ZIP 78644 vs ZIP 78656

78644 is one of 7 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Caldwell County, TX.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 3 of the 7 with a value.

10 school locations in 78644: 5 elementary, 1 middle, 4 high.

In alphabetical order: BLUEBONNET EL, CLEAR FORK EL, GEORGE W CARVER EARLY EDUCATION CENTER, LOCKHART H S, and more on the ZIP page. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

78656 is one of 7 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Caldwell County, TX — 97% of its own area is in the county.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 4 of the 7 with a value.

In January 2009 the typical home in 78644 was worth $123,617.

Values peaked at $351,991 in August 2022. The latest reading is −20.1% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $281,132, −5.5% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $281,132. Put 20% down and borrow $224,906 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $1,557 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $72,155 a year, $6,013 a month. So the payment takes 25.9% of income — rated “affordable” (Lotvox ZIP bands: under 28% affordable · 28–36% stretched · 36%+ severe).

The line holds today's rate fixed and moves only the price: at that rate, the same share was 11.4% in 2009.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in January 2009 (5.05%) the payment was $534.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $752.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $1,446 — +92% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +21%.

Reported values rose +127% since January 2009.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +58% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2009 home was worth $194,893. So the real change is +44%, not +127%.

78644: +127% since January 2009.

Caldwell County: +123% since January 2009.

Texas: +108% since January 2009 — 78644 ran ahead of it by 19 points.

Against 1,763 Texas ZIP codes, 78644 sits at the 38th percentile for affordability (price vs local income).

7th for appreciation (recent value growth); 67th for rental yield (rent vs price).

Owning the typical home costs about $1,838 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $1,712 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 13.7. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

In January 2009 the typical home in 78656 was worth $119,792.

Values peaked at $331,034 in July 2022. The latest reading is −23.2% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $254,252, −4.8% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $254,252. Put 20% down and borrow $203,402 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $1,408 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $78,058 a year, $6,505 a month. So the payment takes 21.7% of income — rated “affordable” (Lotvox ZIP bands: under 28% affordable · 28–36% stretched · 36%+ severe).

The line holds today's rate fixed and moves only the price: at that rate, the same share was 10.2% in 2009.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in January 2009 (5.05%) the payment was $517.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $752.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $1,308 — +74% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +10%.

Reported values rose +112% since January 2009.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +58% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2009 home was worth $188,863. So the real change is +35%, not +112%.

78656: +112% since January 2009.

Caldwell County: +123% since January 2009.

Texas: +108% since January 2009 — 78656 ran ahead of it by 4 points.

Against 1,763 Texas ZIP codes, 78656 sits at the 66th percentile for affordability (price vs local income).

9th for appreciation (recent value growth); 83rd for rental yield (rent vs price).

Owning the typical home costs about $1,663 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $1,868 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 11.3. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

Picture the Listings Flow Ladder as a basin: new listings pour in from the faucet, the homes for sale are the water, and closed sales run out the drain. Coming in — new listings: about 35 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026).

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 149.

Going out — closed sales: about 27 a month. The drain is drawn 41% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 59% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 5.6 months of supply — inside the 4–6 month balanced range. In the basin, that is the water level against the shaded balanced band.

The net reading: about 8 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 27 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 16 — so sales ran at 169% of it, and below it in 0 of the last 24 months.

Across Caldwell County, builders pulled permits for 443 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 99% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

Picture the Listings Flow Ladder as a basin: new listings pour in from the faucet, the homes for sale are the water, and closed sales run out the drain. Coming in — new listings: about 35 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026).

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 150.

Going out — closed sales: about 24 a month.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 6.2 months of supply — above the 4–6 month balanced range. In the basin, that is the water level against the shaded balanced band.

The net reading: about 11 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 24 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 0 — so sales ran at ∞% of it, and below it in 0 of the last 24 months.

Across Caldwell County, builders pulled permits for 443 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 99% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

This ZIP sits in Caldwell County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 1,607 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 990 moved out.

Net across those counties: +617 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 149 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Travis, TX (681 households); most departures went to Hays, TX (315).

This ZIP sits in Caldwell County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 1,607 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 990 moved out.

Net across those counties: +617 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 150 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Travis, TX (681 households); most departures went to Hays, TX (315).