ZIP 79938
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 79938 usually run 0.7% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in August, about $25 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 79938 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in ZIP 79938 changed +1.8% over the year to August 2026. Across the 625 Texas ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 79938 rose 41.3% while median household income rose 31.2% ($58,902 to $77,272). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 79938 is 42.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($77,272) is $1,932 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,540); a 3-bedroom is $2,110.
13th cheapest of 16 ZIP codes in El Paso.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 79938. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 79938 (El Paso, TX) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 27.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 79938 in El Paso, TX has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 79938 in El Paso, TX paid around $1,357 a month. That figure now sits near $1,767, up 30.2% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $77,272 today, compared with $64,239 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 79938 in El Paso, TX adding about 8,046 residents over the five-year window, up 8.8% on net. The renter share has eased from 21.5% to 18.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 79938
Last updated: September 25, 2026
ZIP code 79938 covers El Paso, TX. The median rent here is $1,767/mo as of September 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,310/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,540/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($77,272/yr), ZIP 79938 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 79938 compare to other ZIPs in Texas?
How does ZIP 79938 compare to the rest of El Paso?
At $1,767/mo, rent takes ~27% of ZIP 79938's median household income ($77,272/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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