Baxter, TN · standard
ZIP Code 38544
Putnam County, Tennessee - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,543
- 31/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $69,823
- Median income Near-median income area
- $245,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 18.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Baxter pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 46th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 44%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 31
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38544 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 38544 (Baxter, TN) rose +9.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 267.4 in 2023 to 293.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 38544 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Baxter, Putnam County, Tennessee, home to 6,543 residents across 214.5 square miles, a density of 31 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 38544 reports a modest median household income of $69,823 (5% above the average Tennessee ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,331. The poverty rate is 17.2%, with unemployment at 6.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $245,100 (1% below the average Tennessee ZIP) and median rent is $955; 78.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.9, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Putnam County, so 38544 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 38544
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Baxter, TN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38544.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
18 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
12 establishments
- Construction
Construction
11 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
10 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
8 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 38544, Baxter, 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
6,543
Population
214.5
Area (sq mi)
31
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 38544?
40.9
Median Age
45.3%
Male
54.7%
Female
4.1%
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?
$69,823
Median Household Income
+5% vs state ZIP avg
$31,331
Per Capita Income
17.2%
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Unemployment Rate
28.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 38544 ranks among Tennessee ZIPs
Baxter, 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)
$69,823 Top 34% higher than 66% 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
3,558housing units
3,558
Total Housing Units
3,078
Occupied Units
480
Vacant Units
2.66
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$245,100
Median Home Value
-1% vs state ZIP avg
$955
Median Rent
1994
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
+9.7%
YoY Change (2024)
293
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+193%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 38544 have increased 9.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +193% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.6% | 171 |
| 2021 | +16.1% | 199 |
| 2022 | +11.4% | 222 |
| 2023 | +20.6% | 267 |
| 2024 | +9.7% | 293 |
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 92 business establishments in ZIP 38544, employing approximately 868 people with a combined annual payroll of $32,198,000.
92
Businesses
868
Employees
$32.2M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 18 | 19.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 12 | 13.0% |
| Construction | 11 | 12.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 10 | 10.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 8.7% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 6.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 6.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 5.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 4.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 3.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.3% |
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 38544 vs 38545 →
ZIP 38544 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38501
Cookeville (38501)
36,687 residents
- 38544 6,543
Baxter (38544)
6,543 residents
- 38545 1,474
Bloomington Springs (38545)
1,474 residents
- 38582 1,426
Silver Point (38582)
1,426 residents
- 38548 731
Buffalo Valley (38548)
731 residents
- 38552 275
Chestnut Mound (38552)
275 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38544 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38544 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38582
Silver Point (38582)
$93,333 median income
- 38552
Chestnut Mound (38552)
$71,250 median income
- 38544
Baxter (38544)
$69,823 median income
- 38545
Bloomington Springs (38545)
$59,512 median income
- 38501
Cookeville (38501)
$52,145 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 38544 ranks #3 of 5 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 38544, 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 (6,543 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Putnam County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 38544 in?
ZIP code 38544 (Baxter) 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 38544?
ZIP code 38544 in Baxter, TN has a population of 6,543 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38544?
The median household income in ZIP 38544 is $69,823, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38544?
The median home value in ZIP 38544 is $245,100, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38544?
The largest racial group in ZIP 38544 is White at 87.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38544?
ZIP code 38544 has 92 business establishments employing approximately 868 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38544?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38544 are: Retail trade (18), Other services (except public administration) (12), Construction (11). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38544?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38544 increased by 9.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 193%. 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 38544?
In ZIP code 38544, 62.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.6% 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 38544?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38544 is 28.7 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 38544?
In ZIP code 38544, approximately 78.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38544?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38544 is 17.2% 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 38544's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38544 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Baxter, 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.