ZIP Code 77642 — Port Arthur city, TX Demographics & Data

ZIP code 77642 covers Port Arthur, TX in Jefferson County with a population of about 38,051.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 31.8 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 409; U.S. House district TX-14; the BEAUMONT - PORT ARTHUR media market.

Median household income in ZIP 77642 is about $41,677 — about 45% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 31.8%; unemployment rate near 6.8%; 10.5% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 23.2 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Construction, Healthcare, and Retail trade; about 1.3% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 13.9 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $96,100 — about 72% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $786 (about 32% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 52.0% (about 13.4 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 77642 in Port Arthur, TX, a household would need roughly $26,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $617. That sits below the local median household income ($41,677), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Port Arthur city, TX as Relatively High (composite score 95.7), which is among the highest nationally. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (98.2) and wildfire (92.4). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Port Arthur city, TX show little to no average snow and around 62.1 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 1,795 for ZIP 77642 (Port Arthur city, TX) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.