Marathon, TX · standard

ZIP Code 79842

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

498
0/sq mi
$45,596
Median income
$240,000
Median home value
24.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Marathon pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

10th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
0
people per sq mi
62%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 79842 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 79842 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 1660.0 square miles in Marathon, Brewster County, Texas. The area is home to 498 residents, producing a population density of 0 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 79842 against Texas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 79842 sits at $45,596 (40% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $42,872. The poverty rate stands at 18.2% and the unemployment rate at 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is $240,000 (3% below the state average) with median rent at - per month, and 62.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 79842 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 24.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.6, and the average commute is . Use the benchmarks above to see where 79842 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 →

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 79842, Marathon, 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

498

Population

1660.0

Area (sq mi)

0

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 79842?

56.6

Median Age

40.4%

Male

59.6%

Female

4.9%

Foreign-Born

White 100.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 28.8%

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?

$45,596

Median Household Income

-40% vs state

$42,872

Per Capita Income

18.2%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 79842 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$45,596 10th percentile higher than 10% 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 50.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.8%

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

What does housing look like?

369

Total Housing Units

203

Occupied Units

166

Vacant Units

1.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 62.1%
Renter 37.9%

$240,000

Median Home Value

-3% vs state

1952

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 17 business establishments in ZIP 79842, employing approximately 178 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,021,000.

17

Businesses

178

Employees

$6.0M

Annual Payroll

1

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 5 29.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

More ZIP Codes in Brewster County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 79842 in?
ZIP code 79842 (Marathon) is located in Brewster County, Texas. Brewster County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/brewster-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 79842?
ZIP code 79842 in Marathon, TX has a population of 498 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 79842?
The median household income in ZIP 79842 is $45,596, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 79842?
The median home value in ZIP 79842 is $240,000, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 79842?
The largest racial group in ZIP 79842 is White at 100.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 28.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 79842?
ZIP code 79842 has 17 business establishments employing approximately 178 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 79842?
In ZIP code 79842, 50.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 79842?
In ZIP code 79842, approximately 62.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 79842?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 79842 is 18.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Marathon, TX

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