PlainZIP

Memphis, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38118

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

41,465
513/sq mi
$43,446
Median income
$107,600
Median home value
12.1%
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.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
12th pct
home value, US ZIPs
513
people per sq mi
40%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38118 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38118 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, with 41,465 residents across 80.8 square miles, a density of 513 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38118 reports a modest median household income of $43,446 (35% below the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $22,369. 30.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 9.4%. Housing costs here run $107,600 for a typical home value (57% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,181 a month; 39.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.1, and the average commute is 20 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 38118, 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 38118

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38118.

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 38118, 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

41,465

Population

80.8

Area (sq mi)

513

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 38118?

29.1

Median Age

47.3%

Male

52.7%

Female

14.1%

Foreign-Born

White 6.6%
African American 71.9%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.9%

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?

$43,446

Median Household Income

-35% vs state

$22,369

Per Capita Income

30.2%

Poverty Rate

9.4%

Unemployment Rate

19.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38118 ranks nationally

Memphis, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$43,446 8th percentile higher than 8% 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 47.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.1%

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

What does housing look like?

16,253

Total Housing Units

13,209

Occupied Units

3,044

Vacant Units

2.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 39.8%
Renter 60.2%

$107,600

Median Home Value

-57% vs state

$1,181

Median Rent

1973

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

+4.4%

YoY Change (2024)

224

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+124%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 38118 have increased 4.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +124% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +9.7% 134
2021 +14.9% 154
2022 +23.3% 190
2023 +13.0% 215
2024 +4.4% 224

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 1,387 business establishments in ZIP 38118, employing approximately 64,496 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,776,879,000.

1,387

Businesses

64,496

Employees

$4.8B

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Transportation and warehousing 298 21.5%
Wholesale trade 226 16.3%
Retail trade 137 9.9%
Construction 118 8.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 90 6.5%
Other services (except public administration) 76 5.5%
Manufacturing 73 5.3%
Accommodation and food services 71 5.1%
Health care and social assistance 69 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 68 4.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 54 3.9%
Finance and insurance 39 2.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 32 2.3%
Information 23 1.7%
Educational services 9 0.7%

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 38118 vs 38116 →

ZIP 38118 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 38118 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 38118 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 38118 ranks #6 of 8 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
38116 Memphis, TN 40,404 4.5 mi
38111 Memphis, TN 41,742 5.2 mi
38115 Memphis, TN 39,129 4.1 mi
38152 Memphis, TN 834 6.0 mi
38131 Memphis, TN 0 4.0 mi
38141 Memphis, TN 22,462 4.6 mi
38132 Memphis, TN 7 4.6 mi
38117 Memphis, TN 26,125 5.7 mi
38114 Memphis, TN 26,905 5.2 mi
38672 Southaven, MS 11,249 6.8 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 38118 in? ▼
ZIP code 38118 (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 38118? ▼
ZIP code 38118 in Memphis, TN has a population of 41,465 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38118? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38118 is $43,446, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38118? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38118 is $107,600, which is 61% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38118? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38118 is African American at 71.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 20.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38118? ▼
ZIP code 38118 has 1,387 business establishments employing approximately 64,496 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38118? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38118 are: Transportation and warehousing (298), Wholesale trade (226), Retail trade (137). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38118? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38118 increased by 4.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 124%. 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 38118? ▼
In ZIP code 38118, 47.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.1% 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 38118? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38118 is 19.7 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 38118? ▼
In ZIP code 38118, approximately 39.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 60.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38118? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38118 is 30.2% 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.