PlainZIP

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
$69,823
Median income
$245,100
Median home value
18.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 Tennessee average), while per-capita income is $31,331. 17.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 6.7%. Housing costs here run $245,100 for a typical home value (1% below the state average), with rent averaging $955 a month; 78.8% of 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. Beyond these figures, 5 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Putnam County, letting you compare 38544 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 38544

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Baxter, TN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38544.

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 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

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 38544?

40.9

Median Age

45.3%

Male

54.7%

Female

4.1%

Foreign-Born

White 87.4%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.4%

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

$31,331

Per Capita Income

17.2%

Poverty Rate

6.7%

Unemployment Rate

28.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38544 ranks nationally

Baxter, TN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$69,823 46th percentile higher than 46% 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 62.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.6%

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

What does housing look like?

3,558

Total Housing Units

3,078

Occupied Units

480

Vacant Units

2.66

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.8%
Renter 21.2%

$245,100

Median Home Value

-1% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38544 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 38544 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 38544 ranks #3 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
38545 Bloomington Springs, TN 1,474 7.8 mi
38582 Silver Point, TN 1,426 5.3 mi
38548 Buffalo Valley, TN 731 7.9 mi
38501 Cookeville, TN 36,687 10.3 mi
38552 Chestnut Mound, TN 275 10.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Putnam County

38501 standard
Cookeville, TN
Pop: 36,687
38506 standard
Cookeville, TN
Pop: 26,521
38574 standard
Monterey, TN
Pop: 8,413
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 Baxter, TN Tennessee

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.

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