Charleston, MS · standard
ZIP Code 38921
Tallahatchie County, Mississippi - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,061
- 14/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $37,326
- Median income Below-median income area
- $102,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Charleston pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 4th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 10th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 14
- people per sq mi
- 64%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 38921 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 38921 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Charleston, Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, home to 5,061 residents across 364.1 square miles, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 38921 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $37,326 (29% below the average Mississippi ZIP), while per-capita income is $24,965. Economic pressure is pronounced: 31.2% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 11.1%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $102,000 (24% below the average Mississippi ZIP), and median rent is $695; owner occupancy is 64.2%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.3, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Tallahatchie County, so 38921 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 38921
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Charleston, MS
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38921.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
20 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
18 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
10 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 6
Real estate and rental and leasing
6 establishments
- Wholesale trade 5
Wholesale trade
5 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 38921, Charleston, 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
5,061
Population
364.1
Area (sq mi)
14
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 38921?
37.3
Median Age
53.8%
Male
46.2%
Female
0.1%
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?
$37,326
Median Household Income
-29% vs state ZIP avg
$24,965
Per Capita Income
31.2%
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 38921 ranks among Mississippi ZIPs
Charleston, 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)
$37,326 18th percentile higher than 18% 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
2,221housing units
2,221
Total Housing Units
1,800
Occupied Units
421
Vacant Units
2.60
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$102,000
Median Home Value
-24% vs state ZIP avg
$695
Median Rent
1981
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 89 business establishments in ZIP 38921, employing approximately 933 people with a combined annual payroll of $41,336,000.
89
Businesses
933
Employees
$41.3M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 20 | 22.5% |
| Retail trade | 18 | 20.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 10 | 11.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 6 | 6.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 5.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 5.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5 | 5.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 3.4% |
| Utilities | 3 | 3.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 3.4% |
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 38921 vs 38962 →
ZIP 38921 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38921
Charleston (38921)
5,061 residents
- 38927 1,186
Enid (38927)
1,186 residents
- 38920 804
Cascilla (38920)
804 residents
- 38928 497
Glendora (38928)
497 residents
- 38962 149
Tippo (38962)
149 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38921 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 38921 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 38927
Enid (38927)
$48,611 median income
- 38920
Cascilla (38920)
$42,014 median income
- 38921
Charleston (38921)
$37,326 median income
- 38928
Glendora (38928)
$35,438 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 38921 ranks #3 of 4 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 38921, 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 (5,061 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Tallahatchie County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 38921 in?
ZIP code 38921 (Charleston) is located in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. Tallahatchie County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/tallahatchie-ms.
What is the population of ZIP code 38921?
ZIP code 38921 in Charleston, MS has a population of 5,061 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 38921?
The median household income in ZIP 38921 is $37,326, which is 51% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 38921?
The median home value in ZIP 38921 is $102,000, which is 63% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 38921?
The largest racial group in ZIP 38921 is African American at 65.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 38921?
ZIP code 38921 has 89 business establishments employing approximately 933 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 38921?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 38921 are: Other services (except public administration) (20), Retail trade (18), Health care and social assistance (10). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 38921?
In ZIP code 38921, 48.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.4% 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 38921?
In ZIP code 38921, approximately 64.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38921?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 38921 is 31.2% 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 38921's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 38921 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Charleston, 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.