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 High-density area
- $37,496
- Median income Below-median income area
- $80,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 14.2%
- 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, 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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 38109 (Memphis, TN) fell -1.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 232.5 in 2023 to 230.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Tennessee ZIP), while per-capita income is $21,923. Economic pressure is pronounced: 32.1% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 15.5%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $80,400 (68% below the average Tennessee ZIP), and median rent is $1,040; owner occupancy is 55.7%.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Shelby County, so 38109 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 38109
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38109.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
63 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
45 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
31 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
31 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
27 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 38109?
38.9
Median Age
45.3%
Male
54.7%
Female
0.5%
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?
$37,496
Median Household Income
-44% vs state ZIP avg
$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
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
18,865housing units
18,865
Total Housing Units
16,616
Occupied Units
2,249
Vacant Units
2.55
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$80,400
Median Home Value
-68% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 38109
Memphis (38109)
46,594 residents
- 38116
Memphis (38116)
40,404 residents
- 38671
Southaven (38671)
35,712 residents
- 38106
Memphis (38106)
27,222 residents
- 72301
West Memphis (72301)
26,069 residents
- 38637
Horn Lake (38637)
26,066 residents
- 38103 12,180
Memphis (38103)
12,180 residents
- 38126 7,334
Memphis (38126)
7,334 residents
- 38680 6,194
Walls (38680)
6,194 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38109 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38109 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38641
Lake Cormorant (38641)
$96,208 median income
- 38103
Memphis (38103)
$76,278 median income
- 38671
Southaven (38671)
$61,843 median income
- 38680
Walls (38680)
$59,503 median income
- 38637
Horn Lake (38637)
$53,311 median income
- 72301
West Memphis (72301)
$42,859 median income
- 38116
Memphis (38116)
$42,183 median income
- 38109 $37,496
Memphis (38109)
$37,496 median income
- 38106 $30,232
Memphis (38106)
$30,232 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 38109, 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 (46,594 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 38109's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38109 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
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.