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US ZIP Code Profile

ZIP Code 78521
Brownsville, Texas

ZIP code 78521 is in Brownsville, located in Cameron County, Texas, within the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area. Its 2020 Census population was 88,708. The estimated median adjusted gross income per tax return is $27,881, and about 1% of filers report $200,000 or more.

2020 Population
88,708
Census ZCTA
County
Cameron
FIPS 48061
Median income (est.)
$27,881
IRS SOI 2022
Land Area
93.194 mi²
+ 27.844 mi² water

01Location & Geography

Authoritative geographic identifiers from the U.S. Census Bureau, ANSI, and FIPS standards.

Primary CityBrownsville, TX
CountyCameron County (FIPS 48061)
StateTexas (FIPS 48)
Metro Area (MSA)Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area (15180)
Census Region / DivisionSouth Region · West South Central Division
Coordinates25.943924, -97.31795
Land / Water Area93.194 mi² land · 27.844 mi² water

02Income & Economics

Distribution of the 38,820 individual tax returns filed in 78521 by adjusted gross income bracket (IRS SOI, 2022).

< $25K
46.5%
$25K–$50K
30.4%
$50K–$75K
11.9%
$75K–$100K
5.0%
$100K–$200K
4.9%
$200K+
1.3%
The $200,000+ bracket accounts for 13% of 78521's total adjusted gross income, from 1% of returns — a concentration that drives the gap between the median ($27,881) and the average.
Estimated median = median adjusted gross income per tax return, interpolated from IRS SOI brackets. Differs from U.S. Census household income.

03Income Over Time

Year-over-year change in 78521's IRS income metrics, 2020–2022.

Median income (2021→2022)
$27,881
▲ 11.6%
Filers earning $200K+
1.3%
▲ 0.2 pt
Total filers
38,820
▲ 1.3%
GET /zipc/v2/zipcodes/78521/soi?year=… $24K 2020 $25K 2021 $28K 2022
Median = adjusted gross income per return, interpolated from IRS SOI brackets. Figures are nominal (not inflation-adjusted).

04Population Trend

Decennial U.S. Census population for the 78521 ZCTA.

2000
84,485
 
2010
93,818
▲ +11.0%
2020
88,708
▼ -5.4%

05USPS Postal Details

Delivery and facility attributes from the monthly USPS dataset.

ZIP ClassificationNon-Unique Zip
Facility TypePost Office
Carrier Route SortD
USPS Finance Number481130
City AliasesBrownsville

06Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 78521 in?

ZIP code 78521 is in Cameron County, Texas (county FIPS code 48061).

What city is ZIP code 78521?

The primary USPS city for 78521 is Brownsville, TX.

What metro area (MSA) is 78521 in?

78521 is part of the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area (MSA code 15180).

What is the population of ZIP code 78521?

The 2020 Census population of 78521 was 88,708 residents.

What is the median income in ZIP code 78521?

Based on IRS Statistics of Income data, the estimated median adjusted gross income per tax return in 78521 is about $27,881, with around 1% of filers reporting $200,000 or more. Note that adjusted gross income is a tax measure and differs from U.S. Census household income.