79536 ZIP Code, Merkel, TX
79536 is a ZIP code in Merkel, Texas — mostly in Taylor County (61% of its land), with smaller parts in Jones and Nolan counties. It covers 296 square miles of land. The closest ZIP codes are 79563, 79561 and 79603. 5,047 people live here in 1,695 households. It is rural, with fewer than 100 people per square mile, and most homes are owner-occupied (74%). Median household income is $71,131, close to the Texas median of $78,476; 42% of households have children under 18.
Quick facts
- Mailing city: Merkel, TX
- County: Taylor County
- Land area: 296 sq mi
- Population: 5,047
- Median household income: $71,131
- Carrier routes: 6 (2,211 homes)
Key figures
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Residents | 5,047 |
| Households | 1,695 |
| Median household income | $71,131 |
| Income per person | $38,922 |
| Median age | 32.9 |
| Homeowners | 74.0% |
| Median home value | $136,400 |
| Median rent | $1,198 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% |
| Average commute (minutes) | 27 |
| Households with kids under 18 | 42.1% |
| Moved in the past year | 13.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.7% |
| Broadband internet | 91.3% |
| Speak a non-English language at home | 9.1% |
Household income
| % of households | Value |
|---|---|
| <$10K | 4.0% |
| $10–15K | 2.4% |
| $15–25K | 12.2% |
| $25–35K | 6.1% |
| $35–50K | 9.2% |
| $50–75K | 17.2% |
| $75–100K | 17.1% |
| $100–150K | 18.0% |
| $150–200K | 4.0% |
| $200K+ | 9.9% |
Age
| % of all residents | Value |
|---|---|
| <10 | 16.1% |
| 10–19 | 12.0% |
| 20–24 | 9.7% |
| 25–34 | 15.4% |
| 35–44 | 9.2% |
| 45–54 | 10.7% |
| 55–64 | 10.0% |
| 65–74 | 10.8% |
| 75+ | 6.0% |
Tenure
| % of housing units | Value |
|---|---|
| Owned, with mortgage | 29.8% |
| Owned outright | 31.0% |
| Rented | 21.3% |
| Vacant | 17.9% |
Type of building
| % of housing units | Value |
|---|---|
| Detached house | 66.0% |
| Townhome | 0.3% |
| 2–4 units | 4.4% |
| 5–19 units | 0.7% |
| 20+ units | 0.0% |
| Mobile / other | 28.5% |
Businesses in 79536
83 business establishments with 795 employees (ZIP Codes Business Patterns 2023).
- Construction: 18
- Retail Trade: 14
- Other Services (except Public Administration): 14
- Accommodation and Food Services: 7
- Finance and Insurance: 5
- Manufacturing: 4
- Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction: 3
- Utilities: 3
EDDM carrier routes
79536 has 6 USPS carrier routes with 2,211 residential and 85 business mailboxes. Open the EDDM route map.
Carrier routes in 79536
79536 has 6 USPS carrier routes (2 city (C), 4 rural (R)) with 2,211 residential and 85 business mailboxes. Routes range from 193 homes (R002) to 612 homes (C002); the median route has 365 homes. The Census counted 1,695 households in 79536 (2020–2024 average); USPS counts current mailboxes, including new and vacant homes.
| Homes per route | Routes |
|---|---|
| 1–249 | 2 |
| 250–499 | 3 |
| 500–749 | 1 |
| 750–999 | 0 |
| 1,000–1,499 | 0 |
| 1,500+ | 0 |
Best routes in 79536 for…
Highest income
For bigger-ticket offers: remodeling, pools, financial planning, private schools.
- Route C001 — Est. median household income $77,420, 319 homes
- Route R004 — Est. median household income $76,778, 226 homes
- Route R002 — Est. median household income $75,201, 193 homes
- Route R003 — Est. median household income $74,374, 410 homes
- Route C002 — Est. median household income $72,708, 612 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Often mailed by: Home services EDDM, Real estate EDDM postcards, Landscaping and lawn care mailers
Most families with kids
For tutoring, youth sports, pediatric dental, child care and family dining.
- Route R004 — Est. families with children under 18 53.1%, 226 homes
- Route C001 — Est. families with children under 18 46.3%, 319 homes
- Route R001 — Est. families with children under 18 36.4%, 451 homes
- Route C002 — Est. families with children under 18 34.6%, 612 homes
- Route R003 — Est. families with children under 18 33.5%, 410 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Often mailed by: Dental practice EDDM, Healthcare and clinic mailers
Most homeowners
Owners decide on roofs, HVAC, lawns, solar and insurance; renters usually can't.
- Route R001 — Est. owner-occupied homes 89.5%, 451 homes
- Route R003 — Est. owner-occupied homes 88.9%, 410 homes
- Route R002 — Est. owner-occupied homes 87.8%, 193 homes
- Route C002 — Est. owner-occupied homes 74.6%, 612 homes
- Route C001 — Est. owner-occupied homes 70.5%, 319 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Often mailed by: Roofing direct mail, HVAC postcards
Most new movers
New residents are still choosing a dentist, a gym and a lawn service.
- Route R004 — Est. residents who moved in the past year 19.9%, 226 homes
- Route R003 — Est. residents who moved in the past year 17.2%, 410 homes
- Route R001 — Est. residents who moved in the past year 13.8%, 451 homes
- Route R002 — Est. residents who moved in the past year 11.1%, 193 homes
- Route C002 — Est. residents who moved in the past year 7.9%, 612 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Often mailed by: Restaurant EDDM menus and offers, Gym and fitness mailers
Newest homes
Newer subdivisions: landscaping, window treatments, fencing, security, home warranties.
