PlainZIP

Arlington, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38002

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

38,927
129/sq mi
$116,895
Median income
$399,300
Median home value
45.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Arlington pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 11%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 21%
home value, US ZIPs
129
people per sq mi
84%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38002 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38002 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Arlington, Shelby County, Tennessee, with 38,927 residents across 301.5 square miles, a density of 129 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38002 skews affluent, with a median household income of $116,895 (76% above the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $51,122. The poverty rate stands at 4.7% and the unemployment rate at 2.8%. Housing costs here run $399,300 for a typical home value (61% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,753 a month; 83.6% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 45.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.1, and the average commute is 27 minutes. Beyond these figures, 8 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Shelby County, letting you compare 38002 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 38002

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Arlington, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38002.

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 38002, Arlington, 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

38,927

Population

301.5

Area (sq mi)

129

People / sq mi

Chicago

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 38002?

40.1

Median Age

49.9%

Male

50.1%

Female

6.9%

Foreign-Born

White 69.9%
African American 18.2%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%

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?

$116,895

Median Household Income

+76% vs state

$51,122

Per Capita Income

4.7%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

26.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38002 ranks nationally

Arlington, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$116,895 Top 11% higher than 89% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 67.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.8%

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

What does housing look like?

15,690

Total Housing Units

15,248

Occupied Units

442

Vacant Units

2.86

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 83.6%
Renter 16.4%

$399,300

Median Home Value

+61% vs state

$1,753

Median Rent

2002

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

+1.7%

YoY Change (2024)

195

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+95%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 38002 have increased 1.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +95% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.8% 137
2021 +13.8% 156
2022 +20.1% 188
2023 +2.2% 192
2024 +1.7% 195

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 593 business establishments in ZIP 38002, employing approximately 7,080 people with a combined annual payroll of $354,656,000.

593

Businesses

7,080

Employees

$354.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 82 13.8%
Accommodation and food services 77 13.0%
Construction 69 11.6%
Other services (except public administration) 66 11.1%
Health care and social assistance 53 8.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 51 8.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 49 8.3%
Finance and insurance 34 5.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 4.4%
Wholesale trade 18 3.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 18 3.0%
Transportation and warehousing 17 2.9%
Information 12 2.0%
Manufacturing 11 1.9%
Educational services 8 1.4%

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 38002 vs 38036 →

ZIP 38002 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 38002 ranks #2 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 38002 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 38002 ranks #2 of 7 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
38036 Gallaway, TN 478 5.2 mi
38016 Cordova, TN 43,079 7.9 mi
38133 Memphis, TN 20,787 7.0 mi
38029 Ellendale, TN 80 7.2 mi
38028 Eads, TN 6,883 8.3 mi
38135 Memphis, TN 30,657 8.6 mi
38004 Atoka, TN 9,866 9.7 mi
38018 Cordova, TN 35,059 10.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Shelby County

38017 standard
Collierville, TN
Pop: 48,642
38109 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 46,594
38127 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 45,248
38128 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 44,863
38016 standard
Cordova, TN
Pop: 43,079
38134 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 41,948

Related Areas

Shelby County Arlington, TN Tennessee

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 38002 in? ▼
ZIP code 38002 (Arlington) is located in Shelby County, Tennessee. Shelby County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/shelby-tn.
What is the population of ZIP code 38002? ▼
ZIP code 38002 in Arlington, TN has a population of 38,927 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38002? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38002 is $116,895, which is 53% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38002? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38002 is $399,300, which is 44% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38002? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38002 is White at 69.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38002? ▼
ZIP code 38002 has 593 business establishments employing approximately 7,080 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38002? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38002 are: Retail trade (82), Accommodation and food services (77), Construction (69). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38002? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38002 increased by 1.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 95%. 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 38002? ▼
In ZIP code 38002, 67.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 45.8% 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 38002? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38002 is 26.8 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 38002? ▼
In ZIP code 38002, approximately 83.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38002? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38002 is 4.7% 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.