PlainZIP

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
$30,232
Median income
$71,800
Median home value
10.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

2th pct
household income, US ZIPs
3th 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.

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 Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $19,130. Poverty here runs at 43.0%, with unemployment measured at 19.7%. On housing, the median home value is $71,800 (71% below the state average) with median rent at $952 per month, and 38.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

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. To put 38106 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Shelby 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 38106

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38106.

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 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

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 38106?

41.9

Median Age

48.1%

Male

51.9%

Female

1.5%

Foreign-Born

White 2.3%
African American 94.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%

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

$19,130

Per Capita Income

43.0%

Poverty Rate

19.7%

Unemployment Rate

21.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38106 ranks nationally

Memphis, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$30,232 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 57.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.3%

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

What does housing look like?

11,226

Total Housing Units

8,640

Occupied Units

2,586

Vacant Units

2.41

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 38.6%
Renter 61.4%

$71,800

Median Home Value

-71% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38106 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 38106 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 38106 ranks #8 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
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

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 Memphis, TN Tennessee

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.

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