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Traffic heat map of Zapata County, Texas: 120 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic), busiest on US 83 and 13th Avenue

Zapata County, Texas Traffic Counts

TrafficZoom tracks traffic on 120 road miles in Zapata County, Texas, divided into 1,029 segments averaging 618 ft. The average road here carries 3,286 vehicles a day, 52% less than the Texas average of 6,895. Built from cross-verified mobile and road-sensor data, these counts help you size up a retail site, plan logistics routes or assess infrastructure needs.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
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Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Zapata County, Texas

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day3,286
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

13.3%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

33.0 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

8.1%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

41.3 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$46,940

Our data shows 3,286 vehicles per day on the average road in Zapata County, Texas, and 292,012 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈107 million per year) across its 120 miles of monitored roads. At 13.3%, the truck share runs above the 9.8% across Texas: about 1 in 8 vehicles.

Traffic 52% below the Texas average

At 3,286 vehicles per day, the average monitored road in Zapata carries 52% less traffic than the state average of 6,895, suggesting less demand on each road - very light roads: easy truck access, but little passing trade for roadside retail. Across the whole network, that travel is less than 0.1% of Texas's statewide total. By volume, Zapata's 3,286 vehicles per day outpaces 57% of counties in Texas.

At 33.0 minutes, the average travel time matches the state level closely. 66% of counties in Texas have a longer average travel time than Zapata's 33.0 minutes.

At 50% lower than the state level, the 8.1% congestion ratio signals smoother traffic flow - free-flowing roads make scheduled deliveries highly predictable.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Zapata County, Texas

Trafficvehicles per day5,399
Trucks14.0%
Average travel time35.8 min
Congestion ratio9.3%
Drivers’ average age41.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income$47,905

Highways carry the vast majority of travel in Zapata County, Texas, 85% of all vehicle-miles. The average highway carries 5,399 vehicles per day, 293% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 1,372 vehicles per day.

Highways make up 49% of the monitored road miles (59 miles, 489 segments), so they carry more than their share: 247,415 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈90.3 million per year).

Fewer highway trucks than 76% of counties in Texas

At 14.0%, the highway truck share matches the state average for similar road classifications. The highway traffic mix is typical for Texas: neither freight- nor commuter-dominated.

Zapata's highway truck share (14.0%) is lower than 59% of counties in Texas. Zapata's highway truck count is lower than 76% of counties in Texas, at roughly 757 trucks per day.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Zapata County, Texas

Trafficvehicles per day1,372
Trucks9.5%
Average travel time30.4 min
Congestion ratio7.1%
Drivers’ average age41.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income$44,148

Local roads carry a smaller share of travel in Zapata County, Texas, 15% of vehicle-miles; most driving happens on highways. A typical local road sees 1,372 vehicles per day.

Spread over 61 miles and 540 segments, 51% of the road network, local roads carry a lighter load per mile: 44,598 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈16.3 million per year). Trucks make up 9.5% of non-highway traffic, about 1 in 11 vehicles.

Drivers from lower-income areas than 98% of counties in Texas

Non-highway roads carry a truck concentration that's 32% lower than the highway network.

Non-highway congestion (7.1%) runs 56% lower than the state average, pointing to smoother local traffic flow.

Trip origins here have lower average income than 98% of counties in Texas. 86% of counties in Texas have an older driver population than Zapata.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
A long morning plateau from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM and PM peak 4:00 PM–7:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 64% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekends are somewhat quieter: volumes run about 6% below weekday levels, the usual weekend dip.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
Traffic is nearly flat through the year: even July–September, the busiest stretch, runs only +2% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -5% versus the annual average - the usual winter low.

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Zapata County, Texas, the peak hour concentrates about 7% of the day's traffic, and traffic stays steady through the year (+2% in high season).

Zapata County vs. Texas Traffic Comparison

The average daily traffic per road sets Zapata County apart: 52% below the Texas average. Its truck share, by contrast, is 36% above.

MetricZapata CountyTexas averageDifference
Traffic3,2866,895-52.3%
Truck % (Total Traffic)13.3%9.8%+36.4%
Truck % (Highway)14.0%13.8%+2.0%
Avg. Travel Time33.0 min32.6 min+1.1%

How Zapata County compares

Zapata County against nearby counties

Compared with its 4 closest neighbours, Zapata County moves 17.4% of the total daily travel and is 43.7% less congested; it has the fourth busiest roads of the five. Less traffic and more room for it - the roads here run both quieter and freer than the areas around them.

