79079 ZIP Code — Shamrock, TX

Wheeler County, Texas

ZIP code 79079 is located in Shamrock, Texas, within Wheeler County. It covers approximately 593.01 square miles and serves a population of 2,409 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 806.

About ZIP code 79079

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $85,300. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 72%.

Median household income is $50,066. Poverty affects 24% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 21% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 36% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 25 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 15% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (15%), smoking (23%) compared to national benchmarks. 28% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 79079 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,409

population

593.01

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

79079 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 79079

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 79079. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Shamrock	Acceptable
Shamrock	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

79096 Wheeler (6.7 mi) 79061 Mobeetie (16.8 mi) 79011 Briscoe (17.1 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	2,409
Population density	4 / sq mi
State FIPS	48
County FIPS	483

Geography
Land area	593.01 sq mi
Water area	0.26 sq mi
Latitude	35.2914
Longitude	-100.2697
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	806

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	57.6%	52.6%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	27.5%	28.9%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	11.3%	15.6%	22.6%
Over $200k	3.6%	3.0%	7.8%

Demographics & statistics

2,409

Population

People per sq mi

36.9

Median age

$50,066

Median household income

$27,380

Per capita income

$85,300

Median home value

$875

Median monthly rent

72.1%

Home ownership

23.5%

Poverty rate

7.1%

Unemployment

1,193

Housing units

15.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

156

25–34

149

197

35–44

188

107

45–54

103

55–59

60–64

164

65–74

156

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	566	23.5%
18 and over	1,843	76.5%
65 and over	434	18.0%
Median age	36.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 70.8%

Two or more races 11.7%

Hispanic or Latino 11.3%

Other race 2.9%

Black or African American 2.8%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%

Group	Count	%
White	1,924	70.8%
Two or more races	317	11.7%
Hispanic or Latino	308	11.3%
Other race	80	2.9%
Black or African American	76	2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	12	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	57.6%	52.6%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	27.5%	28.9%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	11.3%	15.6%	22.6%
Over $200k	3.6%	3.0%	7.8%

Under $10k 3.6%

$10k–$15k 6.7%

$15k–$25k 13.1%

$25k–$35k 19.2%

$35k–$50k 7.3%

$50k–$75k 20.9%

$75k–$100k 11.8%

$100k–$150k 9.9%

$150k–$200k 3.1%

$200k+ 4.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	3.6%
$10k–$15k	6.7%
$15k–$25k	13.1%
$25k–$35k	19.2%
$35k–$50k	7.3%
$50k–$75k	20.9%
$75k–$100k	11.8%
$100k–$150k	9.9%
$150k–$200k	3.1%
$200k+	4.3%
Median income	$50,066

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 27.0%

$50k–$100k 36.3%

$100k–$150k 22.1%

$150k–$200k 7.8%

$200k–$300k 4.9%

$300k–$500k 1.8%

$500k–$1M 0.1%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$85,300
Median rent / month	$875
Owner occupied	72.1%
Renter occupied	27.9%
Vacant	32.4%
Single-family detached	82.2%
Large apartment buildings	1.4%
Mobile homes	6.2%
Median rooms	5.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.31

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	9.3%
2000–2009	7.1%
1990–1999	2.9%
1980–1989	11.4%
1970–1979	14.1%
1960–1969	11.1%
1950–1959	12.0%
1940–1949	10.9%
1939 or earlier	21.2%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	3.1%
1 bedroom	4.4%
2 bedrooms	29.9%
3 bedrooms	45.8%
4 bedrooms	11.4%
5+ bedrooms	5.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	10.5%
1 vehicle	26.8%
2 vehicles	40.2%
3 or more	22.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	54.3%
Electricity	40.1%
Propane / LP gas	2.6%
Wood	0.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	527	53.1%
Cohabiting couple	8	0.8%
Male householder, no spouse	194	19.5%
Female householder, no spouse	264	26.6%
Households with children under 18	446	44.9%
Households with seniors (65+)	312	31.4%
Average household size	2.43

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	15.2%	23.4%
Married	64.9%	54.2%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	7.5%	6.3%
Divorced	12.3%	16.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 5.5%

Some HS, no diploma 10.1%

HS graduate 43.0%

Some college, no degree 20.5%

Associate's degree 5.7%

Bachelor's degree 13.1%

Graduate / professional 2.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	84.4%
Bachelor's or higher	15.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	52	10.3%
Kindergarten	26	5.2%
Elementary school	228	45.3%
High school	167	33.2%
College / grad school	30	6.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 20.8%

Agriculture & mining 14.5%

Transportation & utilities 14.0%

Professional & management 10.5%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.6%

Construction 7.6%

Other services 7.5%

Retail trade 7.4%

Public administration 3.2%

Wholesale trade 2.3%

Finance & real estate 1.4%

Information 0.6%

Manufacturing 0.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	21.1%
Service	22.3%
Sales & office	31.4%
Natural resources & construction	17.3%
Production & transportation	7.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	70.0%
Government	13.2%
Self-employed	16.1%
Unpaid family workers	0.6%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	81.0%
Carpool	16.2%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.1%
Work from home	1.3%
Other means	0.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	25.0

Poverty

All people 23.5%

Under 18 years 32.4%

18 and over 20.8%

Married-couple families 12.5%

Female-led households 83.8%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	36.3%
Retirement income	18.0%
Supplemental Security	4.1%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	21.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	38.0%
High blood pressure	42.2%
High cholesterol	40.6%
Diabetes	15.4%
Heart disease	9.7%
Stroke	4.6%
Asthma	10.1%
Arthritis	30.6%
Kidney disease	4.1%
Pulmonary disease	11.1%
Cancer	7.7%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	23.3%
Binge drinking	16.2%
No physical activity	30.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	35.0%
Depression	24.1%
Fair or poor health	23.5%
Poor mental health	16.6%
Poor physical health	15.5%
No health insurance	27.6%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.2%
Visited dentist	47.7%
Cholesterol screening	88.9%
Teeth loss	20.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	122	6.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	20.3%
Under 18	8.8%
18–64 years	18.5%
65 and over	41.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	46.1%
Public insurance	38.9%
No insurance	28.1%
Uninsured under 19	17.2%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,251	93.4%
Spanish	227	10.1%
Other Indo-European	227	10.1%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,192	91.0%
Born in same state	2,150	89.2%
Born in different state	1,576	65.4%
Foreign born	42	1.7%
Naturalized citizen	217	9.0%
Not a US citizen	21	9.7%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	308	12.8%
French	222	9.2%
Arab	66	2.7%

Ancestry	Count	%
German	30	1.2%
English	25	1%
Polish	13	0.5%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	41.2%
Internet access	87.1%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 79079

What city is ZIP code 79079 in?

ZIP code 79079 is primarily assigned to Shamrock, Texas.

What county is ZIP code 79079 in?

ZIP code 79079 falls within Wheeler County, Texas.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 79079?

24% of residents in ZIP code 79079 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 79079 have a large retiree population?

36% of households in ZIP code 79079 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 79079?

The median home value in ZIP code 79079 is $85,300.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 79079?

Health data for ZIP code 79079 shows elevated rates of diabetes (15%) and smoking (23%) compared to national benchmarks.

What timezone is ZIP code 79079 in?

ZIP code 79079 observes the CST timezone.