- Route R001 — Est. homes built 2010 or later 28.6%, 451 homes
- Route C001 — Est. homes built 2010 or later 20.0%, 319 homes
- Route R002 — Est. homes built 2010 or later 17.0%, 193 homes
- Route R003 — Est. homes built 2010 or later 16.7%, 410 homes
- Route R004 — Est. homes built 2010 or later 13.1%, 226 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Most businesses
For B2B offers: office supplies, cleaning, IT, catering and commercial services.
- Route C001 — USPS business mailboxes 42, 319 homes
- Route R003 — USPS business mailboxes 13, 410 homes
- Route R004 — USPS business mailboxes 13, 226 homes
- Route R001 — USPS business mailboxes 9, 451 homes
- Route R002 — USPS business mailboxes 5, 193 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Every carrier route in 79536
| Route | Type | Homes | Businesses | Est. median income | Est. owners | Est. families with kids | Est. moved in past year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C001 | City | 319 | 42 | $77,420 | 70.5% | 46.3% | 5.6% |
| C002 | City | 612 | 3 | $72,708 | 74.6% | 34.6% | 7.9% |
| R001 | Rural | 451 | 9 | $68,911 | 89.5% | 36.4% | 13.8% |
| R002 | Rural | 193 | 5 | $75,201 | 87.8% | 33.2% | 11.1% |
| R003 | Rural | 410 | 13 | $74,374 | 88.9% | 33.5% | 17.2% |
| R004 | Rural | 226 | 13 | $76,778 | 68.0% | 53.1% | 19.9% |
Income, owners, families and movers are estimates for each route (how we estimate them); mailbox counts are current USPS figures. Open 79536 on the EDDM route map.
How route demographics are estimated
Mailbox counts come from USPS; demographics are estimates
The number of homes and businesses on each carrier route is the current USPS EDDM count. The Census Bureau does not publish figures for carrier routes, so income, homeownership, ages, families, movers and housing age on a route are EDDM2GO estimates built from Census block groups (neighborhood areas of roughly 600 to 3,000 people).
How a route gets its figures: the block-group length-share method
We trace each route's streets every 25 meters and record which block group each stretch falls in. The route's homes are spread along its streets in proportion to length, so a route with 60% of its street length in one block group is assumed to have 60% of its homes there. Each block group then contributes its Census counts in proportion to the share of its housing units that sit on the route (capped at the whole block group). Medians are recalculated from the combined income, home-value and age brackets, the way the Census Bureau computes them, not averaged.
Margins of error
Census survey figures carry a margin of error at 90% confidence; we carry it through the calculation and show it as ±. Our margins treat the route-to-block-group split as exact, so the real uncertainty is larger. Routes with fewer than 100 estimated households, large margins, or streets we could not place are flagged.
Different years
USPS mailbox counts are current. Census figures are 5-year averages for 2020–2024, so a new subdivision may have more homes on the route today than the Census counted. Use the route figures to compare routes with each other, not as an exact head count.
Why some routes show identical figures
Two routes that run through the same block group get the same percentages and medians, because the Census publishes one set of figures for the whole block group. Their mailbox counts still differ, and those are exact.
Route and mailbox counts: USPS EDDM route data. Route demographics: EDDM2GO estimates from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year block-group data (2020–2024) and 2024 cartographic block-group boundaries. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Nearby ZIP codes
- 79563 — Tye city, TX (8 mi)
- 79561 — Trent town, TX (9.3 mi)
- 79603 — Abilene city, TX (11.2 mi)
- 79607 — Abilene city, TX (11.4 mi)
- 79606 — Abilene city, TX (14.3 mi)
- 79605 — Abilene city, TX (14.4 mi)
- 79560 — Sylvester CDP, TX (17.2 mi)
- 79525 — Hawley city, TX (17.3 mi)
Areas that include 79536
- Merkel, TX ZIP codes — 1 ZIP code
- Tye, TX ZIP codes — 3 ZIP codes
- Jones County ZIP codes — 10 ZIP codes
- Taylor County ZIP codes — 15 ZIP codes
- Texas ZIP code data
Where it ranks
- No. 5 of 10: highest median household income in Taylor County
- No. 5 of 10: highest share of owner-occupied homes in Taylor County
- No. 3 of 10: highest share of households with children in Taylor County
- No. 3 of 10: lowest median age in Taylor County
Mail every home in 79536
Route counts on this page price as Full Service 6.5 × 9 postcards: we print, bundle by carrier route and hand the mailing to USPS. Prefer to take it to the Post Office yourself? Print only costs less and you pay postage at drop-off.
EDDM guides
ZIP code statistics describe the Census ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 79536, which approximates the USPS ZIP code area. Census figures: American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024.
Frequently asked questions
- What city is 79536 in?
- 79536 is a Merkel, TX mailing address. None of its land lies inside a Census-defined city or community.
- What county is 79536 in?
- 79536 is mostly in Taylor County (61% of its land), with smaller parts in Jones and Nolan counties.
- What is the population of 79536?
- About 5,047 people (±705), according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2020–2024. The 2020 Census counted 5,133.
- What is the median household income in 79536?
- $71,131 (±$17,287), compared with $78,476 for Texas as a whole. Half the households in the ZIP code earn more and half earn less.
- How many carrier routes and mailboxes are in 79536?
- 6 USPS carrier routes with 2,211 residential and 85 business mailboxes (2,296 in all), from the route data stored by EDDM2GO. An EDDM mailing can target any combination of these routes.
- What ZIP codes are near 79536?
- The closest, measured center to center: 79563 (8 mi, Tye), 79561 (9.3 mi, Trent), 79603 (11.2 mi, Abilene), 79607 (11.4 mi, Abilene), 79606 (14.3 mi, Abilene) and 79605 (14.4 mi, Abilene).
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.