Zapata County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Texas average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Zapata County3,28613.3%292,01233.0 min8.1%
Jim Hogg County, Texas1,47514.9%117,36739.3 min8.4%
Starr County, Texas6,8068.2%1,084,40629.6 min13.2%
Webb County, Texas9,15811.0%4,856,74529.7 min26.1%
Brooks County, Texas3,28930.2%665,97858.7 min10.1%
Texas average6,8959.8%N/A32.6 min16.4%

Zapata County ranked within Texas

Average driver income places Zapata County #249 of 254 in Texas - the bottom quarter of the state.

Zapata County ranked among 254 county-level areas in Texas (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 227.
MeasureZapata CountyTexas rank
Traffic volume (AADT)3,286#111 of 254
Highway vehicle-miles per day247,415#173 of 227
Truck share on highways14.0%#134 of 227
Highway trucks per day757#173 of 227
Average travel time33.0 min#168 of 254
Average driver income$46,940#249 of 254
Average driver age41.3 yrs#218 of 254

Busiest roads in Zapata County, Texas

The three busiest roads in Zapata County average 3,314 vehicles a day, about the same as the county average of 3,286 across all its monitored roads.

US 83 is the busiest road, at 4,480 vehicles a day, 624 of them trucks (13.9%). That is 53% more than the next road, 13th Avenue (2,935). It tops the truck ranking too, with the most trucks.

Trips using TX 16 are long: a median of 74.0 minutes against 33.0 county-wide, the mark of a through route.

Drivers on TX 16 are noticeably older, with a median age of 53.3 against 41.3 across the county.

Few trucks use 13th Avenue: 3.9% of its traffic, under half the county's 13.3%.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1US 83Trunk road · 4,480vehicles624trucks · 13.9%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
9.3%
Median trip time
35.3 min
Drivers’ median age
41.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$47,685

At 36% more than the county average, US 83 draws drivers from neighborhoods averaging $47,685 in household income.

213th AvenueTertiary road · 2,935vehicles113trucks · 3.9%
Road class
Tertiary road
Congestion ratio
6.8%
Median trip time
29.1 min
Drivers’ median age
40.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$51,661

13th Avenue is a quieter road: its busiest stretch carries 11% less than the county average; trucks are 3.9% of it, below the county-wide 13.3%.

31st AvenueTertiary road · 2,528vehicles100trucks · 4.0%
Road class
Tertiary road
Congestion ratio
5.8%
Median trip time
27.3 min
Drivers’ median age
40.8 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$43,438

Even at its busiest, 1st Avenue carries 23% less than the county average; trucks are 4.0% of it, below the county-wide 13.3%.

4FM 496Tertiary road · 2,197vehicles94trucks · 4.3%
Road class
Tertiary road
Median trip time
30.4 min
Drivers’ median age
41.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$57,804

FM 496 is a quieter road: its busiest stretch carries 33% less than the county average; trucks are 4.3% of it, below the county-wide 13.3%.

517th AvenueTertiary road · 1,725vehicles56trucks · 3.2%
Road class
Tertiary road
Congestion ratio
3.9%
Median trip time
40.3 min
Drivers’ median age
40.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$45,796

Even at its busiest, 17th Avenue carries 48% less than the county average; trucks are 3.2% of it, below the county-wide 13.3%.

Ranked by trucks per day

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1US 83Trunk road · #1 by traffic4,480vehicles624trucks · 13.9%
213th AvenueTertiary road · #2 by traffic2,935vehicles113trucks · 3.9%
31st AvenueTertiary road · #3 by traffic2,528vehicles100trucks · 4.0%
4FM 496Tertiary road · #4 by traffic2,197vehicles94trucks · 4.3%
5TX 16Primary road · 452vehicles84trucks · 18.6%
Road class
Primary road
Median trip time
74.0 min
Drivers’ median age
53.3 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$40,227

TX 16 is a quieter road: its busiest stretch carries 86% less than the county average; trucks are 18.6% of it, above the county-wide 13.3%.

How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

ZapataDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Zapata County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Zapata County, Texas.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.