PlainZIP

Memphis, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38128

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

44,863
733/sq mi
$47,645
Median income
$138,000
Median home value
14.0%
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.

12th pct
household income, US ZIPs
22th pct
home value, US ZIPs
733
people per sq mi
42%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38128 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38128 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, with 44,863 residents across 61.2 square miles, a density of 733 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38128 reports a modest median household income of $47,645 (28% below the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $25,644. Local economic indicators show a 20.0% poverty rate alongside 6.9% unemployment. Housing costs here run $138,000 for a typical home value (44% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,196 a month; 42.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.5, and the average commute is 23 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Shelby County, letting you compare 38128 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 38128

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Memphis, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38128.

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 38128, 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

44,863

Population

61.2

Area (sq mi)

733

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 38128?

31.5

Median Age

46.3%

Male

53.7%

Female

5.2%

Foreign-Born

White 9.4%
African American 78.2%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%

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?

$47,645

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$25,644

Per Capita Income

20.0%

Poverty Rate

6.9%

Unemployment Rate

23.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38128 ranks nationally

Memphis, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$47,645 12th percentile higher than 12% 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 51.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.0%

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

What does housing look like?

18,059

Total Housing Units

15,864

Occupied Units

2,195

Vacant Units

2.64

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 42.1%
Renter 57.9%

$138,000

Median Home Value

-44% vs state

$1,196

Median Rent

1975

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

+9.2%

YoY Change (2024)

206

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+106%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 38128 have increased 9.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +106% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +12.1% 132
2021 +9.5% 144
2022 +22.5% 176
2023 +7.1% 189
2024 +9.2% 206

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 439 business establishments in ZIP 38128, employing approximately 10,083 people with a combined annual payroll of $467,774,000.

439

Businesses

10,083

Employees

$467.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 121 27.6%
Health care and social assistance 61 13.9%
Other services (except public administration) 57 13.0%
Accommodation and food services 52 11.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 30 6.8%
Finance and insurance 28 6.4%
Transportation and warehousing 20 4.6%
Construction 17 3.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 3.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 16 3.6%
Wholesale trade 7 1.6%
Educational services 6 1.4%
Information 3 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 38128 vs 38122 →

ZIP 38128 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 38128 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 38128 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 38128 ranks #7 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
38122 Memphis, TN 25,270 4.6 mi
38135 Memphis, TN 30,657 4.4 mi
38108 Memphis, TN 18,729 4.2 mi
38127 Memphis, TN 45,248 5.2 mi
38152 Memphis, TN 834 7.2 mi
38134 Memphis, TN 41,948 5.1 mi
38029 Ellendale, TN 80 6.0 mi
38112 Memphis, TN 17,472 6.1 mi
38117 Memphis, TN 26,125 7.8 mi
38111 Memphis, TN 41,742 8.1 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
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 38128 in? ▼
ZIP code 38128 (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 38128? ▼
ZIP code 38128 in Memphis, TN has a population of 44,863 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38128? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38128 is $47,645, which is 38% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38128? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38128 is $138,000, which is 50% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38128? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38128 is African American at 78.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38128? ▼
ZIP code 38128 has 439 business establishments employing approximately 10,083 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38128? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38128 are: Retail trade (121), Health care and social assistance (61), Other services (except public administration) (57). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38128? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38128 increased by 9.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 106%. 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 38128? ▼
In ZIP code 38128, 51.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.0% 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 38128? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38128 is 23.2 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 38128? ▼
In ZIP code 38128, approximately 42.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 57.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38128? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38128 is 20.0% 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.