PlainZIP

Memphis, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38116

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

40,404
821/sq mi
$42,183
Median income
$138,600
Median home value
22.2%
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.

7th pct
household income, US ZIPs
22th pct
home value, US ZIPs
821
people per sq mi
43%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38116 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38116 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, with 40,404 residents across 49.2 square miles, a density of 821 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38116 reports a modest median household income of $42,183 (37% below the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $24,131. The poverty rate stands at 31.1% and the unemployment rate at 13.3%. Housing costs here run $138,600 for a typical home value (44% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,059 a month; 43.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.9, and the average commute is 22 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Shelby County, so you can benchmark 38116 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 38116

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38116.

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 38116, 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

40,404

Population

49.2

Area (sq mi)

821

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 38116?

34.9

Median Age

45.4%

Male

54.6%

Female

3.9%

Foreign-Born

White 4.0%
African American 91.5%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.7%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%

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?

$42,183

Median Household Income

-37% vs state

$24,131

Per Capita Income

31.1%

Poverty Rate

13.3%

Unemployment Rate

21.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38116 ranks nationally

Memphis, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$42,183 7th percentile higher than 7% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 57.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.2%

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

What does housing look like?

18,546

Total Housing Units

15,599

Occupied Units

2,947

Vacant Units

2.54

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 43.2%
Renter 56.8%

$138,600

Median Home Value

-44% vs state

$1,059

Median Rent

1966

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

+6.0%

YoY Change (2024)

212

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+112%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 38116 have increased 6.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +112% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +12.7% 134
2021 +13.5% 152
2022 +17.0% 178
2023 +12.6% 200
2024 +6.0% 212

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 810 business establishments in ZIP 38116, employing approximately 16,796 people with a combined annual payroll of $962,465,000.

810

Businesses

16,796

Employees

$962.5M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 158 19.5%
Health care and social assistance 96 11.8%
Transportation and warehousing 93 11.5%
Accommodation and food services 90 11.1%
Wholesale trade 62 7.7%
Other services (except public administration) 60 7.4%
Finance and insurance 49 6.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 44 5.4%
Construction 35 4.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 28 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 27 3.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 26 3.2%
Manufacturing 22 2.7%
Information 10 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 0.6%
Educational services 4 0.5%

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 38116 vs 38132 →

ZIP 38116 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 38116 ranks #3 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 38116 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 38116 ranks #5 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
38132 Memphis, TN 7 2.7 mi
38131 Memphis, TN 0 2.5 mi
38671 Southaven, MS 35,712 4.7 mi
38118 Memphis, TN 41,465 4.5 mi
38114 Memphis, TN 26,905 4.6 mi
38104 Memphis, TN 23,409 6.9 mi
38637 Horn Lake, MS 26,066 6.1 mi
38126 Memphis, TN 7,334 6.7 mi
38109 Memphis, TN 46,594 7.8 mi
38105 Memphis, TN 6,184 8.3 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 38116 in? ▼
ZIP code 38116 (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 38116? ▼
ZIP code 38116 in Memphis, TN has a population of 40,404 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38116? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38116 is $42,183, which is 45% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38116? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38116 is $138,600, which is 50% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38116? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38116 is African American at 91.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38116? ▼
ZIP code 38116 has 810 business establishments employing approximately 16,796 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38116? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38116 are: Retail trade (158), Health care and social assistance (96), Transportation and warehousing (93). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38116? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38116 increased by 6.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 112%. 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 38116? ▼
In ZIP code 38116, 57.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.2% 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 38116? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38116 is 21.5 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 38116? ▼
In ZIP code 38116, approximately 43.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38116? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38116 is 31.1% 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.