Pontotoc, MS · standard
ZIP Code 38863
Pontotoc County, Mississippi - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 19,788
- 27/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $49,528
- Median income Below-median income area
- $156,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Pontotoc pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 14th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 28th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 27
- people per sq mi
- 68%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38863 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 38863 (Pontotoc, MS) rose +8.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 214.4 in 2023 to 233.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 38863 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Pontotoc, Pontotoc County, Mississippi, home to 19,788 residents across 732.9 square miles, a density of 27 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 38863 reports a modest median household income of $49,528 (6% below the average Mississippi ZIP), while per-capita income is $27,690. The poverty rate is 14.6%, with unemployment at 3.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $156,400 (16% above the average Mississippi ZIP), while 68.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $864.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.9, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Pontotoc County, so 38863 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 38863
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Pontotoc, MS
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38863.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
83 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
48 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
43 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
42 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
34 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 38863, Pontotoc, 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
19,788
Population
732.9
Area (sq mi)
27
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 38863?
37.9
Median Age
47.5%
Male
52.5%
Female
2.6%
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?
$49,528
Median Household Income
-6% vs state ZIP avg
$27,690
Per Capita Income
14.6%
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Unemployment Rate
24.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 38863 ranks among Mississippi ZIPs
Pontotoc, 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)
$49,528 49th percentile higher than 49% 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
8,511housing units
8,511
Total Housing Units
7,210
Occupied Units
1,301
Vacant Units
2.61
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$156,400
Median Home Value
+16% vs state ZIP avg
$864
Median Rent
1987
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+8.9%
YoY Change (2024)
233
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+133%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 38863 have increased 8.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +133% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.2% | 155 |
| 2021 | +7.5% | 166 |
| 2022 | +19.8% | 199 |
| 2023 | +7.7% | 214 |
| 2024 | +8.9% | 233 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 407 business establishments in ZIP 38863, employing approximately 6,289 people with a combined annual payroll of $219,235,000.
407
Businesses
6,289
Employees
$219.2M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 83 | 20.4% |
| Manufacturing | 48 | 11.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 43 | 10.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 42 | 10.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 34 | 8.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 28 | 6.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 22 | 5.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 22 | 5.4% |
| Construction | 19 | 4.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 15 | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 14 | 3.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 11 | 2.7% |
| Information | 7 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.2% |
| Utilities | 4 | 1.0% |
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 38863 vs 38841 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38841 | Ecru, MS | 2,775 | 9.1 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 38863, 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 (19,788 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Pontotoc County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 38863 in?
ZIP code 38863 (Pontotoc) is located in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Pontotoc County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/pontotoc-ms.
What is the population of ZIP code 38863?
ZIP code 38863 in Pontotoc, MS has a population of 19,788 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38863?
The median household income in ZIP 38863 is $49,528, which is 35% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38863?
The median home value in ZIP 38863 is $156,400, which is 44% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38863?
The largest racial group in ZIP 38863 is White at 72.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38863?
ZIP code 38863 has 407 business establishments employing approximately 6,289 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38863?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38863 are: Retail trade (83), Manufacturing (48), Other services (except public administration) (43). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 38863?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 38863 increased by 8.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 133%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38863?
In ZIP code 38863, 46.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 38863?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 38863 is 24.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 38863?
In ZIP code 38863, approximately 68.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38863?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38863 is 14.6% 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 38863's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38863 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Pontotoc, MS ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.