78591 ZIP Code — Santa Elena, TX

Starr County, Texas

ZIP code 78591 is located in Santa Elena, Texas, within Starr County. It covers approximately 175.51 square miles and serves a population of 270 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 956.

About ZIP code 78591

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $256,800. Owner-occupancy is high at 97%, well above the national average.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with retail trade as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 47 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 29% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 78591 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

270

population

175.51

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

78591 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 78591

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 78591. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Santa Elena	Acceptable
Santa Elena	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

78588 San Isidro (6.6 mi) 78536 Delmita (8.4 mi) 78582 Rio Grande City (17.2 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	270
Population density	2 / sq mi
State FIPS	48
County FIPS	427

Geography
Land area	175.51 sq mi
Water area	0.17 sq mi
Latitude	26.7174
Longitude	-98.5199
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	956

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	56.2%	70.3%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	20.5%	18.5%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	23.3%	9.1%	22.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.2%	7.8%

Demographics & statistics

270

Population

People per sq mi

44.6

Median age

Median household income

$57,007

Per capita income

$256,800

Median home value

Median monthly rent

96.7%

Home ownership

3.3%

Poverty rate

1.9%

Unemployment

242

Housing units

29.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

5–9

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	52	19.3%
18 and over	218	80.7%
65 and over	36	13.3%
Median age	44.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 59.8%

Hispanic or Latino 20.1%

Two or more races 13.9%

Other race 6.2%

Group	Count	%
White	202	59.8%
Hispanic or Latino	68	20.1%
Two or more races	47	13.9%
Other race	21	6.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	56.2%	70.3%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	20.5%	18.5%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	23.3%	9.1%	22.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.2%	7.8%

Under $10k 4.1%

$10k–$15k 3.3%

$15k–$25k 14.8%

$25k–$35k 15.6%

$35k–$50k 1.6%

$50k–$75k 3.3%

$75k–$100k 13.1%

$100k–$150k 4.1%

$150k–$200k 4.1%

$200k+ 36.1%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.1%
$10k–$15k	3.3%
$15k–$25k	14.8%
$25k–$35k	15.6%
$35k–$50k	1.6%
$50k–$75k	3.3%
$75k–$100k	13.1%
$100k–$150k	4.1%
$150k–$200k	4.1%
$200k+	36.1%
Median income	$0

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 15.3%

$50k–$100k 19.5%

$100k–$150k 4.2%

$150k–$200k 3.4%

$200k–$300k 34.7%

$500k–$1M 16.1%

$1M+ 6.8%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$256,800
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	96.7%
Renter occupied	3.3%
Vacant	50.4%
Single-family detached	86.6%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	13.4%
Median rooms	5.1
Avg household size (owned)	2.25

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	15.9%
2000–2009	24.4%
1990–1999	10.6%
1980–1989	10.6%
1970–1979	19.1%
1960–1969	1.6%
1950–1959	9.8%
1940–1949	8.1%
1939 or earlier	0.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.4%
1 bedroom	8.9%
2 bedrooms	26.0%
3 bedrooms	50.0%
4 bedrooms	11.8%
5+ bedrooms	0.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.9%
1 vehicle	12.3%
2 vehicles	76.2%
3 or more	6.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	82.8%
No fuel used	17.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	55	45.1%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	42	34.4%
Female householder, no spouse	25	20.5%
Households with children under 18	37	30.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	26	21.3%
Average household size	2.21

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	13.1%	8.0%
Married	51.5%	71.6%
Separated	0.0%	9.1%
Widowed	10.8%	3.4%
Divorced	24.6%	8.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.8%

Some HS, no diploma 0.0%

HS graduate 31.3%

Some college, no degree 32.2%

Associate's degree 4.7%

Bachelor's degree 10.7%

Graduate / professional 18.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	97.2%
Bachelor's or higher	29.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	52	91.2%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	5	8.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Retail trade 33.1%

Professional & management 30.5%

Agriculture & mining 11.3%

Education & healthcare 11.3%

Public administration 8.6%

Construction 2.6%

Transportation & utilities 2.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	38.4%
Service	9.9%
Sales & office	33.8%
Natural resources & construction	1.3%
Production & transportation	16.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	80.8%
Government	13.2%
Self-employed	6.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	37.7%
Carpool	58.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	3.3%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	47.0

Poverty

All people 3.3%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 4.1%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.3%
Retirement income	28.7%
Supplemental Security	0.0%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	6.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.0%
High blood pressure	41.5%
High cholesterol	38.0%
Diabetes	20.7%
Heart disease	9.4%
Stroke	4.1%
Asthma	8.0%
Arthritis	25.7%
Kidney disease	4.6%
Pulmonary disease	6.6%
Cancer	6.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	15.6%
Binge drinking	14.4%
No physical activity	36.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.3%
Depression	16.8%
Fair or poor health	27.7%
Poor mental health	13.0%
Poor physical health	14.8%
No health insurance	43.3%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.9%
Visited dentist	47.8%
Cholesterol screening	90.2%
Teeth loss	14.7%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	8	3.7%

Disability	%
Any disability	20.7%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	23.6%
65 and over	36.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	86.7%
Public insurance	21.9%
No insurance	3.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	270	100.0%
Spanish	21	7.8%
Other Indo-European	21	7.8%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	250	92.6%
Born in same state	250	92.6%
Born in different state	250	92.6%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	20	7.4%
Not a US citizen	19	95.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	17	6.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	45.2%
Internet access	73.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 78591

What city is ZIP code 78591 in?

ZIP code 78591 is primarily assigned to Santa Elena, Texas.

What county is ZIP code 78591 in?

ZIP code 78591 falls within Starr County, Texas.

Is ZIP code 78591 mostly owner-occupied?

97% of occupied units in ZIP code 78591 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 78591 have a large retiree population?

44% of households in ZIP code 78591 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 78591?

ZIP code 78591 has an estimated population of 270 residents, with a density of 2 people per square mile.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 78591?

The median home value in ZIP code 78591 is $256,800.

What timezone is ZIP code 78591 in?

ZIP code 78591 observes the CST timezone.