PlainZIP

Memphis, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38126

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

7,334
1,559/sq mi
$30,071
Median income
$59,300
Median home value
14.8%
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
2th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,559
people per sq mi
12%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38126 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38126 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, home to 7,334 residents across 4.7 square miles, a density of 1,559 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38126 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $30,071 (55% below the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $17,321. The poverty rate stands at 45.2% and the unemployment rate at 9.3%. Housing costs here run $59,300 for a typical home value (76% below the state average), with rent averaging $787 a month; 12.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.4, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Shelby County, letting you compare 38126 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 38126

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38126.

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 38126, 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

7,334

Population

4.7

Area (sq mi)

1,559

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 38126?

30.4

Median Age

40.0%

Male

60.0%

Female

2.0%

Foreign-Born

White 5.5%
African American 90.7%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.6%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%

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?

$30,071

Median Household Income

-55% vs state

$17,321

Per Capita Income

45.2%

Poverty Rate

9.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 38126 ranks nationally

Memphis, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$30,071 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 56.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.8%

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

What does housing look like?

3,381

Total Housing Units

2,892

Occupied Units

489

Vacant Units

1.99

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 12.4%
Renter 87.6%

$59,300

Median Home Value

-76% vs state

$787

Median Rent

1979

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 124 business establishments in ZIP 38126, employing approximately 2,116 people with a combined annual payroll of $111,844,000.

124

Businesses

2,116

Employees

$111.8M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 28 22.6%
Health care and social assistance 17 13.7%
Wholesale trade 16 12.9%
Retail trade 15 12.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 11.3%
Accommodation and food services 7 5.7%
Manufacturing 5 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 5 4.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 3.2%
Educational services 4 3.2%
Construction 3 2.4%
Finance and insurance 3 2.4%

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 38126 vs 38105 →

ZIP 38126 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 38126 ranks #7 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 38126 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 38126 ranks #8 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
38105 Memphis, TN 6,184 1.7 mi
38103 Memphis, TN 12,180 1.9 mi
38104 Memphis, TN 23,409 2.3 mi
38107 Memphis, TN 17,698 3.2 mi
38106 Memphis, TN 27,222 3.5 mi
38112 Memphis, TN 17,472 4.0 mi
38114 Memphis, TN 26,905 3.9 mi
38132 Memphis, TN 7 4.5 mi
38131 Memphis, TN 0 5.1 mi
38152 Memphis, TN 834 6.2 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 38126 in? ▼
ZIP code 38126 (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 38126? ▼
ZIP code 38126 in Memphis, TN has a population of 7,334 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38126? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38126 is $30,071, which is 61% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38126? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38126 is $59,300, which is 79% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38126? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38126 is African American at 90.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38126? ▼
ZIP code 38126 has 124 business establishments employing approximately 2,116 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38126? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38126 are: Other services (except public administration) (28), Health care and social assistance (17), Wholesale trade (16). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38126? ▼
In ZIP code 38126, 56.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 38126? ▼
In ZIP code 38126, approximately 12.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 87.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38126? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38126 is 45.2% 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.