69.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 79720 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 15.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.3, and the average commute is 22 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 79720 sits relative to Texas and the national baseline rather than viewing the numbers in isolation. 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 79720
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 79720.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
103 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
85 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
65 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
58 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
50 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, 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 79720, Big Spring, 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
33,640
Population
2352.4
Area (sq mi)
14
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 79720?
37.3
Median Age
55.6%
Male
44.4%
Female
9.7%
Foreign-Born
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?
$68,785
Median Household Income
-9% vs state
$34,930
Per Capita Income
14.6%
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
21.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 79720 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$68,785 45th percentile higher than 45% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
13,360
Total Housing Units
11,578
Occupied Units
1,782
Vacant Units
2.34
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$152,500
Median Home Value
-38% vs state
$1,032
Median Rent
1966
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
+1.3%
YoY Change (2024)
324
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+224%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 79720 have increased 1.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +224% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +8.2% | 266 |
| 2021 | +4.6% | 279 |
| 2022 | +9.2% | 304 |
| 2023 | +5.2% | 320 |
| 2024 | +1.3% | 324 |
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 665 business establishments in ZIP 79720, employing approximately 8,603 people with a combined annual payroll of $515,209,000.
665
Businesses
8,603
Employees
$515.2M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 103 | 15.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 85 | 12.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 65 | 9.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 58 | 8.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 50 | 7.5% |
| Construction | 46 | 6.9% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 43 | 6.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 41 | 6.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 34 | 5.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 34 | 5.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 34 | 5.1% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 3.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 20 | 3.0% |
| Information | 15 | 2.3% |
| Utilities | 8 | 1.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 0.8% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 79720? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Big Spring, TX
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.