78537 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 78537, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

78537 is a zip code in Hidalgo County, Texas, which covers Edcouch-Elsa CCD, Edinburg CCD, McAllen-Pharr CCD, and Southeast Hidalgo, with a total population of 51,216 people.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in the 78537 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 78537.

The estimated population of people living in 78537 is 51,216, with a median age of 25.9.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 78537 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
51,216
+13.51%
+12.30%
2020
45,120
 -6.14% -
2019
48,072
+1.53%
-
2018
47,346
+3.82%
-
2017
45,606
 - -

Population of 78537 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 78537 zip code changed? The US Census Bureau gives us a few defined types that the population is broken down into.

Let's look at the total numbers and also the change over the last 5 years.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
4.1%
6%
 -31.67%
Black/African American
0%
0.2%
 -100.00%
Native
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hispanic
95.5%
93.4%
 +2.25%
Asian
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Other
0.2%
0.1%
 +100.00%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 78537 zip for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of 78537 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 78537 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 78537 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 25.9 -0.77% 23.8 -3.25% 27.4 -1.08%
2020 26.1 -2.25% 24.6 -7.52% 27.7 +3.36%
2019 26.7 +1.91% 26.6 +1.14% 26.8 +2.68%
2018 26.2 0% 26.3 +3.95% 26.1 -1.51%
2017 26.2 - 25.3 - 26.5 -

The median age of the 78537 zip gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population in the 78537 area, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 4,955 +19.82% 4,444 +5.48% 5,936 4,577
10 to 19 4,408 +26.86% 4,705 +9.67% 5,665 5,059
20 to 29 3,299 +15.75% 3,248 +13.08% 3,818 3,664
30 to 39 3,112 -1.51% 2,948 +6.75% 3,027 3,077
40 to 49 2,264 +16.14% 2,181 +18.62% 2,564 2,594
50 to 59 1,707 +23.93% 2,024 +8.74% 2,128 2,160
60 to 69 1,251 -3.5% 1,565 -0.56% 1,165 1,542
70+ 1,715 +19.08% 1,780 +23.04% 2,035 2,205

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 78537 zip code is $32,155.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less.

The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for 78537.

  • Under 25
    $13,441.00
  • 25 to 44
    $33,693.00
  • 45 to 64
    $40,939.00
  • 65 and over
    $23,096.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 78537 zip code, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in 78537, and then dividing that number by the total number of households.

This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of 78537 is currently $43,739.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

0.65% of households in 78537 are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of 78537 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    42.41%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    27.17%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    13.05%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    7.66%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    6.83%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    2.22%
  • $200,000 or more
    0.65%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 78537 is $12,362.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 78537 by the total population of 78537.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 78537 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 78537 to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    6.32%
  • Bachelor's degree
    20.07%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.02%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    56.14%
  • Less than high school diploma
    6.46%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 78537 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 78537 zip over the age of 16 is 33,599.

Of those people, a total of 53.90% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in 78537 is 49.00%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate. Here's how that breaks down for the 78537 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 3,620 22.00% 20.20%
20 to 24 years 3,617 67.80% 9.80%
25 to 29 years 3,865 72.80% 8.90%
30 to 34 years 3,038 72.20% 14.10%
35 to 44 years 5,454 69.30% 8.10%
45 to 54 years 5,059 72.00% 7.80%
55 to 59 years 1,999 60.00% 1.00%
60 to 64 years 1,334 53.00% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 2,665 17.30% 0.00%
75 years and over 2,948 2.10% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 78537. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau (which we mentioned earlier in this article).

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 19,102 52.40% 7.30%
Black or African American 2 50.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 65 96.90% 0.00%
Asian 84 85.70% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 6,341 58.60% 0.80%
Two or more races 8,005 53.00% 19.00%
Hispanic or Latino 31,565 55.80% 8.60%
Not Hispanic or Latino 1,933 20.40% 9.90%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 78537 area as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in 78537 is 16,456, with median earnings of $20,238.00.

