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Texas ZIP Codes
Gonzales County
Smiley, TX
78159
78159 ZIP Code — Smiley, TX
Gonzales County, Texas
ZIP code 78159 is located in
Smiley ,
Texas ,
within Gonzales County .
It covers approximately 131.81 square miles and serves a population of
587 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone,
served by area code 830 .
About ZIP code 78159
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $86,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 76%, well above the national average.
The gap between median ($32,000) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. Poverty affects 31% of residents, above the national average. 34% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is natural resources, construction, and trades, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 31 minutes is near the national average.
College attainment at 17% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.
20% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.
Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 25%.
Overall, ZIP code 78159 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.
78159 ZIP code map
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Cities in ZIP code 78159
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 78159. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
Nearby ZIP codes
Demographics
updated 06/2026
Population
Total population
587
Population density
4 / sq mi
State FIPS
48
County FIPS
177
Geography
Land area
131.81 sq mi
Water area
0.18 sq mi
Latitude
29.2339
Longitude
-97.5885
Timezone
Central (CT)
Area code
830
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
47.2%
43.0%
39.5%
$50k – $100k
33.9%
33.7%
30.1%
$100k – $200k
16.7%
18.6%
22.6%
Over $200k
2.2%
4.7%
7.8%
Demographics & statistics
$32,000
Median household income
17.4%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 132 22.5% 18 and over 455 77.5% 65 and over 149 25.4% Median age 43.4 years
Race & ethnicity
Group Count % White 490 73.1% Hispanic or Latino 83 12.4% Two or more races 64 9.6% Other race 33 4.9%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
47.2%
43.0%
39.5%
$50k – $100k
33.9%
33.7%
30.1%
$100k – $200k
16.7%
18.6%
22.6%
Over $200k
2.2%
4.7%
7.8%
Range % of households Under $10k 7.1% $10k–$15k 6.0% $15k–$25k 11.7% $25k–$35k 28.6% $35k–$50k 9.0% $50k–$75k 11.7% $75k–$100k 7.9% $100k–$150k 15.0% $150k–$200k 1.1% $200k+ 1.9% Median income $32,000
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $86,400 Median rent / month $950 Owner occupied 75.9% Renter occupied 24.1% Vacant 21.1% Single-family detached 77.2% Large apartment buildings 0.0% Mobile homes 22.8% Median rooms 5.1 Avg household size (owned) 2.22
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 0.0% 2010–2019 4.5% 2000–2009 8.9% 1990–1999 8.9% 1980–1989 14.8% 1970–1979 16.9% 1960–1969 12.8% 1950–1959 5.3% 1940–1949 16.6% 1939 or earlier 11.3%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 0.0% 1 bedroom 3.3% 2 bedrooms 31.5% 3 bedrooms 38.9% 4 bedrooms 26.4% 5+ bedrooms 0.0%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 1.9% 1 vehicle 28.6% 2 vehicles 31.6% 3 or more 38.0%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Utility gas 4.5% Electricity 77.4% Propane / LP gas 16.5% Wood 0.8% No fuel used 0.8%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 106 39.8% Cohabiting couple 22 8.3% Male householder, no spouse 51 19.2% Female householder, no spouse 87 32.7% Households with children under 18 42 15.8% Households with seniors (65+) 119 44.7% Average household size 2.21
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 40.5% 18.9% Married 44.6% 48.9% Separated 3.1% 7.9% Widowed 3.1% 15.9% Divorced 8.7% 8.4%
Education
Less than 9th grade
15.7%
Some college, no degree
14.3%
Graduate / professional
0.0%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 79.3% Bachelor's or higher 17.4%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 8 6.3% Kindergarten 0 0.0% Elementary school 55 43.0% High school 54 42.2% College / grad school 11 8.6%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
25.4%
Agriculture & mining
17.5%
Public administration
8.5%
Arts, food & hospitality
6.9%
Finance & real estate
3.2%
Professional & management
0.5%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 26.5% Service 22.8% Sales & office 13.8% Natural resources & construction 27.0% Production & transportation 10.1%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 67.7% Government 22.8% Self-employed 9.5% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 82.5% Carpool 6.3% Public transit 0.0% Walk 6.9% Work from home 0.0% Other means 4.2% Avg commute (minutes) 30.8
Poverty
Married-couple families
2.8%
Female-led households
64.1%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 33.8% Retirement income 19.2% Supplemental Security 0.0% Cash public assistance 1.9% Food stamps / SNAP 3.8%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 37.9% High blood pressure 37.6% High cholesterol 38.0% Diabetes 14.3% Heart disease 8.1% Stroke 3.5% Asthma 8.4% Arthritis 25.3% Kidney disease 3.5% Pulmonary disease 7.2% Cancer 7.1%
Behavior / access % Smoking 16.5% Binge drinking 16.6% No physical activity 29.2% Less than 7 hrs sleep 32.3% Depression 19.9% Fair or poor health 19.8% Poor mental health 13.9% Poor physical health 12.4% No health insurance 31.6% Visited doctor (checkup) 72.4% Visited dentist 53.3% Cholesterol screening 90.2% Teeth loss 14.7%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 12 2.6%
Disability % Any disability 25.2% Under 18 11.4% 18–64 years 19.0% 65 and over 50.3%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 43.8% Public insurance 45.0% No insurance 20.1% Uninsured under 19 0.0%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 571 97.3% Spanish 98 17.2% Other Indo-European 98 17.2% Asian & Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 516 87.9% Born in same state 516 87.9% Born in different state 459 78.2% Foreign born 0 0.0% Naturalized citizen 71 12.1% Not a US citizen 17 23.9%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count % French 74 12.6% Italian 57 9.7%
Ancestry Count % Arab 16 2.7%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 45.3% Internet access 84.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 78159
What city is ZIP code 78159 in?
ZIP code 78159 is primarily assigned to Smiley, Texas.
What county is ZIP code 78159 in?
ZIP code 78159 falls within Gonzales County, Texas.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78159?
31% of residents in ZIP code 78159 live below the poverty line, above the national average.
Does ZIP code 78159 have an older population?
25% of residents in ZIP code 78159 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 78159?
The median home value in ZIP code 78159 is $86,400.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 78159?
The median household income in ZIP code 78159 is $32,000, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 78159 in?
ZIP code 78159 observes the CST timezone.
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