PlainZIP

Cookeville, TN · standard

ZIP Code 38501

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

36,687
159/sq mi
$52,145
Median income
$284,600
Median home value
31.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Cookeville pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

17th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 36%
home value, US ZIPs
159
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38501 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38501 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee, with 36,687 residents across 230.9 square miles, a density of 159 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38501 reports a modest median household income of $52,145 (22% below the Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $29,719. Local economic indicators show a 21.4% poverty rate alongside 4.1% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $284,600 (15% above the state average) with median rent at $883 per month, and 48.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.4, and the average commute is 21 minutes. To put 38501 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Putnam 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 38501

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cookeville, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38501.

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 38501, Cookeville, 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

36,687

Population

230.9

Area (sq mi)

159

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 38501?

31.4

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

7.2%

Foreign-Born

White 82.6%
African American 3.9%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%

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?

$52,145

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$29,719

Per Capita Income

21.4%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

20.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38501 ranks nationally

Cookeville, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,145 17th percentile higher than 17% 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 61.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.4%

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

What does housing look like?

19,357

Total Housing Units

17,574

Occupied Units

1,783

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.9%
Renter 51.1%

$284,600

Median Home Value

+15% vs state

$883

Median Rent

1991

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

+6.0%

YoY Change (2024)

268

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+168%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 38501 have increased 6.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.8% 167
2021 +17.9% 197
2022 +22.8% 242
2023 +4.7% 253
2024 +6.0% 268

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 1,341 business establishments in ZIP 38501, employing approximately 22,747 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,103,447,000.

1,341

Businesses

22,747

Employees

$1.1B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 266 19.8%
Health care and social assistance 200 14.9%
Accommodation and food services 164 12.2%
Other services (except public administration) 155 11.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 109 8.1%
Finance and insurance 100 7.5%
Construction 81 6.0%
Manufacturing 57 4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 55 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 39 2.9%
Wholesale trade 37 2.8%
Transportation and warehousing 25 1.9%
Information 21 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.0%
Educational services 10 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.5%

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 38501 vs 38505 →

ZIP 38501 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 38501 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 38501 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 38501 ranks #4 of 5 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
38505 Cookeville, TN 1,806 4.1 mi
38545 Bloomington Springs, TN 1,474 6.9 mi
38506 Cookeville, TN 26,521 6.3 mi
38544 Baxter, TN 6,543 10.3 mi
38562 Gainesboro, TN 6,554 11.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Putnam County

38506 standard
Cookeville, TN
Pop: 26,521
38574 standard
Monterey, TN
Pop: 8,413
38544 standard
Baxter, TN
Pop: 6,543
38505 standard
Cookeville, TN
Pop: 1,806
38582 standard
Silver Point, TN
Pop: 1,426
38548 standard
Buffalo Valley, TN
Pop: 731

Related Areas

Putnam County Cookeville, TN Tennessee

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 38501 in? ▼
ZIP code 38501 (Cookeville) is located in Putnam County, Tennessee. Putnam County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/putnam-tn.
What is the population of ZIP code 38501? ▼
ZIP code 38501 in Cookeville, TN has a population of 36,687 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38501? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38501 is $52,145, which is 32% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38501? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38501 is $284,600, which is 2% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38501? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38501 is White at 82.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38501? ▼
ZIP code 38501 has 1,341 business establishments employing approximately 22,747 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38501? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38501 are: Retail trade (266), Health care and social assistance (200), Accommodation and food services (164). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38501? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38501 increased by 6.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 168%. 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 38501? ▼
In ZIP code 38501, 61.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.4% 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 38501? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38501 is 20.9 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 38501? ▼
In ZIP code 38501, approximately 48.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38501? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38501 is 21.4% 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.