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 Low-density area
- $59,388
- Median income Below-median income area
- $143,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 14.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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
- 23rd 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 average Mississippi ZIP), while per-capita income is $23,830. The poverty rate is 12.6%, with unemployment at 2.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $143,200 (6% above the average Mississippi ZIP) and median rent is $684; 78.4% of occupied homes 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 -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Benton County, so 38642 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 →
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
Who lives in ZIP 38642?
35.1
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
1.9%
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?
$59,388
Median Household Income
+13% vs state ZIP avg
$23,830
Per Capita Income
12.6%
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 38642 ranks among Mississippi ZIPs
Lamar, MS household income vs. every Mississippi ZIP code
Median household income among 377 reporting Mississippi ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$59,388 Top 32% higher than 68% of 377 Mississippi ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Mississippi 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
759housing units
759
Total Housing Units
700
Occupied Units
59
Vacant Units
3.04
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$143,200
Median Home Value
+6% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 38057
Moscow (38057)
3,649 residents
- 38642
Lamar (38642)
2,321 residents
- 38039
Grand Junction (38039)
1,804 residents
- 38647 1,143
Michigan City (38647)
1,143 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38642 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38642 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38057
Moscow (38057)
$90,340 median income
- 38647
Michigan City (38647)
$62,820 median income
- 38642
Lamar (38642)
$59,388 median income
- 38039
Grand Junction (38039)
$39,020 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 38642, both outside MS so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (2,321 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Benton County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 38642's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38642 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Lamar, MS ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.