Big Sandy, TN · standard
ZIP Code 38221
Benton County, Tennessee - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,308
- 12/sq mi Low-density area
- $52,714
- Median income Below-median income area
- $139,100
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 11.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Big Sandy pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 18th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 22nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 64%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38221 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 38221 covers 280.3 square miles in Big Sandy, Benton County, Tennessee (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,308 residents on file, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 38221 reports a modest median household income of $52,714 (21% below the average Tennessee ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,742. The poverty rate is 19.0%, with unemployment at 8.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $139,100 (44% below the average Tennessee ZIP), and median rent is $639; owner occupancy is 64.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.8, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Benton County, so 38221 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 38221
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Big Sandy, TN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38221.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
6 establishments
- Construction
Construction
5 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
3 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 38221, Big Sandy, 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
3,308
Population
280.3
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 38221?
52.8
Median Age
49.0%
Male
51.0%
Female
1.0%
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?
$52,714
Median Household Income
-21% vs state ZIP avg
$28,742
Per Capita Income
19.0%
Poverty Rate
8.4%
Unemployment Rate
29.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 38221 ranks among Tennessee ZIPs
Big Sandy, 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)
$52,714 28th percentile higher than 28% 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
1,986housing units
1,986
Total Housing Units
1,468
Occupied Units
518
Vacant Units
2.11
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$139,100
Median Home Value
-44% vs state ZIP avg
$639
Median Rent
1981
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 23 business establishments in ZIP 38221, employing approximately 108 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,429,000.
23
Businesses
108
Employees
$2.4M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 6 | 26.1% |
| Construction | 5 | 21.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 13.0% |
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 38221 vs 38256 →
ZIP 38221 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38221
Big Sandy (38221)
3,308 residents
- 38256
Springville (38256)
3,089 residents
- 37175 1,015
Stewart (37175)
1,015 residents
- 38333 523
Eva (38333)
523 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38221 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38221 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38256
Springville (38256)
$56,023 median income
- 37175
Stewart (37175)
$53,125 median income
- 38221
Big Sandy (38221)
$52,714 median income
- 38333
Eva (38333)
$40,417 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 38221 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 38221, 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 (3,308 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Benton County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 38221 in?
ZIP code 38221 (Big Sandy) is located in Benton County, Tennessee. Benton County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/benton-tn.
What is the population of ZIP code 38221?
ZIP code 38221 in Big Sandy, TN has a population of 3,308 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38221?
The median household income in ZIP 38221 is $52,714, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38221?
The median home value in ZIP 38221 is $139,100, which is 50% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38221?
The largest racial group in ZIP 38221 is White at 91.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38221?
ZIP code 38221 has 23 business establishments employing approximately 108 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38221?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38221 are: Retail trade (6), Construction (5), Accommodation and food services (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38221?
In ZIP code 38221, 56.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.5% 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 38221?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38221 is 29.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 38221?
In ZIP code 38221, approximately 64.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38221?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38221 is 19.0% 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 38221's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38221 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Big Sandy, TN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.