PlainZIP

Memphis, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38127

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

45,248
465/sq mi
$36,901
Median income
$90,300
Median home value
11.0%
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.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
7th pct
home value, US ZIPs
465
people per sq mi
42%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38127 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38127 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, with 45,248 residents across 97.3 square miles, a density of 465 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38127 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,901 (44% below the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $18,421. Local economic indicators show a 37.7% poverty rate alongside 12.4% unemployment. Median home value sits at $90,300 (64% below the state average), median rent at $1,160 a month, and owner-occupancy at 42.2%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.9, and the average commute is 22 minutes. To put 38127 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Shelby County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 38127

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38127.

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 38127, 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

45,248

Population

97.3

Area (sq mi)

465

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 38127?

30.9

Median Age

43.3%

Male

56.7%

Female

1.5%

Foreign-Born

White 8.7%
African American 87.3%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%

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?

$36,901

Median Household Income

-44% vs state

$18,421

Per Capita Income

37.7%

Poverty Rate

12.4%

Unemployment Rate

21.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38127 ranks nationally

Memphis, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$36,901 4th percentile higher than 4% 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 53.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.0%

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

What does housing look like?

17,662

Total Housing Units

14,427

Occupied Units

3,235

Vacant Units

2.73

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 42.2%
Renter 57.8%

$90,300

Median Home Value

-64% vs state

$1,160

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

-2.1%

YoY Change (2024)

209

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+109%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 38127 have decreased 2.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +109% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +12.3% 129
2021 +7.5% 138
2022 +27.9% 177
2023 +20.5% 213
2024 -2.1% 209

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 291 business establishments in ZIP 38127, employing approximately 6,710 people with a combined annual payroll of $351,651,000.

291

Businesses

6,710

Employees

$351.7M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 82 28.2%
Health care and social assistance 35 12.0%
Accommodation and food services 32 11.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 8.9%
Other services (except public administration) 24 8.3%
Manufacturing 19 6.5%
Construction 14 4.8%
Transportation and warehousing 13 4.5%
Finance and insurance 10 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 10 3.4%
Wholesale trade 9 3.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 9 3.1%
Information 4 1.4%
Educational services 3 1.0%

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 38127 vs 38107 →

ZIP 38127 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 38127 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 38127 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 38127 ranks #6 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
38107 Memphis, TN 17,698 4.7 mi
38128 Memphis, TN 44,863 5.2 mi
38105 Memphis, TN 6,184 6.1 mi
38108 Memphis, TN 18,729 5.0 mi
38104 Memphis, TN 23,409 7.3 mi
38103 Memphis, TN 12,180 6.2 mi
38112 Memphis, TN 17,472 6.6 mi
38126 Memphis, TN 7,334 7.8 mi
38053 Millington, TN 27,932 8.2 mi
38114 Memphis, TN 26,905 9.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Shelby County

38017 standard
Collierville, TN
Pop: 48,642
38109 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 46,594
38128 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 44,863
38016 standard
Cordova, TN
Pop: 43,079
38134 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 41,948
38111 standard
Memphis, TN
Pop: 41,742

Related Areas

Shelby County Memphis, TN Tennessee

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 38127 in? ▼
ZIP code 38127 (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 38127? ▼
ZIP code 38127 in Memphis, TN has a population of 45,248 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38127? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38127 is $36,901, which is 52% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38127? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38127 is $90,300, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38127? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38127 is African American at 87.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38127? ▼
ZIP code 38127 has 291 business establishments employing approximately 6,710 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38127? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38127 are: Retail trade (82), Health care and social assistance (35), Accommodation and food services (32). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38127? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38127 decreased by 2.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 109%. 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 38127? ▼
In ZIP code 38127, 53.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.0% 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 38127? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38127 is 21.6 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 38127? ▼
In ZIP code 38127, approximately 42.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 57.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38127? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38127 is 37.7% 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.