Pulaski, TN · standard
ZIP Code 38478
Giles County, Tennessee - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 17,733
- 26/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $61,295
- Median income Below-median income area
- $226,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 20.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Pulaski pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 31st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 49%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 26
- people per sq mi
- 68%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38478 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 38478 (Pulaski, TN) rose +5.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 270.9 in 2023 to 286.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 38478 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Pulaski, Giles County, Tennessee, home to 17,733 residents across 676.8 square miles, a density of 26 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 38478 reports a modest median household income of $61,295 (8% below the average Tennessee ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,645. The poverty rate is 14.4%, with unemployment at 4.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $226,200 (9% below the average Tennessee ZIP) and median rent is $867; 67.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Giles County, so 38478 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 38478
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Pulaski, TN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38478.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
80 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
53 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
36 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
35 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
32 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 38478, Pulaski, 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
17,733
Population
676.8
Area (sq mi)
26
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 38478?
41.9
Median Age
48.3%
Male
51.7%
Female
2.3%
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?
$61,295
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$33,645
Per Capita Income
14.4%
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Unemployment Rate
27.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 38478 ranks among Tennessee ZIPs
Pulaski, 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)
$61,295 49th percentile higher than 49% 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
8,783housing units
8,783
Total Housing Units
7,379
Occupied Units
1,404
Vacant Units
2.48
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$226,200
Median Home Value
-9% vs state ZIP avg
$867
Median Rent
1980
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
+5.9%
YoY Change (2024)
287
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+187%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 38478 have increased 5.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +187% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +8.3% | 185 |
| 2021 | +11.8% | 207 |
| 2022 | +27.2% | 263 |
| 2023 | +3.2% | 271 |
| 2024 | +5.9% | 287 |
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 393 business establishments in ZIP 38478, employing approximately 7,264 people with a combined annual payroll of $342,344,000.
393
Businesses
7,264
Employees
$342.3M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 80 | 20.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 53 | 13.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 36 | 9.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 35 | 8.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 32 | 8.1% |
| Manufacturing | 29 | 7.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 29 | 7.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 22 | 5.6% |
| Construction | 20 | 5.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 17 | 4.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 2.8% |
| Information | 11 | 2.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 11 | 2.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 0.8% |
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 38478 vs 38460 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38460 | Goodspring, TN | 1,410 | 11.8 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 38478, 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 (17,733 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Giles County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 38478 in?
ZIP code 38478 (Pulaski) is located in Giles County, Tennessee. Giles County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/giles-tn.
What is the population of ZIP code 38478?
ZIP code 38478 in Pulaski, TN has a population of 17,733 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38478?
The median household income in ZIP 38478 is $61,295, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38478?
The median home value in ZIP 38478 is $226,200, which is 19% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38478?
The largest racial group in ZIP 38478 is White at 77.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38478?
ZIP code 38478 has 393 business establishments employing approximately 7,264 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38478?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38478 are: Retail trade (80), Health care and social assistance (53), Finance and insurance (36). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38478?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38478 increased by 5.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 187%. 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 38478?
In ZIP code 38478, 60.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.2% 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 38478?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38478 is 27.1 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 38478?
In ZIP code 38478, approximately 67.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38478?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38478 is 14.4% 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 38478's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38478 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Pulaski, 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.