Real Estate Investing in Edinburg, Texas (78539)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Hidalgo County • Population: 38,162 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 78539 (Edinburg, TX)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (71/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated poverty: 20.5% poverty rate — can affect rent collection.

What’s happening in Edinburg, TX (78539)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $243,021
Avg Monthly Rent $1,090
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $60,202
% Renters 44.8%

Market Analysis: 78539 Edinburg

ZIP 78539 inside Hidalgo County looks affordable on the surface — median value of $243K — but the discount exists for reasons that a careful buyer should understand before committing.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 78539 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

The gap between 78539 and stronger Edinburg ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

The 78539 ZIP's population of 38,162 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that shows the need for careful underwriting.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 78539 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Edinburg:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 75/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,090/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
132 days
Average time to sell
Slow
4.8%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 78539

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
6.3% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+11.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$66,194/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $132,388 $1,150 6.3% +11.1% $66,194
3BR $227,146 $1,490 4.7% +7.6% $75,715
4BR $339,002 $1,650 3.5% +7.1% $84,750
5BR $454,730 +7.1% $90,946

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$257K$226K$194K$163K$132K$100KJan 2007Oct 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,136$1,103$1,069$1,035$1,002$968Apr 2022Jun 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 78539 Compare?

Metric 78539 Edinburg McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Texas
Home Value $243,021 $164,778 N/A $297,000
5-Year CAGR 5.2% 5.8% N/A 5.4%
Avg Rent $1,090 $1,052 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.5% 3.8% - -
💡 Why Invest in 78539? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 45% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 78539 (Edinburg, TX). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.5%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.2%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $243,021
Monthly Rent $1,090
Price-to-Rent 18.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.4%
Cap Rate 3.5%
5-Year IRR 8.7%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -4.0% ▼
3-Year CAGR +0.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.5%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
7.6%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 78539

Population: 38,162

💰 Median Household Income
$60,202
This area
$60,202
State
$70,593
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
44.8%
This area
44.8%
State
29.5%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.6%
This area
3.6%
State
-25.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
37.5%
This area
37.5%
State
-5.8%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
34.8 years
This area
34.8 years
State
-3.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
7.6%
This area
7.6%
State
18.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 47.9%
Other/Mixed 47.0%
Hispanic/Latino 45.9%
Asian 3.6%
Black/African American 1.5%
👶 Under 18
23.2%
This area
23.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.1%
This area
13.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
20.5%
This area
20.5%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 78539

B+ Avg School Grade
34 Schools
15.5:1 Avg Class Size
$14,596 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

SOUTH TEXAS ISD WORLD SCHOLARS

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
455 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$18,944 Per Student
A Very Good

AUSTIN EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
349 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
A Very Good

ESCANDON EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
651 Students
👨‍🏫
14.9:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
A Very Good

JEFFERSON ELEM

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
477 Students
👨‍🏫
15.0:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
A Very Good

LINCOLN EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
420 Students
👨‍🏫
15.0:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
A Very Good

MONTE CRISTO EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
574 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
A Very Good

SOUTH TEXAS ISD PREPARATORY ACADEMY

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
732 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$18,944 Per Student
A Very Good

VILLARREAL EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
571 Students
👨‍🏫
15.0:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

ALFONSO RAMIREZ EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
719 Students
👨‍🏫
17.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

CANO-GONZALEZ EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
388 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

CANTERBURY EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
715 Students
👨‍🏫
17.0:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

DE LA VINA EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
629 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

DR THOMAS ESPARZA EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
520 Students
👨‍🏫
16.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

EISENHOWER EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
651 Students
👨‍🏫
16.8:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

FREDDY GONZALEZ EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
526 Students
👨‍🏫
17.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

GUERRA EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
573 Students
👨‍🏫
16.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

JOHN F KENNEDY EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
515 Students
👨‍🏫
15.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

L B JOHNSON EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
422 Students
👨‍🏫
16.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

LEE EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
436 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
B+ Above Average

SAN CARLOS EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
474 Students
👨‍🏫
16.0:1 Class Size
💰
$14,586 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 478 Off-Campus Students
B
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
31,931 students · 1.9 mi
C
UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences-McAllen
92 students · 2.2 mi
C
Rio Grande Valley College
883 students · 2.6 mi
C
Vogue College of Cosmetology-McAllen
336 students · 4.1 mi
C
The College of Health Care Professions-McAllen Campus
728 students · 4.2 mi
C
South Texas Training Center
276 students · 4.7 mi
D
Southern Careers Institute-Pharr
629 students · 4.9 mi
D
GA Beauty & Barber School
199 students · 5.4 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

How do home values compare in Edinburg, TX?

The median home value in Edinburg, TX is roughly $243K. That puts it reasonable relative to the TX statewide average.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Edinburg, TX?

Tenant quality in Edinburg, TX ranks as solid. Landlords generally report predictable occupancy at market rents of $1,090/mo.

Are landlord laws favorable in Edinburg, TX?

For rental operators, Edinburg, TX rates as landlord-friendly. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

How viable is house hacking in Edinburg, TX?

Edinburg, TX is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $243K price point reasonable to enter.

What kind of vacancy should I budget for in Edinburg, TX?

Expect elevated vacancy in Edinburg, TX. Rents at $1,090/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

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How 78539 ranks in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

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Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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