78501 ZIP Code — Mcallen, TX

Hidalgo County, Texas

ZIP code 78501 is located in Mcallen, Texas, within Hidalgo County. It covers approximately 15.54 square miles and serves a population of 59,954 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 956.

About ZIP code 78501

The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $142,400. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 52%.

Median household income is $47,809. Poverty affects 26% 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 19 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 27% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (19%) compared to national benchmarks. 28% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Notable community characteristics include Spanish spoken in 33% of households.

Overall, ZIP code 78501 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average and elevated reliance on food assistance.

59,954

population

15.54

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

78501 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 78501

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 78501. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Mcallen	Acceptable
Mcallen	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

78503 Mcallen (4.4 mi) 78504 Mcallen (4.5 mi) 78577 Pharr (4.7 mi) 78589 San Juan (6.2 mi) 78573 Mission (6.9 mi) 78557 Hidalgo (7.1 mi) 78539 Edinburg (7.4 mi) 78516 Alamo (7.8 mi) 78574 Mission (8.8 mi) 78537 Donna (10.3 mi) 78542 Edinburg (12.5 mi) 78541 Edinburg (12.6 mi)

Demographics updated 07/2026

Population
Total population	59,954
Population density	3,858 / sq mi
State FIPS	48
County FIPS	215

Geography
Land area	15.54 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	26.2146
Longitude	-98.2391
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	956

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 07/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	56.9%	56.8%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	26.4%	26.0%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	13.7%	14.6%	22.6%
Over $200k	3.0%	2.5%	7.8%

Demographics & statistics

59,954

Population

3,858

People per sq mi

35.9

Median age

$47,809

Median household income

$24,005

Per capita income

$142,400

Median home value

$892

Median monthly rent

51.7%

Home ownership

25.7%

Poverty rate

5.0%

Unemployment

14,369

Housing units

27.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

1,747

Under 5

1,840

2,323

5–9

2,448

2,074

10–14

2,186

1,960

15–19

2,066

2,087

20–24

2,199

4,113

25–34

4,335

4,017

35–44

4,232

3,159

45–54

3,329

1,341

55–59

1,414

1,524

60–64

1,605

2,825

65–74

2,976

1,374

75–84

1,447

649

85+

684

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	15,387	25.7%
18 and over	44,567	74.3%
65 and over	9,955	16.6%
Median age	35.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 36.8%

Hispanic or Latino 30.3%

Two or more races 16.6%

Other race 14.2%

Asian 1%

Black or African American 0.8%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%

Group	Count	%
White	31,615	36.8%
Hispanic or Latino	26,067	30.3%
Two or more races	14,278	16.6%
Other race	12,200	14.2%
Asian	868	1%
Black or African American	658	0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	303	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	56.9%	56.8%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	26.4%	26.0%	30.1%
$100k – $200k	13.7%	14.6%	22.6%
Over $200k	3.0%	2.5%	7.8%

Under $10k 9.8%

$10k–$15k 7.8%

$15k–$25k 13.4%

$25k–$35k 10.4%

$35k–$50k 11.2%

$50k–$75k 17.6%

$75k–$100k 11.9%

$100k–$150k 10.1%

$150k–$200k 3.5%

$200k+ 4.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.8%
$10k–$15k	7.8%
$15k–$25k	13.4%
$25k–$35k	10.4%
$35k–$50k	11.2%
$50k–$75k	17.6%
$75k–$100k	11.9%
$100k–$150k	10.1%
$150k–$200k	3.5%
$200k+	4.2%
Median income	$47,809

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 9.3%

$50k–$100k 21.3%

$100k–$150k 23.3%

$150k–$200k 20.3%

$200k–$300k 15.0%

$300k–$500k 9.3%

$500k–$1M 1.2%

$1M+ 0.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$142,400
Median rent / month	$892
Owner occupied	51.7%
Renter occupied	48.3%
Vacant	13.3%
Single-family detached	56.2%
Large apartment buildings	7.2%
Mobile homes	4.8%
Median rooms	4.6
Avg household size (owned)	2.92

