PlainZIP

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
$49,528
Median income
$156,400
Median home value
20.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $27,690. Poverty here runs at 14.6%, with unemployment measured at 3.3%. The typical home here is valued at $156,400 (16% above the state average); renters pay a median of $864 monthly, and 68.0% of units are owner-occupied.

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. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 38863, plus 4 more within Pontotoc County, give a clearer read than the 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 38863

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Pontotoc, MS

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38863.

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 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

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 38863?

37.9

Median Age

47.5%

Male

52.5%

Female

2.6%

Foreign-Born

White 72.8%
African American 16.5%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%

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

$27,690

Per Capita Income

14.6%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment Rate

24.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 38863 ranks nationally

Pontotoc, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$49,528 14th percentile higher than 14% 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 46.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.7%

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

What does housing look like?

8,511

Total Housing Units

7,210

Occupied Units

1,301

Vacant Units

2.61

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.0%
Renter 32.0%

$156,400

Median Home Value

+16% vs state

$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

More ZIP Codes in Pontotoc County

38841 standard
Ecru, MS
Pop: 2,775
38864 standard
Randolph, MS
Pop: 1,701
38871 standard
Thaxton, MS
Pop: 1,640
38869 standard
Sherman, MS
Pop: 478

Related Areas

Pontotoc County Pontotoc, MS Mississippi

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.