Residential delivery area · Mississippi
ZIP Code 38965: Water Valley, MS
ZIP code 38965 uses the postal name Water Valley, Mississippi and lies mostly in Yalobusha County (58% of its land), reaching into Lafayette County, Calhoun County and Panola County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 9,000 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $58,258 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 3% of its land lies in Water Valley; 97% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Water Valley · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Yalobusha County (58%); Lafayette County (22%); Calhoun County (16%); Panola County (3%)
- Census places
- Water Valley
- Micro area
- Oxford, MS
- House districts
- MS-2 (62%), MS-1 (38%) 119th Congress, by share of land
- State
- Mississippi
- Time zone
- Central
- Land area
- 251.6 sq mi · 36 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 38965?
38965 centers on 34.135°, -89.591° and covers 251.6 square miles of land plus 9.0 of water. It borders 8 ZIP codes: 38949, 38913, 38915, 38922, 38655, 38948, 38620, 38606.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 38965, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 38965 compare with the rest of Yalobusha County?
| Measure | 38965 | In Yalobusha County | In MS |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 8,963 | 1st of 7 | 108th of 427 |
| Median household income | $58k | 1st of 1 | 87th of 205 |
| Median home value | $153k | 1st of 1 | 92nd of 203 |
Its median household income is higher than in 26% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 36% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 38965?
The 2020 Census counted 9,219 people in 38965; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 8,963. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 0.9% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 8,963
- 2020 Census count
- 9,219+0.9% since 2010 (9,135)
- Households
- 3,403
- Median age
- 39.5
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 38965?
Of the 8,963 people the ACS estimates in 38965, 22.8% are under 18 and 20.2% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (64.7%), then Black (not Hispanic) (29.3%).
- Under 1822.8%
- 18 to 6457.0%
- 65 and older20.2%
- White, not Hispanic64.7%
- Black, not Hispanic29.3%
- Other or two or more4.4%
- Hispanic or Latino1.6%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 38965 earn?
Median household income is $58,258 (ACS 2020-2024). It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($55,269 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $58,258±$14,026
- Income per person
- $29,162
- Below the poverty line
- 18.9%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 2.5%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 19.6%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $54,8633,840 returns; wages 70% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 38965?
FHFA's house price index for 38965, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 90% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 60% from 2020 to 2025, and moved −3.7% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $153,100
- Median gross rent
- $645
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 72.9%
- Housing units
- 4,118
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 38965?
131 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, the same count as in 2018; the most are in retail trade (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Retail trade31
- Other services (except public administration)16
- Accommodation and food services13
- Health care and social assistance12
- Construction11
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services8
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 38965?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38949 | Paris | 287 | – | 9.8 mi |
| 38913 | Banner | 509 | $21k | 11.8 mi |
| 38915 | Bruce | 3,402 | $44k | 13.4 mi |
| 38922 | Coffeeville | 3,296 | $37k | 14.4 mi |
| 38655 | Oxford | 46,156 | $68k | 14.7 mi |
| 38948 | Oakland | 1,818 | $29k | 17.8 mi |
| 38620 | Courtland | 3,386 | $46k | 19.9 mi |
| 38606 | Batesville | 16,156 | $55k | 23.7 mi |
| 38673 | Taylor | 1,056 | $92k | 11.2 mi (near) |
| 38677 | University | 5,395 | – | 16.0 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.