79838 ZIP Code — Fabens, TX

El Paso County, Texas

ZIP code 79838 is located in Fabens, Texas, within El Paso County. It covers approximately 30.84 square miles and serves a population of 5,470 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 915.

About ZIP code 79838

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $84,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 77%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $36,366. Poverty affects 25% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 37% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 37% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is service, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 26 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 9% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (20%), smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks. 29% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Notable community characteristics include Spanish spoken in 45% of households.

Overall, ZIP code 79838 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

5,470

population

30.84

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

79838 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 79838

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 79838. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Fabens	Acceptable

Demographics updated 08/2026

Population
Total population	5,470
Population density	177 / sq mi
State FIPS	48
County FIPS	141

Geography
Land area	30.84 sq mi
Water area	0.12 sq mi
Latitude	31.4733
Longitude	-106.1586
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	915

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 08/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	69.1%	51.3%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	27.4%	29.9%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	3.5%	15.9%	22.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.9%	7.8%

Demographics & statistics

5,470

Population

177

People per sq mi

40.5

Median age

$36,366

Median household income

$18,005

Per capita income

$84,000

Median home value

$635

Median monthly rent

76.6%

Home ownership

24.7%

Poverty rate

4.1%

Unemployment

1,857

Housing units

8.5%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

115

Under 5

121

143

5–9

150

214

10–14

223

148

15–19

154

177

20–24

185

412

25–34

431

252

35–44

264

341

45–54

355

190

55–59

199

191

60–64

199

263

65–74

274

138

75–84

144

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,073	19.6%
18 and over	4,397	80.4%
65 and over	1,006	18.4%
Median age	40.5 years

Race & ethnicity

White 42.6%

Hispanic or Latino 26.9%

Two or more races 17.9%

Other race 10.2%

Asian 2%

Black or African American 0.1%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	3,192	42.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2,015	26.9%
Two or more races	1,342	17.9%
Other race	767	10.2%
Asian	153	2%
Black or African American	9	0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	7	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	69.1%	51.3%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	27.4%	29.9%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	3.5%	15.9%	22.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.9%	7.8%

Under $10k 7.1%

$10k–$15k 13.4%

$15k–$25k 18.8%

$25k–$35k 9.6%

$35k–$50k 5.3%

$50k–$75k 28.6%

$75k–$100k 12.1%

$100k–$150k 2.6%

$150k–$200k 0.4%

$200k+ 2.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	7.1%
$10k–$15k	13.4%
$15k–$25k	18.8%
$25k–$35k	9.6%
$35k–$50k	5.3%
$50k–$75k	28.6%
$75k–$100k	12.1%
$100k–$150k	2.6%
$150k–$200k	0.4%
$200k+	2.3%
Median income	$36,366

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 16.4%

$50k–$100k 54.8%

$100k–$150k 13.7%

$150k–$200k 9.8%

$200k–$300k 4.7%

$300k–$500k 0.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$84,000
Median rent / month	$635
Owner occupied	76.6%
Renter occupied	23.4%
Vacant	16.0%
Single-family detached	62.2%
Large apartment buildings	0.9%
Mobile homes	26.8%
Median rooms	5.0
Avg household size (owned)	2.91

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	6.4%
2000–2009	4.0%
1990–1999	32.0%
1980–1989	24.0%
1970–1979	19.5%
1960–1969	0.0%
1950–1959	7.3%
1940–1949	3.7%
1939 or earlier	3.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	5.7%
1 bedroom	6.9%
2 bedrooms	23.2%
3 bedrooms	49.2%
4 bedrooms	14.1%
5+ bedrooms	0.9%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	12.4%
1 vehicle	30.7%
2 vehicles	34.2%
3 or more	22.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	76.2%
Electricity	18.8%
Propane / LP gas	4.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	860	44.3%
Cohabiting couple	101	5.2%
Male householder, no spouse	263	13.5%
Female householder, no spouse	717	36.9%
Households with children under 18	634	32.7%
Households with seniors (65+)	769	39.6%
Average household size	2.81

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	37.2%	29.3%
Married	49.9%	42.3%
Separated	2.5%	3.4%
Widowed	4.8%	13.3%
Divorced	5.6%	11.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 29.8%

Some HS, no diploma 11.2%

HS graduate 30.3%

Some college, no degree 7.2%

Associate's degree 13.0%

Bachelor's degree 4.6%

Graduate / professional 3.9%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	59.0%
Bachelor's or higher	8.5%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	28	2.1%
Kindergarten	43	3.2%
Elementary school	589	43.4%
High school	279	20.5%
College / grad school	419	30.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 25.2%

Retail trade 19.8%

Transportation & utilities 13.7%

Manufacturing 7.7%

Arts, food & hospitality 7.6%

Public administration 7.3%

Professional & management 4.9%

Construction 4.5%

Wholesale trade 4.4%

Agriculture & mining 2.4%

Other services 1.6%

Finance & real estate 0.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	17.3%
Service	26.1%
Sales & office	25.8%
Natural resources & construction	9.7%
Production & transportation	21.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	77.1%
Government	18.7%
Self-employed	4.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	80.7%
Carpool	11.4%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.1%
Work from home	4.6%
Other means	2.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	26.3

Poverty

All people 24.7%

Under 18 years 29.8%

18 and over 23.5%

Married-couple families 16.3%

Female-led households 34.1%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	36.7%
Retirement income	12.6%
Supplemental Security	9.4%
Cash public assistance	2.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	36.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	41.9%
High blood pressure	35.3%
High cholesterol	32.9%
Diabetes	19.9%
Heart disease	7.5%
Stroke	3.8%
Asthma	10.0%
Arthritis	21.4%
Kidney disease	4.3%
Pulmonary disease	7.3%
Cancer	3.9%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	20.7%
Binge drinking	14.9%
No physical activity	40.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	36.2%
Depression	22.1%
Fair or poor health	33.8%
Poor mental health	18.2%
Poor physical health	17.6%
No health insurance	52.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.7%
Visited dentist	40.4%
Cholesterol screening	83.8%
Teeth loss	21.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	130	3.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	20.5%
Under 18	6.4%
18–64 years	11.7%
65 and over	65.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	36.9%
Public insurance	38.1%
No insurance	29.3%
Uninsured under 19	16.1%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	5,234	95.7%
Spanish	2,341	44.7%
Other Indo-European	2,300	43.9%
Asian & Pacific Islander	41	0.8%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	3,410	62.3%
Born in same state	3,384	61.9%
Born in different state	3,198	58.5%
Foreign born	26	0.5%
Naturalized citizen	2,060	37.7%
Not a US citizen	940	45.6%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	250	4.6%
Italian	42	0.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
French	1	0%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.5%
Internet access	92.5%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 79838

What city is ZIP code 79838 in?

ZIP code 79838 is primarily assigned to Fabens, Texas.

What county is ZIP code 79838 in?

ZIP code 79838 falls within El Paso County, Texas.

Is Spanish widely spoken in ZIP code 79838?

Approximately 45% of households in ZIP code 79838 speak Spanish as a primary language.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 79838?

25% of residents in ZIP code 79838 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 79838?

9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 79838 have a large retiree population?

37% of households in ZIP code 79838 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 79838 in?

ZIP code 79838 observes the MST timezone.