PlainZIP

Ashland, MS · standard

ZIP Code 38603

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

2,894
9/sq mi
$43,676
Median income
$143,400
Median home value
13.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ashland pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
23th pct
home value, US ZIPs
9
people per sq mi
92%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38603 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38603 covers 336.5 square miles in Ashland, Benton County, Mississippi (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,894 residents on file, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38603 reports a modest median household income of $43,676 (17% below the Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $28,221. 21.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 2.3%. On housing, the median home value is $143,400 (7% above the state average) with median rent at $646 per month, and 92.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.9, and the average commute is 31 minutes. To put 38603 in local context, 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 3 additional ZIPs in Benton 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 38603

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ashland, MS

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38603.

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 38603, Ashland, MS · 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

2,894

Population

336.5

Area (sq mi)

9

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 38603?

50.9

Median Age

54.0%

Male

46.0%

Female

1.3%

Foreign-Born

White 78.8%
African American 15.8%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.7%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%

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?

$43,676

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$28,221

Per Capita Income

21.9%

Poverty Rate

2.3%

Unemployment Rate

30.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38603 ranks nationally

Ashland, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$43,676 8th percentile higher than 8% 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 52.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.5%

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

What does housing look like?

1,797

Total Housing Units

1,174

Occupied Units

623

Vacant Units

2.08

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 92.0%
Renter 8.0%

$143,400

Median Home Value

+7% vs state

$646

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 39 business establishments in ZIP 38603, employing approximately 443 people with a combined annual payroll of $19,889,000.

39

Businesses

443

Employees

$19.9M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 8 20.5%
Health care and social assistance 7 17.9%
Other services (except public administration) 6 15.4%
Manufacturing 4 10.3%
Construction 3 7.7%
Finance and insurance 3 7.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 7.7%

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 38603 vs 38629 →

ZIP 38603 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 38603 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 38603 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 38603 ranks #3 of 3 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
38629 Falkner, MS 1,774 8.5 mi
38647 Michigan City, MS 1,143 9.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Benton County

38633 standard
Hickory Flat, MS
Pop: 2,590
38642 standard
Lamar, MS
Pop: 2,321
38647 standard
Michigan City, MS
Pop: 1,143

Related Areas

Benton County Ashland, MS Mississippi

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 38603 in? ▼
ZIP code 38603 (Ashland) is located in Benton County, Mississippi. Benton County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/benton-ms.
What is the population of ZIP code 38603? ▼
ZIP code 38603 in Ashland, MS has a population of 2,894 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38603? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38603 is $43,676, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38603? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38603 is $143,400, which is 48% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38603? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38603 is White at 78.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38603? ▼
ZIP code 38603 has 39 business establishments employing approximately 443 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38603? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38603 are: Retail trade (8), Health care and social assistance (7), Other services (except public administration) (6). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38603? ▼
In ZIP code 38603, 52.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.5% 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 38603? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38603 is 30.6 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 38603? ▼
In ZIP code 38603, approximately 92.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 8.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38603? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38603 is 21.9% 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.