PlainZIP

El Paso, TX · standard

ZIP Code 79903

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

18,451
2,335/sq mi
$37,155
Median income
$128,400
Median home value
15.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

El Paso pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
19th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,335
people per sq mi
57%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 79903 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 79903 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, home to 18,451 residents across 7.9 square miles, a density of 2,335 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 79903 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $37,155 (51% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $22,192. Local economic indicators show a 28.7% poverty rate alongside 6.0% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $128,400 (48% below the state average); renters pay a median of $898 monthly, and 57.2% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.9, and the average commute is 21 minutes. To put 79903 in local context, 10 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 79903

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in El Paso, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 79903.

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 79903, El Paso, 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

18,451

Population

7.9

Area (sq mi)

2,335

People / sq mi

Denver

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 79903?

43.9

Median Age

50.3%

Male

49.7%

Female

30.1%

Foreign-Born

White 20.5%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 58.1%
Hispanic or Latino 94.5%

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?

$37,155

Median Household Income

-51% vs state

$22,192

Per Capita Income

28.7%

Poverty Rate

6.0%

Unemployment Rate

20.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 79903 ranks nationally

El Paso, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$37,155 4th percentile higher than 4% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 41.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.4%

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

What does housing look like?

6,801

Total Housing Units

5,741

Occupied Units

1,060

Vacant Units

2.55

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.2%
Renter 42.8%

$128,400

Median Home Value

-48% vs state

$898

Median Rent

1951

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

+6.5%

YoY Change (2024)

295

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+195%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 79903 have increased 6.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +195% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.5% 182
2021 +8.8% 198
2022 +20.7% 238
2023 +16.1% 277
2024 +6.5% 295

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 514 business establishments in ZIP 79903, employing approximately 8,706 people with a combined annual payroll of $274,864,000.

514

Businesses

8,706

Employees

$274.9M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 72 14.0%
Accommodation and food services 63 12.3%
Health care and social assistance 58 11.3%
Construction 50 9.7%
Retail trade 50 9.7%
Other services (except public administration) 41 8.0%
Wholesale trade 40 7.8%
Finance and insurance 39 7.6%
Manufacturing 24 4.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 4.7%
Transportation and warehousing 20 3.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 2.9%
Educational services 6 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.2%
Information 4 0.8%

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 79903 vs 79905 →

ZIP 79903 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 79903 ranks #7 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 79903 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 79903 ranks #6 of 9 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
79905 El Paso, TX 26,036 1.7 mi
79906 El Paso, TX 4,374 2.2 mi
79920 El Paso, TX 153 2.7 mi
79916 Fort Bliss, TX 2,995 2.4 mi
79902 El Paso, TX 21,236 3.3 mi
79930 El Paso, TX 28,410 2.9 mi
79901 El Paso, TX 11,328 2.9 mi
79904 El Paso, TX 35,060 4.6 mi
79925 El Paso, TX 40,641 4.7 mi
79915 El Paso, TX 40,057 4.9 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 El Paso, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 79903 in? ▼
ZIP code 79903 (El Paso) 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 79903? ▼
ZIP code 79903 in El Paso, TX has a population of 18,451 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 79903? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 79903 is $37,155, which is 51% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 79903? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 79903 is $128,400, which is 54% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 79903? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 79903 is Two or More Ethnicities at 58.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 94.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 79903? ▼
ZIP code 79903 has 514 business establishments employing approximately 8,706 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 79903? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 79903 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (72), Accommodation and food services (63), Health care and social assistance (58). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 79903? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 79903 increased by 6.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 195%. 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 79903? ▼
In ZIP code 79903, 41.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.4% 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 79903? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 79903 is 20.7 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 79903? ▼
In ZIP code 79903, approximately 57.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 79903? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 79903 is 28.7% 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.