Shelby, MS · standard
ZIP Code 38774
Bolivar County, Mississippi - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,522
- 13/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $19,811
- Median income Below-median income area
- $90,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 21.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Shelby pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Lowest
- household income, US ZIPs
- 7th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 63%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38774 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 38774 covers 192.5 square miles in Shelby, Bolivar County, Mississippi (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,522 residents on file, a density of 13 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 38774 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $19,811 (62% below the average Mississippi ZIP), while per-capita income is $11,363. Economic pressure is pronounced: 57.0% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 18.9%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $90,400 (33% below the average Mississippi ZIP), and median rent is $690; owner occupancy is 62.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.3, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Bolivar County, so 38774 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 →
Top industries in ZIP 38774
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shelby, MS
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38774.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
10 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
5 establishments
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
4 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 3
Health care and social assistance
3 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 3
Other services (except public administration)
3 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 38774, Shelby, 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
2,522
Population
192.5
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 38774?
38.3
Median Age
39.7%
Male
60.3%
Female
0.0%
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?
$19,811
Median Household Income
-62% vs state ZIP avg
$11,363
Per Capita Income
57.0%
Poverty Rate
18.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 38774 ranks among Mississippi ZIPs
Shelby, 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)
$19,811 1st percentile higher than 1% 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
921housing units
921
Total Housing Units
804
Occupied Units
117
Vacant Units
2.11
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$90,400
Median Home Value
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$690
Median Rent
1972
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 29 business establishments in ZIP 38774, employing approximately 137 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,873,000.
29
Businesses
137
Employees
$3.9M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 10 | 34.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 17.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 13.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 10.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3 | 10.3% |
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 38774 vs 38781 →
ZIP 38774 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38774
Shelby (38774)
2,522 residents
- 38762
Mound Bayou (38762)
2,294 residents
- 38759
Merigold (38759)
1,194 residents
- 38746 616
Gunnison (38746)
616 residents
- 38740 466
Duncan (38740)
466 residents
- 38781 252
Winstonville (38781)
252 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38774 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38774 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38759
Merigold (38759)
$77,083 median income
- 38740
Duncan (38740)
$49,172 median income
- 38762 $27,000
Mound Bayou (38762)
$27,000 median income
- 38774 $19,811
Shelby (38774)
$19,811 median income
- 38781 $2,499
Winstonville (38781)
$2,499 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 38774 ranks #4 of 5 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 38774, 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 (2,522 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Bolivar County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 38774 in?
ZIP code 38774 (Shelby) is located in Bolivar County, Mississippi. Bolivar County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bolivar-ms.
What is the population of ZIP code 38774?
ZIP code 38774 in Shelby, MS has a population of 2,522 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38774?
The median household income in ZIP 38774 is $19,811, which is 74% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38774?
The median home value in ZIP 38774 is $90,400, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38774?
The largest racial group in ZIP 38774 is African American at 97.0%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38774?
ZIP code 38774 has 29 business establishments employing approximately 137 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38774?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38774 are: Retail trade (10), Real estate and rental and leasing (5), Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (4). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38774?
In ZIP code 38774, 46.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.7% 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 38774?
In ZIP code 38774, approximately 62.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38774?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38774 is 57.0% 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 38774's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38774 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Shelby, 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.