78550 ZIP Code — Harlingen, TX

Cameron County, Texas

ZIP code 78550 is located in Harlingen, Texas, within Cameron County. It covers approximately 94.19 square miles and serves a population of 54,441 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 956.

About ZIP code 78550

The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $104,700. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 51%.

Median household income is $46,341. Poverty affects 27% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 25% of households reflects economic stress in the area.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 18 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 20% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (17%) compared to national benchmarks. 24% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 78550 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average and elevated reliance on food assistance.

54,441

population

94.19

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

78550 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 78550

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 78550. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Harlingen	Acceptable
Harlingen	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

78552 Harlingen (6.7 mi) 78593 Santa Rosa (9.4 mi) 78559 La Feria (9.7 mi) 78586 San Benito (10.7 mi) 78569 Lyford (11.9 mi) 78583 Rio Hondo (14.3 mi) 78570 Mercedes (16.1 mi) 78575 Olmito (17.3 mi) 78538 Edcouch (17.8 mi) 78566 Los Fresnos (18.7 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	54,441
Population density	578 / sq mi
State FIPS	48
County FIPS	061

Geography
Land area	94.19 sq mi
Water area	0.84 sq mi
Latitude	26.2456
Longitude	-97.6800
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	58.0%	57.0%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	28.0%	28.1%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	12.0%	12.6%	22.6%
Over $200k	2.0%	2.3%	7.8%

Demographics & statistics

54,441

Population

578

People per sq mi

33.1

Median age

$46,341

Median household income

$22,531

Per capita income

$104,700

Median home value

$841

Median monthly rent

50.9%

Home ownership

26.6%

Poverty rate

4.8%

Unemployment

12,490

Housing units

20.2%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

1,907

Under 5

1,948

2,034

5–9

2,077

2,435

10–14

2,488

2,415

15–19

2,467

1,424

20–24

1,454

3,990

25–34

4,075

3,288

35–44

3,358

2,865

45–54

2,926

1,219

55–59

1,246

1,297

60–64

1,325

2,189

65–74

2,236

1,325

75–84

1,354

544

85+

555

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	16,195	29.7%
18 and over	38,246	70.3%
65 and over	8,203	15.1%
Median age	33.1 years

Race & ethnicity

White 52.7%

Hispanic or Latino 21.8%

Two or more races 15.7%

Other race 6.9%

Black or African American 1.8%

Asian 0.7%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	36,699	52.7%
Hispanic or Latino	15,180	21.8%
Two or more races	10,921	15.7%
Other race	4,808	6.9%
Black or African American	1,232	1.8%
Asian	515	0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	194	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	72	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	58.0%	57.0%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	28.0%	28.1%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	12.0%	12.6%	22.6%
Over $200k	2.0%	2.3%	7.8%

Under $10k 6.6%

$10k–$15k 8.2%

$15k–$25k 13.0%

$25k–$35k 12.6%

$35k–$50k 12.9%

$50k–$75k 17.5%

$75k–$100k 10.8%

$100k–$150k 12.6%

$150k–$200k 3.1%

$200k+ 2.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	6.6%
$10k–$15k	8.2%
$15k–$25k	13.0%
$25k–$35k	12.6%
$35k–$50k	12.9%
$50k–$75k	17.5%
$75k–$100k	10.8%
$100k–$150k	12.6%
$150k–$200k	3.1%
$200k+	2.5%
Median income	$46,341

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 15.6%

$50k–$100k 32.5%

$100k–$150k 20.4%

$150k–$200k 15.0%

$200k–$300k 10.8%

$300k–$500k 4.7%

$500k–$1M 0.4%

$1M+ 0.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$104,700
Median rent / month	$841
Owner occupied	50.9%
Renter occupied	49.1%
Vacant	12.1%
Single-family detached	58.1%
Large apartment buildings	5.0%
Mobile homes	5.6%
Median rooms	4.6
Avg household size (owned)	2.81