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.1%
2010–2019	11.1%
2000–2009	16.0%
1990–1999	14.0%
1980–1989	18.3%
1970–1979	22.5%
1960–1969	8.6%
1950–1959	4.8%
1940–1949	2.4%
1939 or earlier	2.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	3.3%
1 bedroom	14.3%
2 bedrooms	30.0%
3 bedrooms	38.8%
4 bedrooms	11.6%
5+ bedrooms	2.1%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	8.2%
1 vehicle	38.9%
2 vehicles	37.7%
3 or more	15.2%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	9.2%
Electricity	88.8%
Propane / LP gas	0.2%
No fuel used	1.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	8,721	40.7%
Cohabiting couple	853	4.0%
Male householder, no spouse	3,996	18.7%
Female householder, no spouse	7,845	36.6%
Households with children under 18	7,355	34.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	6,979	32.6%
Average household size	2.77

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	38.8%	33.4%
Married	46.5%	39.5%
Separated	2.4%	3.4%
Widowed	2.4%	11.2%
Divorced	9.8%	12.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 14.4%

Some HS, no diploma 10.1%

HS graduate 23.0%

Some college, no degree 19.3%

Associate's degree 5.8%

Bachelor's degree 18.8%

Graduate / professional 8.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	75.6%
Bachelor's or higher	27.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	708	4.4%
Kindergarten	1,408	8.7%
Elementary school	7,093	44.0%
High school	3,459	21.5%
College / grad school	3,453	21.4%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 25.9%

Retail trade 14.2%

Arts, food & hospitality 13.2%

Professional & management 8.6%

Construction 6.7%

Other services 6.5%

Transportation & utilities 5.9%

Manufacturing 5.1%

Finance & real estate 5.0%

Public administration 3.4%

Wholesale trade 2.1%

Agriculture & mining 2.0%

Information 1.3%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	32.1%
Service	21.6%
Sales & office	27.6%
Natural resources & construction	7.5%
Production & transportation	11.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	75.1%
Government	14.2%
Self-employed	10.6%
Unpaid family workers	0.1%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	73.7%
Carpool	9.9%
Public transit	0.6%
Walk	0.9%
Work from home	10.1%
Other means	4.7%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.0

Poverty

All people 25.7%

Under 18 years 37.5%

18 and over 21.6%

Married-couple families 12.4%

Female-led households 42.3%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	29.7%
Retirement income	15.0%
Supplemental Security	7.5%
Cash public assistance	2.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	24.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.6%
High blood pressure	35.2%
High cholesterol	33.1%
Diabetes	18.5%
Heart disease	7.3%
Stroke	3.6%
Asthma	8.7%
Arthritis	20.0%
Kidney disease	4.1%
Pulmonary disease	6.6%
Cancer	4.9%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	16.3%
Binge drinking	17.2%
No physical activity	31.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.5%
Depression	20.0%
Fair or poor health	27.0%
Poor mental health	15.3%
Poor physical health	14.6%
No health insurance	45.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	69.8%
Visited dentist	52.4%
Cholesterol screening	86.4%
Teeth loss	17.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	1,487	3.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	15.1%
Under 18	6.2%
18–64 years	11.4%
65 and over	42.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	40.3%
Public insurance	37.2%
No insurance	28.3%
Uninsured under 19	13.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	56,367	94.0%
Spanish	18,461	32.8%
Other Indo-European	18,125	32.2%
Asian & Pacific Islander	46	0.1%
Other languages	244	0.4%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	43,422	72.4%
Born in same state	41,674	69.5%
Born in different state	36,653	61.1%
Foreign born	1,748	2.9%
Naturalized citizen	16,532	27.6%
Not a US citizen	6,090	36.8%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	1,745	2.9%
Italian	1,060	1.8%
French	894	1.5%
English	264	0.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
German	56	0.1%
Polish	51	0.1%
Irish	21	0%
Dutch	7	0%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.7%
Internet access	90.9%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 78501

What part of Mcallen is ZIP code 78501?

ZIP code 78501 covers a portion of Mcallen, Texas, within Hidalgo County.

What county is ZIP code 78501 in?

ZIP code 78501 falls within Hidalgo County, Texas.

Is Spanish widely spoken in ZIP code 78501?

Approximately 33% of households in ZIP code 78501 speak Spanish as a primary language.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 78501?

26% of residents in ZIP code 78501 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 78501?

The median home value in ZIP code 78501 is $142,400.

What is the population of ZIP code 78501?

ZIP code 78501 has an estimated population of 59,954 residents, with a density of 3,858 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 78501 in?

ZIP code 78501 observes the CST timezone.