Dawson, GA · standard
ZIP Code 39842
Terrell County, Georgia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,357
- 11/sq mi Low-density area
- $43,871
- Median income Below-median income area
- $117,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 13.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Dawson pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 8th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 16th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 11
- people per sq mi
- 58%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 39842 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 39842 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Dawson, Terrell County, Georgia, home to 8,357 residents across 733.1 square miles, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 39842 reports a modest median household income of $43,871 (38% below the average Georgia ZIP), while per-capita income is $24,806. The poverty rate is 36.3%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $117,200 (51% below the average Georgia ZIP), and median rent is $746; owner occupancy is 58.4%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.8, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Terrell County, so 39842 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 39842
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dawson, GA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 39842.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
35 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
16 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
15 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 13
Other services (except public administration)
13 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 12
Health care and social assistance
12 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 39842, Dawson, GA · 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
8,357
Population
733.1
Area (sq mi)
11
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 39842?
40.8
Median Age
50.4%
Male
49.6%
Female
1.5%
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?
$43,871
Median Household Income
-38% vs state ZIP avg
$24,806
Per Capita Income
36.3%
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Unemployment Rate
21.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 39842 ranks among Georgia ZIPs
Dawson, GA household income vs. every Georgia ZIP code
Median household income among 677 reporting Georgia ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$43,871 10th percentile higher than 10% of 677 Georgia ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Georgia 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
3,674housing units
3,674
Total Housing Units
2,912
Occupied Units
762
Vacant Units
2.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$117,200
Median Home Value
-51% vs state ZIP avg
$746
Median Rent
1978
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 153 business establishments in ZIP 39842, employing approximately 1,399 people with a combined annual payroll of $54,247,000.
153
Businesses
1,399
Employees
$54.2M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 35 | 22.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 16 | 10.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 15 | 9.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 13 | 8.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 12 | 7.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 11 | 7.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 9 | 5.9% |
| Construction | 8 | 5.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 3.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 3.9% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 2.6% |
| Information | 4 | 2.6% |
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 39842 vs 39885 →
ZIP 39842 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 39842
Dawson (39842)
8,357 residents
- 39826 418
Bronwood (39826)
418 residents
- 39885 76
Sasser (39885)
76 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 39842 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 39842, both outside GA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (8,357 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Terrell County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 39842 in?
ZIP code 39842 (Dawson) is located in Terrell County, Georgia. Terrell County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/terrell-ga.
What is the population of ZIP code 39842?
ZIP code 39842 in Dawson, GA has a population of 8,357 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 39842?
The median household income in ZIP 39842 is $43,871, which is 42% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 39842?
The median home value in ZIP 39842 is $117,200, which is 58% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 39842?
The largest racial group in ZIP 39842 is African American at 63.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 39842?
ZIP code 39842 has 153 business establishments employing approximately 1,399 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 39842?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 39842 are: Retail trade (35), Finance and insurance (16), Accommodation and food services (15). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 39842?
In ZIP code 39842, 48.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.0% 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 39842?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 39842 is 21.7 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 39842?
In ZIP code 39842, approximately 58.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 41.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 39842?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 39842 is 36.3% 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 39842's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 39842 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Dawson, GA 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.