78550 and 78586 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
78550
78586
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 7%
vs23 · Bottom 4%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 14%
vs21 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 31%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
34 · Bottom 28%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 9%
vs28 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 78550 | 78586 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,335 | 50,964 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,007 | $45,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,915 | $19,322 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 566/sq mi | 334/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $131,100 | $87,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $900 | $796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.5% | 74.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 7.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.4% | 28.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 336 | 108 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 4.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.3% | 63.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 50°F | 50°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.0" | 24.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 22.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 32.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.59 | 15.03 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.5% | 25.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.5% | 36.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.8% | 82.6% | 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
78550
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
78586
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 78550 — Harlingen, TX · 78586 — San Benito, TX · How this is calculated: methodology