PlainZIP

Lamar, MS · standard

ZIP Code 38642

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

2,321
11/sq mi
$59,388
Median income
$143,200
Median home value
14.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lamar pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

28th pct
household income, US ZIPs
23th pct
home value, US ZIPs
11
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38642 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38642 covers 214.9 square miles in Lamar, Benton County, Mississippi (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,321 residents on file, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38642 reports a modest median household income of $59,388 (13% above the Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $23,830. Poverty here runs at 12.6%, with unemployment measured at 2.8%. On housing, the median home value is $143,200 (6% above the state average) with median rent at $684 per month, and 78.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.1, and the average commute is -. To put 38642 in local context, 3 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 →

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 38642, Lamar, 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

2,321

Population

214.9

Area (sq mi)

11

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 38642?

35.1

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

1.9%

Foreign-Born

White 42.4%
African American 46.7%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%

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?

$59,388

Median Household Income

+13% vs state

$23,830

Per Capita Income

12.6%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 38642 ranks nationally

Lamar, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,388 28th percentile higher than 28% 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 40.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.2%

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

What does housing look like?

759

Total Housing Units

700

Occupied Units

59

Vacant Units

3.04

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.4%
Renter 21.6%

$143,200

Median Home Value

+6% vs state

$684

Median Rent

1983

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 15 business establishments in ZIP 38642, employing approximately 62 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,893,000.

15

Businesses

62

Employees

$1.9M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 5 33.3%
Other services (except public administration) 3 20.0%

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 38642 vs 38647 →

ZIP 38642 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 38642 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 38642 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 38642 ranks #3 of 4 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
38647 Michigan City, MS 1,143 6.6 mi
38057 Moscow, TN 3,649 9.6 mi
38039 Grand Junction, TN 1,804 12.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Benton County

38603 standard
Ashland, MS
Pop: 2,894
38633 standard
Hickory Flat, MS
Pop: 2,590
38647 standard
Michigan City, MS
Pop: 1,143

Related Areas

Benton County Lamar, MS Mississippi

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 38642 in? ▼
ZIP code 38642 (Lamar) 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 38642? ▼
ZIP code 38642 in Lamar, MS has a population of 2,321 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38642? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38642 is $59,388, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38642? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38642 is $143,200, which is 49% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38642? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38642 is African American at 46.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38642? ▼
ZIP code 38642 has 15 business establishments employing approximately 62 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38642? ▼
In ZIP code 38642, 40.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 38642? ▼
In ZIP code 38642, approximately 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38642? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38642 is 12.6% 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.