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
$19,811
Median income
$90,400
Median home value
21.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

0th pct
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 Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $11,363. The poverty rate stands at 57.0% and the unemployment rate at 18.9%. Median home value sits at $90,400 (33% below the state average), median rent at $690 a month, and owner-occupancy at 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 -. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Bolivar County, so you can benchmark 38774 against its immediate geography rather than a national average 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 38774

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shelby, MS

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38774.

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 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

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 38774?

38.3

Median Age

39.7%

Male

60.3%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 3.0%
African American 97.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$19,811

Median Household Income

-62% vs state

$11,363

Per Capita Income

57.0%

Poverty Rate

18.9%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 38774 ranks nationally

Shelby, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$19,811 0th percentile higher than 0% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). This entry sits in this band. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Above this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 46.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.7%

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

What does housing look like?

921

Total Housing Units

804

Occupied Units

117

Vacant Units

2.11

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 62.9%
Renter 37.1%

$90,400

Median Home Value

-33% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38774 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 38774 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 38774 ranks #4 of 5 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
38781 Winstonville, MS 252 3.8 mi
38762 Mound Bayou, MS 2,294 5.8 mi
38740 Duncan, MS 466 6.7 mi
38746 Gunnison, MS 616 8.4 mi
38759 Merigold, MS 1,194 9.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Bolivar County

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.