PlainZIP

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
$61,295
Median income
$226,200
Median home value
20.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Pulaski pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

31th 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.

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 Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $33,645. 14.4% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.2%. The typical home here is valued at $226,200 (9% below the state average); renters pay a median of $867 monthly, and 67.5% of units 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. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Giles County, so you can benchmark 38478 against its immediate geography rather than a national average 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 38478

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Pulaski, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38478.

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 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

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 38478?

41.9

Median Age

48.3%

Male

51.7%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 77.3%
African American 12.2%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%

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

$33,645

Per Capita Income

14.4%

Poverty Rate

4.2%

Unemployment Rate

27.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38478 ranks nationally

Pulaski, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,295 31st percentile higher than 31% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.2%

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

What does housing look like?

8,783

Total Housing Units

7,379

Occupied Units

1,404

Vacant Units

2.48

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.5%
Renter 32.5%

$226,200

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$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

More ZIP Codes in Giles County

38449 standard
Ardmore, TN
Pop: 2,811
38477 standard
Prospect, TN
Pop: 2,766
38472 standard
Lynnville, TN
Pop: 2,656
38460 standard
Goodspring, TN
Pop: 1,410
38473 standard
Minor Hill, TN
Pop: 1,061
38455 standard
Elkton, TN
Pop: 227

Related Areas

Giles County Pulaski, TN Tennessee

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.