PlainZIP

Waterford, MS · standard

ZIP Code 38685

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

1,347
6/sq mi
$41,210
Median income
$124,100
Median home value
3.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

6th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
6
people per sq mi
95%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38685 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 38685 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waterford, Marshall County, Mississippi, home to just 1,347 residents across 232.2 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 38685 reports a modest median household income of $41,210 (22% below the Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $37,978. Poverty here runs at 19.4%, with unemployment measured at 6.2%. On housing, the median home value is $124,100 (8% below the state average) with median rent at - per month, and 95.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 3.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 61.4, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 1 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 4 more sharing Marshall County, letting you compare 38685 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 →

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 38685, Waterford, 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

1,347

Population

232.2

Area (sq mi)

6

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 38685?

61.4

Median Age

51.8%

Male

48.2%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 74.0%
African American 25.4%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.6%

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?

$41,210

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$37,978

Per Capita Income

19.4%

Poverty Rate

6.2%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 38685 ranks nationally

Waterford, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$41,210 6th percentile higher than 6% 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 52.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 3.8%

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

What does housing look like?

677

Total Housing Units

586

Occupied Units

91

Vacant Units

2.22

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 95.1%
Renter 4.9%

$124,100

Median Home Value

-8% vs state

1986

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 9 business establishments in ZIP 38685, employing approximately 62 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,813,000.

9

Businesses

62

Employees

$2.8M

Annual Payroll

1

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 3 33.3%

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 38685 vs 38601 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
38601 Abbeville, MS 2,371 8.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Marshall County

38611 standard
Byhalia, MS
Pop: 17,202
38635 standard
Holly Springs, MS
Pop: 15,941
38659 standard
Potts Camp, MS
Pop: 2,841
38661 standard
Red Banks, MS
Pop: 2,039

Related Areas

Marshall County Waterford, MS Mississippi

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 38685 in? ▼
ZIP code 38685 (Waterford) is located in Marshall County, Mississippi. Marshall County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/marshall-ms.
What is the population of ZIP code 38685? ▼
ZIP code 38685 in Waterford, MS has a population of 1,347 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38685? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 38685 is $41,210, which is 46% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38685? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 38685 is $124,100, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38685? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 38685 is White at 74.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38685? ▼
ZIP code 38685 has 9 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 38685? ▼
In ZIP code 38685, 52.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 3.8% 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 38685? ▼
In ZIP code 38685, approximately 95.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 4.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38685? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38685 is 19.4% 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.