PlainZIP

Knoxville, TN · standard

ZIP Code 37938

Knox County, Tennessee - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

17,085
204/sq mi
$84,135
Median income
$322,500
Median home value
34.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Knoxville pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 33%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 30%
home value, US ZIPs
204
people per sq mi
91%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 37938 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 37938 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, home to 17,085 residents across 83.8 square miles, a density of 204 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 37938 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $84,135 (27% above the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $49,978. The poverty rate stands at 5.6% and the unemployment rate at 2.2%. On housing, the median home value is $322,500 (30% above the state average) with median rent at $1,353 per month, and 91.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.8, and the average commute is 27 minutes. To put 37938 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Knox County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 37938

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Knoxville, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 37938.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 37938, Knoxville, TN · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

17,085

Population

83.8

Area (sq mi)

204

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 37938?

47.8

Median Age

50.3%

Male

49.7%

Female

1.3%

Foreign-Born

White 92.6%
African American 1.9%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.9%
Hispanic or Latino 1.7%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$84,135

Median Household Income

+27% vs state

$49,978

Per Capita Income

5.6%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

26.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 37938 ranks nationally

Knoxville, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$84,135 Top 33% higher than 67% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

7,393

Total Housing Units

7,148

Occupied Units

245

Vacant Units

2.44

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 91.4%
Renter 8.6%

$322,500

Median Home Value

+30% vs state

$1,353

Median Rent

1994

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+7.5%

YoY Change (2024)

285

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+185%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 37938 have increased 7.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +185% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.9% 174
2021 +17.7% 205
2022 +18.9% 244
2023 +8.8% 265
2024 +7.5% 285

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 242 business establishments in ZIP 37938, employing approximately 2,186 people with a combined annual payroll of $82,451,000.

242

Businesses

2,186

Employees

$82.5M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 49 20.3%
Other services (except public administration) 34 14.1%
Retail trade 33 13.6%
Health care and social assistance 26 10.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 20 8.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 16 6.6%
Accommodation and food services 14 5.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 5.4%
Wholesale trade 10 4.1%
Finance and insurance 10 4.1%
Transportation and warehousing 4 1.6%
Information 4 1.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 37938 vs 37918 →

ZIP 37938 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 37938 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 37938 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 37938 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
37918 Knoxville, TN 42,835 4.7 mi
37754 Heiskell, TN 4,729 5.3 mi
37721 Corryton, TN 12,733 7.4 mi
37917 Knoxville, TN 24,072 8.6 mi
37912 Knoxville, TN 20,673 8.4 mi
37849 Powell, TN 25,459 7.4 mi
37705 Andersonville, TN 4,559 8.3 mi
37828 Norris, TN 1,430 8.9 mi
37921 Knoxville, TN 28,233 10.6 mi
37924 Knoxville, TN 11,259 9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Knox County

37918 standard
Knoxville, TN
Pop: 42,835
37920 standard
Knoxville, TN
Pop: 39,087
37922 standard
Knoxville, TN
Pop: 33,180
37921 standard
Knoxville, TN
Pop: 28,233
37919 standard
Knoxville, TN
Pop: 28,194
37923 standard
Knoxville, TN
Pop: 27,457

Related Areas

Knox County Knoxville, TN Tennessee

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 37938 in? ▼
ZIP code 37938 (Knoxville) is located in Knox County, Tennessee. Knox County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/knox-tn.
What is the population of ZIP code 37938? ▼
ZIP code 37938 in Knoxville, TN has a population of 17,085 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 37938? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 37938 is $84,135, which is 10% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 37938? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 37938 is $322,500, which is 16% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 37938? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 37938 is White at 92.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 37938? ▼
ZIP code 37938 has 242 business establishments employing approximately 2,186 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 37938? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 37938 are: Construction (49), Other services (except public administration) (34), Retail trade (33). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 37938? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 37938 increased by 7.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 185%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 37938? ▼
In ZIP code 37938, 61.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 37938? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 37938 is 26.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 37938? ▼
In ZIP code 37938, approximately 91.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 8.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 37938? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 37938 is 5.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.