Memphis, TN · standard
ZIP Code 38106
Shelby County, Tennessee - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 27,222
- 405/sq mi High-density area
- $30,232
- Median income Below-median income area
- $71,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 10.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Memphis pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.
- 2nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 3rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 405
- people per sq mi
- 39%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38106 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 38106 (Memphis, TN) fell -5.8% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 38106 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, with 27,222 residents across 67.1 square miles, a density of 405 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 38106 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $30,232 (55% below the average Tennessee ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,130. Economic pressure is pronounced: 43.0% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 19.7%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $71,800 (71% below the average Tennessee ZIP), and median rent is $952; owner occupancy is 38.6%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.9, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Shelby County, so 38106 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 38106
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38106.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
55 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
43 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
43 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
29 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
29 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 38106, Memphis, 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
27,222
Population
67.1
Area (sq mi)
405
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 38106?
41.9
Median Age
48.1%
Male
51.9%
Female
1.5%
Foreign-Born
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?
$30,232
Median Household Income
-55% vs state ZIP avg
$19,130
Per Capita Income
43.0%
Poverty Rate
19.7%
Unemployment Rate
21.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 38106 ranks among Tennessee ZIPs
Memphis, TN household income vs. every Tennessee ZIP code
Median household income among 593 reporting Tennessee ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$30,232 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 593 Tennessee ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Tennessee 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
11,226housing units
11,226
Total Housing Units
8,640
Occupied Units
2,586
Vacant Units
2.41
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$71,800
Median Home Value
-71% vs state ZIP avg
$952
Median Rent
1954
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 287 business establishments in ZIP 38106, employing approximately 6,724 people with a combined annual payroll of $333,799,000.
287
Businesses
6,724
Employees
$333.8M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 55 | 19.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 43 | 15.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 43 | 15.0% |
| Manufacturing | 29 | 10.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 29 | 10.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 26 | 9.1% |
| Construction | 13 | 4.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 12 | 4.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 9 | 3.1% |
| Educational services | 8 | 2.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 6 | 2.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 1.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 1.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 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 38106 vs 38126 →
ZIP 38106 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38109
Memphis (38109)
46,594 residents
- 38106
Memphis (38106)
27,222 residents
- 38114
Memphis (38114)
26,905 residents
- 72301
West Memphis (72301)
26,069 residents
- 38104
Memphis (38104)
23,409 residents
- 38107 17,698
Memphis (38107)
17,698 residents
- 38103 12,180
Memphis (38103)
12,180 residents
- 38126 7,334
Memphis (38126)
7,334 residents
- 38105 6,184
Memphis (38105)
6,184 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38106 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38106 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38103
Memphis (38103)
$76,278 median income
- 38104
Memphis (38104)
$58,117 median income
- 72301
West Memphis (72301)
$42,859 median income
- 38109
Memphis (38109)
$37,496 median income
- 38107
Memphis (38107)
$35,265 median income
- 38114
Memphis (38114)
$34,206 median income
- 38105
Memphis (38105)
$34,015 median income
- 38106 $30,232
Memphis (38106)
$30,232 median income
- 38126 $30,071
Memphis (38126)
$30,071 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 38106 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38126 | Memphis, TN | 7,334 | 3.5 mi |
| 38103 | Memphis, TN | 12,180 | 4.3 mi |
| 38105 | Memphis, TN | 6,184 | 4.9 mi |
| 38114 | Memphis, TN | 26,905 | 6.3 mi |
| 38109 | Memphis, TN | 46,594 | 5.5 mi |
| 38104 | Memphis, TN | 23,409 | 5.7 mi |
| 38132 | Memphis, TN | 7 | 5.8 mi |
| 72301 | West Memphis, AR | 26,069 | 6.0 mi |
| 38131 | Memphis, TN | 0 | 6.4 mi |
| 38107 | Memphis, TN | 17,698 | 6.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 38106, both outside TN so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (27,222 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Shelby County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 38106 in?
ZIP code 38106 (Memphis) 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 38106?
ZIP code 38106 in Memphis, TN has a population of 27,222 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38106?
The median household income in ZIP 38106 is $30,232, which is 60% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38106?
The median home value in ZIP 38106 is $71,800, which is 74% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38106?
The largest racial group in ZIP 38106 is African American at 94.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38106?
ZIP code 38106 has 287 business establishments employing approximately 6,724 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38106?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38106 are: Retail trade (55), Transportation and warehousing (43), Other services (except public administration) (43). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38106?
In ZIP code 38106, 57.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.3% 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 38106?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38106 is 21.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 38106?
In ZIP code 38106, approximately 38.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 61.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38106?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38106 is 43.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 38106's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38106 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Memphis, TN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.