78599 and 78596 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
78599
78596
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs41 · Bottom 22%
Growth
85 · Top 2%
vs85 · Top 2%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
35 · Bottom 29%
vs30 · Bottom 23%
Access
84 · Bottom 26%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 23%
vs25 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 78599 | 78596 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,454 | 39,518 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,349 | $58,411 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,831 | $24,540 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,337/sq mi | 983/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $125,400 | $104,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,007 | $936 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.8% | 64.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.9% | 7.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.4% | 22.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 685 | 685 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.2 | 16.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 42.7% | 42.7% | 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 | 21 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.9 | 31.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.12 | 19.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.2% | 27.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.2% | 36.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.8% | 81.8% | 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
78599
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
78596
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: 78599 — Weslaco, TX · 78596 — Weslaco, TX · How this is calculated: methodology