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.8%
2010–2019	5.3%
2000–2009	14.2%
1990–1999	17.0%
1980–1989	17.7%
1970–1979	15.6%
1960–1969	10.7%
1950–1959	11.5%
1940–1949	4.0%
1939 or earlier	3.2%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	5.5%
1 bedroom	13.1%
2 bedrooms	33.4%
3 bedrooms	36.0%
4 bedrooms	10.4%
5+ bedrooms	1.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	8.0%
1 vehicle	41.9%
2 vehicles	35.0%
3 or more	15.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	10.2%
Electricity	87.6%
Propane / LP gas	0.6%
Wood	0.1%
Solar	0.1%
No fuel used	1.0%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	7,563	39.2%
Cohabiting couple	1,268	6.6%
Male householder, no spouse	3,516	18.2%
Female householder, no spouse	6,958	36.0%
Households with children under 18	7,102	36.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	5,887	30.5%
Average household size	2.75

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	44.0%	34.9%
Married	41.3%	38.1%
Separated	2.4%	4.3%
Widowed	3.3%	9.7%
Divorced	9.1%	13.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 11.9%

Some HS, no diploma 11.9%

HS graduate 27.0%

Some college, no degree 20.7%

Associate's degree 8.4%

Bachelor's degree 14.0%

Graduate / professional 6.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	76.2%
Bachelor's or higher	20.2%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	1,281	8.5%
Kindergarten	788	5.2%
Elementary school	7,058	47.0%
High school	3,511	23.4%
College / grad school	2,382	15.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 30.7%

Retail trade 11.5%

Professional & management 10.0%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.4%

Transportation & utilities 6.5%

Construction 6.3%

Manufacturing 5.9%

Public administration 5.9%

Other services 5.7%

Finance & real estate 4.4%

Information 1.7%

Wholesale trade 1.3%

Agriculture & mining 0.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	30.0%
Service	26.7%
Sales & office	23.0%
Natural resources & construction	7.9%
Production & transportation	12.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	73.2%
Government	17.9%
Self-employed	8.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.1%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	79.9%
Carpool	9.0%
Public transit	0.2%
Walk	1.1%
Work from home	7.4%
Other means	2.5%
Avg commute (minutes)	17.7

Poverty

All people 26.6%

Under 18 years 43.2%

18 and over 19.5%

Married-couple families 10.2%

Female-led households 42.1%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	29.5%
Retirement income	19.3%
Supplemental Security	11.1%
Cash public assistance	2.6%
Food stamps / SNAP	24.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	41.3%
High blood pressure	34.0%
High cholesterol	34.3%
Diabetes	16.8%
Heart disease	7.2%
Stroke	3.7%
Asthma	8.8%
Arthritis	19.7%
Kidney disease	3.9%
Pulmonary disease	6.8%
Cancer	4.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	18.2%
Binge drinking	16.5%
No physical activity	33.0%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.4%
Depression	20.4%
Fair or poor health	28.4%
Poor mental health	16.4%
Poor physical health	15.7%
No health insurance	46.3%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.5%
Visited dentist	46.9%
Cholesterol screening	85.8%
Teeth loss	18.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	2,279	6.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	16.1%
Under 18	9.0%
18–64 years	13.0%
65 and over	42.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	41.3%
Public insurance	42.1%
No insurance	23.9%
Uninsured under 19	16.7%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	50,586	92.9%
Spanish	8,385	16.6%
Other Indo-European	8,314	16.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	6	0.0%
Other languages	65	0.1%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	46,940	86.2%
Born in same state	46,048	84.6%
Born in different state	39,328	72.2%
Foreign born	892	1.6%
Naturalized citizen	7,501	13.8%
Not a US citizen	2,993	39.9%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	2,111	3.9%
Arab	1,635	3%
Italian	1,096	2%
German	86	0.2%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	44	0.1%
Irish	42	0.1%
English	31	0.1%
Polish	5	0%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.5%
Internet access	88.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 78550

What part of Harlingen is ZIP code 78550?

ZIP code 78550 covers a portion of Harlingen, Texas, within Cameron County.

What county is ZIP code 78550 in?

ZIP code 78550 falls within Cameron County, Texas.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78550?

27% of residents in ZIP code 78550 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 78550?

The median home value in ZIP code 78550 is $104,700.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 78550?

The median household income in ZIP code 78550 is $46,341, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What is the population of ZIP code 78550?

ZIP code 78550 has an estimated population of 54,441 residents, with a density of 578 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 78550 in?

ZIP code 78550 observes the CST timezone.