PlainZIP

Memphis, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38109

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

46,594
267/sq mi
$37,496
Median income
$80,400
Median home value
14.2%
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, mixed-tenure area.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
4th pct
home value, US ZIPs
267
people per sq mi
56%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38109 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38109 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, with 46,594 residents across 174.3 square miles, a density of 267 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38109 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $37,496 (44% below the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $21,923. Poverty here runs at 32.1%, with unemployment measured at 15.5%. On housing, the median home value is $80,400 (68% below the state average) with median rent at $1,040 per month, and 55.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.9, and the average commute is 24 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 38109, plus 6 more within Shelby County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 38109

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38109.

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 38109, 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

46,594

Population

174.3

Area (sq mi)

267

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 38109?

38.9

Median Age

45.3%

Male

54.7%

Female

0.5%

Foreign-Born

White 1.8%
African American 94.9%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%

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?

$37,496

Median Household Income

-44% vs state

$21,923

Per Capita Income

32.1%

Poverty Rate

15.5%

Unemployment Rate

23.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38109 ranks nationally

Memphis, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$37,496 4th percentile higher than 4% 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 59.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.2%

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

What does housing look like?

18,865

Total Housing Units

16,616

Occupied Units

2,249

Vacant Units

2.55

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 55.7%
Renter 44.3%

$80,400

Median Home Value

-68% vs state

$1,040

Median Rent

1964

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

-1.1%

YoY Change (2024)

230

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+130%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 38109 have decreased 1.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +130% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.8% 136
2021 +13.7% 155
2022 +31.6% 204
2023 +14.2% 232
2024 -1.1% 230

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 312 business establishments in ZIP 38109, employing approximately 6,144 people with a combined annual payroll of $399,350,000.

312

Businesses

6,144

Employees

$399.4M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 63 20.2%
Transportation and warehousing 45 14.4%
Health care and social assistance 31 9.9%
Other services (except public administration) 31 9.9%
Wholesale trade 27 8.7%
Manufacturing 25 8.0%
Accommodation and food services 17 5.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 13 4.2%
Construction 12 3.9%
Finance and insurance 12 3.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 3.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 10 3.2%
Information 5 1.6%
Educational services 5 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 38109 vs 38680 →

ZIP 38109 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 38109 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 38109 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 38109 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
38680 Walls, MS 6,194 5.6 mi
38106 Memphis, TN 27,222 5.5 mi
38116 Memphis, TN 40,404 7.8 mi
72301 West Memphis, AR 26,069 8.0 mi
38641 Lake Cormorant, MS 2,338 8.5 mi
38637 Horn Lake, MS 26,066 8.0 mi
38132 Memphis, TN 7 8.8 mi
38126 Memphis, TN 7,334 8.8 mi
38103 Memphis, TN 12,180 9.8 mi
38671 Southaven, MS 35,712 9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Shelby County

38017 standard
Collierville, TN
Pop: 48,642
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
38111 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 41,742

Related Areas

Shelby County Memphis, TN Tennessee

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 38109 in? ▼
ZIP code 38109 (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 38109? ▼
ZIP code 38109 in Memphis, TN has a population of 46,594 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38109? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38109 is $37,496, which is 51% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38109? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38109 is $80,400, which is 71% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38109? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38109 is African American at 94.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38109? ▼
ZIP code 38109 has 312 business establishments employing approximately 6,144 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38109? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38109 are: Retail trade (63), Transportation and warehousing (45), Health care and social assistance (31). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38109? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38109 decreased by 1.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 130%. 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 38109? ▼
In ZIP code 38109, 59.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.2% 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 38109? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38109 is 23.7 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 38109? ▼
In ZIP code 38109, approximately 55.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 44.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38109? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38109 is 32.1% 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.