Women in 78537 are earning approximately 74.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 16,456 $20,238.00
Male 9,918 $22,823.00
Female 6,538 $17,008.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 78537 even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 949 $43,191.00
Business and Financial 320 $38,841.00
Computer and Mathematical 40 $84,792.00
Architecture and Engineering 64 $54,167.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 25 $0.00
Community and Social Service 346 $31,111.00
Legal 43 $0.00
Educational and Library 1,057 $43,894.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 63 $6,790.00
Healthcare Practitioners 455 $21,997.00
Healthcare Support 1,423 $12,209.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 226 $20,857.00
Law Enforcement 99 $81,678.00
Food Preparation and Serving 812 $12,888.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 1,459 $11,687.00
Personal Care and Service 374 $10,909.00
Sales 1,918 $16,560.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,468 $24,818.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 553 $24,280.00
Construction and Extraction 1,770 $22,275.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 682 $22,355.00
Production 751 $24,175.00
Transportation and Material Moving 951 $36,433.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 78537 when it is broken down by male and female.

This lets us see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings for 78537.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 745 $41,308.00 204 $58,300.00
Business and Financial 132 $48,750.00 188 $21,029.00
Computer and Mathematical 40 $84,792.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 64 $54,167.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 25 $0.00
Community and Social Service 182 $4,821.00 164 $40,645.00
Legal 0 $0.00 43 $0.00
Educational and Library 248 $44,792.00 809 $36,853.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 20 $0.00 43 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 198 $22,090.00 257 $21,477.00
Healthcare Support 265 $12,263.00 1,158 $12,195.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 177 $17,191.00 49 $0.00
Law Enforcement 88 $82,039.00 11 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 422 $11,821.00 390 $13,897.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 979 $12,011.00 480 $11,250.00
Personal Care and Service 64 $32,576.00 310 $6,944.00
Sales 954 $19,607.00 964 $11,202.00
Office and Administrative Support 531 $30,098.00 937 $22,207.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 498 $23,485.00 55 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,719 $22,526.00 51 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 682 $22,355.00 0 $0.00
Production 591 $23,920.00 160 $27,083.00
Transportation and Material Moving 895 $37,287.00 56 $14,643.00

Households and Family Size

A household is defined by the US Census Bureau as a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 13,667 households in 78537, with an average household size of 3.75 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 10,952 families living in the 78537 zip code with an average family size of 4.35 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each, that live in 78537:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 7,586 611 2,755 2,715
Average Household Size 4.48 4.79 4.14 1.07
Total Families 7,586 611 2,755 0
Average Household Size 4.45 4.62 4.03 0

Poverty

Of the 10,952 families living in 78537, 38.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 78537:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 16,297 housing units in 78537.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 13,667 83.86%
Vacant 2,630 16.14%

19.59% of the total 16,297 housing units in 78537 are rental units. This is approximately 3,193 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 10,101 are occupied by the owner - or 61.98% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 78537 is $650.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 78537 that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    373
  • Less than $500
    1,014
  • $500 to $999
    1,700
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    453
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    26
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in 78537 is $60,900.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 78537 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    4,188
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    4,101
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    898
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    426
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    432
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    20
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    36
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 78537. The chart below shows the number of properties in 78537 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    295
  • 1940 to 1949
    340
  • 1950 to 1959
    666
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,040
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,398
  • 1980 to 1989
    2,852
  • 1990 to 1999
    3,077
  • 2000 to 2009
    4,011
  • 2010 to 2013
    2,565
  • 2014 or later
    53

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in 78537 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    710
  • 1 vehicle available
    5,382
  • 2 vehicles available
    5,030
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,545

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 78537 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 78537 that commute to work in a particular way.

28.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 78537.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    214
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,558
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,911
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    2,393
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    2,529
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    831
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    2,264
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    367
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    410
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    524
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    362
  • 90 or more minutes
    743

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 78537 in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

States in 78537

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 78537 compare to other zip codes in Texas, check out the list of all Texas zip codes below: