ZIP Code · TX

ZIP 78542

Part of Edinburg, TX

Pop. 89,401·Hidalgo County·657th most expensive ZIP in Texas

Median rent (all units)

$1,119/mo

Year-over-Year

+0.5%

Month-over-Month

-0.4%

vs US Median

-$813

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 78542 · $1,119

More affordable than 95% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$800

1 BR

$810

2 BR

$1,010

3 BR

$1,310

4 BR+

$1,450

Research median

$1,010/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Past year vs. the rest of Texas

Rent in ZIP 78542 changed +0.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 629 Texas ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.2%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($55,243) is $1,381 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,310); a 4-bedroom is $1,450.

Rank in Edinburg

2nd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Edinburg.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 78542. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$13,428/yr

At $1,119/mo median

Location

CityEdinburg

StateTX

CountyHidalgo County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.5% YoY, -0.4% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 78542 (Edinburg, TX) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 12.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

89,401

Median income

$55,243

Median age

27.7

Renters

24.3%

Age distribution

33.8%

27%

24.1%

Under 1833.8%

18–3427%

35–5424.1%

55–647.2%

65+7.9%

Gender

52%

48%

Male52%

Female48%

Race & ethnicity

18.8%

95.4%

White18.8%

Hispanic95.4%

Asian0.5%

Education (25+)

33.7%

31.6%

21.9%

12.8%

No HS diploma33.7%

HS diploma31.6%

Some college21.9%

Bachelor's+12.8%

Housing tenure

75.7%

24.3%

Owner75.7%

Renter24.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 78542 in Edinburg, TX has changed in 5 years

Income

$49,985 → $55,243

up 10.5%

Population

84,606 → 89,401

up 5.7%

Renter share

24.3% → 24.3%

+0.0 pts

Bachelor's+

13.5% → 12.8%

-0.7 pts

Median age

26.3 → 27.7

+1.4 yrs

Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $49,985 in 2021 to $55,243 more recently. The population has grown by 5.7% since 2021, moving from about 84,606 residents to roughly 89,401.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 78542

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 78542 covers Edinburg, TX. The median rent here is $1,119/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $810/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,010/mo.

At 24% of local median household income ($55,243/yr), ZIP 78542 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 78542?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $45,000/year (about $22/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,119/mo in ZIP 78542. The local median household income is $55,243/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 78542?

Rent in ZIP 78542 has risen 0.5% over the past year.

How does ZIP 78542 compare to other ZIPs in Texas?

ZIP 78542 is one of the more affordable among Texas ZIP codes for rent, ranking #657 of 693 at $1,119/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 78542 changed +0.5%, against a typical +1.2% across the 629 Texas ZIP codes Zillow tracks.