PlainZIP

Columbus, MS · standard

ZIP Code 39702

Lowndes County, Mississippi - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

22,883
88/sq mi
$54,650
Median income
$144,100
Median home value
23.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Columbus pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
24th pct
home value, US ZIPs
88
people per sq mi
65%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 39702 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 39702 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbus, Lowndes County, Mississippi, with 22,883 residents across 261.2 square miles, a density of 88 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 39702 reports a modest median household income of $54,650 (4% above the Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $27,615. 15.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.4%. Housing costs here run $144,100 for a typical home value (7% above the state average), with rent averaging $944 a month; 65.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.3, and the average commute is 23 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 39702, plus 6 more within Lowndes 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 39702

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbus, MS

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 39702.

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 39702, Columbus, 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

22,883

Population

261.2

Area (sq mi)

88

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 39702?

38.3

Median Age

46.8%

Male

53.2%

Female

0.7%

Foreign-Born

White 44.4%
African American 52.5%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%

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?

$54,650

Median Household Income

+4% vs state

$27,615

Per Capita Income

15.6%

Poverty Rate

7.4%

Unemployment Rate

23.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 39702 ranks nationally

Columbus, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$54,650 21st percentile higher than 21% 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 57.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.5%

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

What does housing look like?

9,765

Total Housing Units

8,736

Occupied Units

1,029

Vacant Units

2.62

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.4%
Renter 34.6%

$144,100

Median Home Value

+7% vs state

$944

Median Rent

1982

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

+6.4%

YoY Change (2024)

197

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+97%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 39702 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +97% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.6% 146
2021 +8.7% 159
2022 +15.6% 184
2023 +0.8% 185
2024 +6.4% 197

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 369 business establishments in ZIP 39702, employing approximately 3,780 people with a combined annual payroll of $149,174,000.

369

Businesses

3,780

Employees

$149.2M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 75 20.3%
Other services (except public administration) 53 14.4%
Construction 40 10.8%
Health care and social assistance 33 8.9%
Accommodation and food services 33 8.9%
Transportation and warehousing 21 5.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 5.7%
Manufacturing 20 5.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 16 4.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 16 4.3%
Wholesale trade 15 4.1%
Finance and insurance 10 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.4%
Educational services 4 1.1%

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 39702 vs 35461 →

ZIP 39702 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 39702 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 39702 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 39702 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
35461 Ethelsville, AL 1,952 7.7 mi
39766 Steens, MS 2,630 10.5 mi
39705 Columbus, MS 13,667 11.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lowndes County

39701 standard
Columbus, MS
Pop: 13,997
39705 standard
Columbus, MS
Pop: 13,667
39740 standard
Caledonia, MS
Pop: 5,038
39766 standard
Steens, MS
Pop: 2,630
39743 standard
Crawford, MS
Pop: 2,067
39736 standard
Artesia, MS
Pop: 312

Related Areas

Lowndes County Columbus, MS Mississippi

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 39702 in? ▼
ZIP code 39702 (Columbus) is located in Lowndes County, Mississippi. Lowndes County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lowndes-ms.
What is the population of ZIP code 39702? ▼
ZIP code 39702 in Columbus, MS has a population of 22,883 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 39702? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 39702 is $54,650, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 39702? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 39702 is $144,100, which is 48% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 39702? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 39702 is African American at 52.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 39702? ▼
ZIP code 39702 has 369 business establishments employing approximately 3,780 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 39702? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 39702 are: Retail trade (75), Other services (except public administration) (53), Construction (40). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 39702? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 39702 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 97%. 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 39702? ▼
In ZIP code 39702, 57.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.5% 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 39702? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 39702 is 23.1 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 39702? ▼
In ZIP code 39702, approximately 65.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 39702? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 39702 is 15.6% 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.