78504 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
78504
77084
Opportunity
57 · Top 44%
vs54 · Bottom 48%
Growth
73 · Top 11%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs21 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs86 · Top 39%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs56 · Top 45%
Access
74 · Bottom 15%
vs94 · Top 45%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 39%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 78504 | 77084 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,094 | 110,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,905 | $80,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,517 | $32,958 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,214/sq mi | 3,473/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $218,900 | $248,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,173 | $1,581 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 60.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 30.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,445 | 11,337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.7% | -2.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 49.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 34.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 34.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.74 | 14.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.2% | 36.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.5% | 43.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.8% | 79.3% | 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
78504
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
77084
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 78504 — McAllen, TX · 77084 — Houston, TX · How this is calculated: methodology