PlainZIP

Fabens, TX · standard

ZIP Code 79838

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

8,699
114/sq mi
$43,367
Median income
$95,800
Median home value
12.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Fabens pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
8th pct
home value, US ZIPs
114
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 79838 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 79838 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fabens, El Paso County, Texas, home to 8,699 residents across 76.2 square miles, a density of 114 people per square mile, in the Ojinaga time zone.

ZIP 79838 reports a modest median household income of $43,367 (43% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $21,080. Local economic indicators show a 27.4% poverty rate alongside 3.6% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $95,800 (61% below the state average); renters pay a median of $606 monthly, and 72.6% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.7, and the average commute is 30 minutes. To put 79838 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in El Paso County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 →

Top industries in ZIP 79838

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fabens, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 79838.

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 79838, Fabens, 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

8,699

Population

76.2

Area (sq mi)

114

People / sq mi

Ojinaga

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 79838?

46.7

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

36.2%

Foreign-Born

White 22.3%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 56.9%
Hispanic or Latino 93.0%

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?

$43,367

Median Household Income

-43% vs state

$21,080

Per Capita Income

27.4%

Poverty Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

29.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 79838 ranks nationally

Fabens, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$43,367 8th percentile higher than 8% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 37.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.0%

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

What does housing look like?

2,210

Total Housing Units

1,850

Occupied Units

360

Vacant Units

2.68

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.6%
Renter 27.4%

$95,800

Median Home Value

-61% vs state

$606

Median Rent

1987

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 61 business establishments in ZIP 79838, employing approximately 581 people with a combined annual payroll of $20,109,000.

61

Businesses

581

Employees

$20.1M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 18 29.5%
Other services (except public administration) 9 14.8%
Health care and social assistance 6 9.8%
Accommodation and food services 6 9.8%
Finance and insurance 4 6.6%
Information 3 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 4.9%

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 79838 vs 79836 →

ZIP 79838 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 79838 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 79838 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 79838 ranks #4 of 5 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
79836 Clint, TX 5,772 5.7 mi
79849 San Elizario, TX 13,208 6.6 mi
79928 El Paso, TX 49,544 9.5 mi
79853 Tornillo, TX 3,729 7.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in El Paso County

79936 standard
El Paso, TX
Pop: 111,086
79912 standard
El Paso, TX
Pop: 77,161
79924 standard
El Paso, TX
Pop: 59,058
79907 standard
El Paso, TX
Pop: 55,132
79938 standard
El Paso, TX
Pop: 53,520
79928 standard
El Paso, TX
Pop: 49,544

Related Areas

El Paso County Fabens, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 79838 in? ▼
ZIP code 79838 (Fabens) is located in El Paso County, Texas. El Paso County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/el-paso-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 79838? ▼
ZIP code 79838 in Fabens, TX has a population of 8,699 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 79838? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 79838 is $43,367, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 79838? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 79838 is $95,800, which is 66% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 79838? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 79838 is Two or More Ethnicities at 56.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 93.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 79838? ▼
ZIP code 79838 has 61 business establishments employing approximately 581 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 79838? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 79838 are: Retail trade (18), Other services (except public administration) (9), Health care and social assistance (6). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 79838? ▼
In ZIP code 79838, 37.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.0% 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 79838? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 79838 is 29.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 79838? ▼
In ZIP code 79838, approximately 72.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 79838? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 79838 is 27.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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