ZIP Code 79109: Population, Income, Housing

State: TX

Total population: 43,578 Household income: $70,435 Rent: $986

Overview

Total population

43,578

Rent

$986

Year built

1973

Household income

$70,435

Per capita income

$42,917

Poverty rate

13.1%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.3 persons

Rent over 30% of income

51.9%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Texas

County

Potter County

City

Amarillo

Total population

43,578

Adults over 25

29,821

Total households

18,570

Household size

2.3 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$70,435

Per capita income

$42,917

Poverty rate

13.1%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

51.9%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$986

Year built

1973

Households that rent

42.2%

Households that own

57.8%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.4

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

74.6%

Black

5.2%

Asian

0.5%

Two or more races

15.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

20.3%

Not Hispanic or Latino

79.7%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

20,304 (92.4%)

Commute time to work

18 mins

Work from home

1,671 (7.6%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

33.8%

High school graduate or GED

23.5%

Some college or associate degree

10.3%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

32.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 79109 with: Randall County, TX Amarillo, TX Amarillo metro area, TX Texas United States

ZIP 79109

Total population43,578

Rent$986

Year built1973

Household income$70,435

Per capita income$42,917

Poverty rate13.1%

Unemployment rateN/A

Randall County, TX

Total population146,070

Rent$1,170

Year built1986

Household income$83,864

Per capita income$43,287

Poverty rate9.7%

Unemployment rate2.5%

Amarillo, TX

Total population201,885

Rent$1,092

Year built1973

Household income$65,912

Per capita income$37,126

Poverty rate15.8%

Unemployment rate2.6%

Amarillo Metro Area, TX

Total population271,917

Rent$1,086

Year built1976

Household income$69,611

Per capita income$36,873

Poverty rate14.4%

Unemployment rate3.2%

Texas State

Total population30,188,424

Rent$1,403

Year built1992

Household income$78,476

Per capita income$40,752

Poverty rate13.8%

Unemployment rate4.1%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP79109	CountyRandall, TX	CityAmarillo, TX	Metro AreaAmarillo metro area, TX	StateTexas	CountryUnited States
Total population	43,578	146,070	201,885	271,917	30,188,424	334,922,499
Rent	$986	$1,170	$1,092	$1,086	$1,403	$1,413
Year built	1973	1986	1973	1976	1992	1980
Household income	$70,435	$83,864	$65,912	$69,611	$78,476	$80,734
Per capita income	$42,917	$43,287	$37,126	$36,873	$40,752	$44,673
Poverty rate	13.1%	9.7%	15.8%	14.4%	13.8%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	2.5%	2.6%	3.2%	4.1%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 79109

Rent & Income

In 79109, the typical monthly rent is $986 and the typical household income is $70,435. Rent here is lower than both Amarillo and Texas, and household income is higher than Amarillo and lower than Texas. The estimated poverty rate is 13.1%, which is lower than in both Amarillo and Texas.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 42.2% of households. About 51.9% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 32.3% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 79109 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 79109 — Poverty

How ZIP 79109 compares in Texas (388 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$986	26 / 388	from lower rent	$747 – $3,501
Household income	$70,435	245 / 388	from higher income	$30,377 – $250,001
Poverty rate	13.1%	221 / 388	from lower poverty	1.5% – 47.7%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Texas with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 79109

Rent

For rent, this ZIP is positioned 26th out of 388 ZIP Codes in Texas. In Texas as a whole, the range goes from $747 in ZIP 78582 up to $3,501 in ZIP 76092.

Household income

For household income, ZIP Code 79109 ranks 245th out of 388 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from $30,377 in ZIP 77840 up to $250,001 in ZIP 76092.

Poverty rate

For poverty levels, this ZIP is positioned 221st out of 388 ZIP Codes. Across Texas, figures vary from 1.5% in ZIP 76092 up to 47.7% in ZIP 77840.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 79109 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $986 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 79109

Annual Household Income: $70,435

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 79109

Estimated Rate: 13.1%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 79109

In ZIP Code 79109, households that rent: 7,835 (42.2%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	7,835	42.2%
Owner-Occupied	10,735	57.8%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 79109

In ZIP Code 79109, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 4,066 (51.9%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	4,066	51.9%
Other renter households	3,769	48.1%
Total renter households	7,835	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 79109

Less than High School: 10,091 people (33.8%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 7,014 people (23.5%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,083 people (10.3%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 9,633 people (32.3%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 29,821

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.