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 High-density area
- $30,071
- Median income Below-median income area
- $59,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 14.8%
- 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, renter-heavy area.
- 2nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 2nd 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 average Tennessee ZIP), while per-capita income is $17,321. The poverty rate is 45.2%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $59,300 (76% below the average Tennessee ZIP), and median rent is $787; owner occupancy is 12.4%.
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 -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Shelby County, so 38126 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 38126
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38126.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
28 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
17 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
16 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
15 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
14 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 38126?
30.4
Median Age
40.0%
Male
60.0%
Female
2.0%
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?
$30,071
Median Household Income
-55% vs state ZIP avg
$17,321
Per Capita Income
45.2%
Poverty Rate
9.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 38126 ranks among Tennessee ZIPs
Memphis, TN household income vs. every Tennessee ZIP code
Median household income among 593 reporting Tennessee ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$30,071 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 593 Tennessee ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Tennessee 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
3,381housing units
3,381
Total Housing Units
2,892
Occupied Units
489
Vacant Units
1.99
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$59,300
Median Home Value
-76% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 38106
Memphis (38106)
27,222 residents
- 38114
Memphis (38114)
26,905 residents
- 38104
Memphis (38104)
23,409 residents
- 38107
Memphis (38107)
17,698 residents
- 38112
Memphis (38112)
17,472 residents
- 38103
Memphis (38103)
12,180 residents
- 38126 7,334
Memphis (38126)
7,334 residents
- 38105 6,184
Memphis (38105)
6,184 residents
- 38152 834
Memphis (38152)
834 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38126 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38126 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38103
Memphis (38103)
$76,278 median income
- 38104
Memphis (38104)
$58,117 median income
- 38112
Memphis (38112)
$55,207 median income
- 38107
Memphis (38107)
$35,265 median income
- 38114
Memphis (38114)
$34,206 median income
- 38105
Memphis (38105)
$34,015 median income
- 38106 $30,232
Memphis (38106)
$30,232 median income
- 38126 $30,071
Memphis (38126)
$30,071 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 38126, 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 (7,334 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 38126's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38126 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.