78501 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
78501
78572
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 28%
vs42 · Bottom 24%
Growth
73 · Top 11%
vs67 · Top 19%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs96 · Top 19%
Schools
50 · Bottom 47%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
74 · Bottom 15%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 8%
vs21 · Bottom 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 78501 | 78572 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,935 | 78,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,071 | $54,298 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,706 | $25,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,792/sq mi | 1,454/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $161,000 | $147,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $969 | $902 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.3% | 71.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 6.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.4% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,445 | 640 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 7.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.7% | -19.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 22.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.35 | 15.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 31.5% | 25.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.3% | 35.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 74.9% | 82.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
78501
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
78572
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: 78501 — McAllen, TX · 78572 — Mission, TX · How this is calculated: methodology