PlainZIP

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
$37,326
Median income
$102,000
Median home value
12.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $24,965. Poverty here runs at 31.2%, with unemployment measured at 11.1%. Median home value sits at $102,000 (24% below the state average), median rent at $695 a month, and owner-occupancy at 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 -. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Tallahatchie County, letting you compare 38921 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 38921

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Charleston, MS

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 38921.

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 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

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 38921?

37.3

Median Age

53.8%

Male

46.2%

Female

0.1%

Foreign-Born

White 33.0%
African American 65.9%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.1%
Hispanic or Latino 0.3%

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

$24,965

Per Capita Income

31.2%

Poverty Rate

11.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 38921 ranks nationally

Charleston, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$37,326 4th percentile higher than 4% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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 48.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.4%

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

What does housing look like?

2,221

Total Housing Units

1,800

Occupied Units

421

Vacant Units

2.60

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.2%
Renter 35.8%

$102,000

Median Home Value

-24% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 38921 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 38921 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 38921 ranks #3 of 4 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
38962 Tippo, MS 149 7.6 mi
38920 Cascilla, MS 804 8.7 mi
38928 Glendora, MS 497 11.7 mi
38927 Enid, MS 1,186 12.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Tallahatchie County

38963 standard
Tutwiler, MS
Pop: 4,015
38927 standard
Enid, MS
Pop: 1,186
38966 standard
Webb, MS
Pop: 1,174
38920 standard
Cascilla, MS
Pop: 804
38953 standard
Scobey, MS
Pop: 798
38957 standard
Sumner, MS
Pop: 734

Related Areas

Tallahatchie County Charleston, MS Mississippi

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.

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