79331 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 79331, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

79331 is a zip code in Dawson County, Gaines County, and Martin County, Texas, which covers Lamesa CCD, Lamesa Northeast CCD, Lamesa Northwest CCD, Lamesa Southeast CCD, Lamesa Southwest CCD, Seagraves CCD, Seminole CCD, and Tarzan-Lenorah, with a total population of 11,726 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 79331 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 79331.

The estimated population of people living in 79331 is 11,726, with a median age of 33.6.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 79331 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
11,726
 -4.74% -7.97%
2020
12,309
 -0.94% -
2019
12,426
 -1.07% -
2018
12,561
 -1.42% -
2017
12,742
 - -

Population of 79331 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 79331 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
29.9%
36.5%
 -18.08%
Black/African American
8.6%
5.8%
 +48.28%
Native
0.4%
0.4%
 0.00%
Hispanic
59.3%
56.1%
 +5.70%
Asian
0.1%
0.8%
 -87.50%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.7%
0.4%
 +325.00%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 79331 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 79331 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 79331 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 79331 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 33.6 +0.3% 31.8 +1.6% 35.9 -2.71%
2020 33.5 +0.6% 31.3 -0.95% 36.9 +0.82%
2019 33.3 +2.46% 31.6 +0.96% 36.6 +0.27%
2018 32.5 -0.91% 31.3 +0.32% 36.5 +2.24%
2017 32.8 - 31.2 - 35.7 -

The median age of the 79331 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 79331 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 9 769 -7.83% 897 -2.83% 702 868
10 to 19 893 +4.87% 854 -6.61% 936 795
20 to 29 1,709 -22.8% 688 -12.84% 1,334 602
30 to 39 1,139 -6.93% 578 +0.2% 1,060 579
40 to 49 719 +10.14% 636 -6.28% 791 594
50 to 59 750 -4.42% 695 -14.31% 714 597
60 to 69 594 -43.51% 529 +12.31% 373 588
70+ 516 +12.23% 776 -21.31% 577 616

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 79331 zip code is $40,479.00.

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 79331.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $46,250.00
  • 45 to 64
    $47,243.00
  • 65 and over
    $30,625.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 79331 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 79331, 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 79331 is currently $60,784.00.

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.

3.43% of households in 79331 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 79331 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    37.67%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    18.61%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    15.13%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.18%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    9.98%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.00%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.43%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 79331 is $20,267.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 79331 by the total population of 79331.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 79331 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 79331 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
    2.77%
  • Bachelor's degree
    22.84%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    16.91%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    52.18%
  • Less than high school diploma
    5.30%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 79331 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 79331 zip over the age of 16 is 9,068.

Of those people, a total of 48.80% 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 79331 is 44.80%.

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 79331 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 643 49.80% 4.70%
20 to 24 years 1,043 50.90% 12.60%
25 to 29 years 893 39.20% 7.40%
30 to 34 years 923 57.30% 8.10%
35 to 44 years 1,519 57.50% 6.10%
45 to 54 years 1,161 70.10% 12.80%
55 to 59 years 732 60.50% 7.70%
60 to 64 years 521 46.80% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 916 29.90% 8.80%
75 years and over 717 7.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 79331. 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 5,640 54.90% 8.00%
Black or African American 946 13.60% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 92 35.90% 0.00%
Asian 17 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 2 100.00% 0.00%
Other 946 44.00% 5.80%
Two or more races 1,425 52.90% 12.50%
Hispanic or Latino 5,050 55.00% 11.40%
Not Hispanic or Latino 2,845 50.80% 3.40%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 79331 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 79331 is 4,063, with median earnings of $27,847.00.

Women in 79331 are earning approximately 53.70% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 4,063 $27,847.00
Male 2,032 $40,565.00
Female 2,031 $21,766.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 79331 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 371 $57,188.00
Business and Financial 45 $48,250.00
Computer and Mathematical 33 $5,917.00
Architecture and Engineering 42 $83,300.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 49 $65,845.00
Community and Social Service 92 $31,042.00
Legal 10 $0.00
Educational and Library 340 $43,462.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 38 $21,618.00
Healthcare Practitioners 119 $41,607.00
Healthcare Support 104 $21,125.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 55 $6,823.00
Law Enforcement 67 $21,969.00
Food Preparation and Serving 247 $14,330.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 327 $20,544.00
Personal Care and Service 68 $13,571.00
Sales 365 $11,042.00
Office and Administrative Support 426 $27,706.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 133 $23,156.00
Construction and Extraction 437 $35,813.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 168 $77,083.00
Production 209 $37,066.00
Transportation and Material Moving 216 $30,463.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 79331 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 79331.

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 206 $86,500.00 165 $30,625.00
Business and Financial 30 $48,500.00 15 $24,375.00
Computer and Mathematical 15 $0.00 18 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 42 $83,300.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 49 $65,845.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 16 $0.00 76 $29,318.00
Legal 0 $0.00 10 $0.00
Educational and Library 28 $48,409.00 312 $42,692.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 30 $22,206.00 8 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 16 $51,667.00 103 $41,098.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 104 $21,125.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 50 $6,974.00 5 $0.00
Law Enforcement 67 $21,969.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 60 $55,357.00 187 $9,877.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 105 $25,078.00 222 $20,275.00
Personal Care and Service 8 $0.00 60 $14,048.00
Sales 153 $58,281.00 212 $8,692.00
Office and Administrative Support 56 $38,125.00 370 $26,774.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 133 $23,156.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 425 $36,063.00 12 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 168 $77,083.00 0 $0.00
Production 168 $38,382.00 41 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 177 $32,083.00 39 $13,818.00

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 3,998 households in 79331, with an average household size of 2.49 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 2,463 families living in the 79331 zip code with an average family size of 3.23 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 79331:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,621 209 633 1,535
Average Household Size 3.33 2.8 3.3 1.23
Total Families 1,621 209 633 0
Average Household Size 3.33 2.7 3.16 0

Poverty

Of the 2,463 families living in 79331, 19.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 79331:

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 4,623 housing units in 79331.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,998 86.48%
Vacant 625 13.52%

22.17% of the total 4,623 housing units in 79331 are rental units. This is approximately 1,025 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,781 are occupied by the owner - or 60.16% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 79331 is $757.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 79331 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
    192
  • Less than $500
    212
  • $500 to $999
    604
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    195
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    14
  • $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 79331 is $83,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 79331 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    750
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    911
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    478
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    275
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    220
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    67
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    15
  • $1,000,000 or more
    65

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 79331. The chart below shows the number of properties in 79331 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    366
  • 1940 to 1949
    387
  • 1950 to 1959
    950
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,038
  • 1970 to 1979
    820
  • 1980 to 1989
    530
  • 1990 to 1999
    318
  • 2000 to 2009
    99
  • 2010 to 2013
    115
  • 2014 or later
    0

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 79331 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    349
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,518
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,373
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    758

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 79331 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 79331 that commute to work in a particular way.

19.9 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 79331.

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
    285
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,454
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    632
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    238
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    107
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    25
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    164
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    46
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    92
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    251
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    396
  • 90 or more minutes
    43

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 79331 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 79331

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 79331 compare to other zip codes in Texas, check out the list of all Texas zip codes below: