PlainZIP

Carlisle, IN · standard

ZIP Code 47838

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

4,081
15/sq mi
$61,875
Median income
$129,000
Median home value
8.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Carlisle pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

33th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
15
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 47838 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 47838 covers 273.9 square miles in Carlisle, Sullivan County, Indiana (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,081 residents on file, a density of 15 people per square mile, in the Indiana/Indianapolis time zone.

ZIP 47838 reports a modest median household income of $61,875 (16% below the Indiana average), while per-capita income is $22,295. Local economic indicators show a 18.0% poverty rate alongside 9.0% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $129,000 (33% below the state average); renters pay a median of $671 monthly, and 85.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 8.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.4, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 47838 in local context, 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Sullivan County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 47838

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Carlisle, IN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 47838.

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 47838, Carlisle, IN · 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

4,081

Population

273.9

Area (sq mi)

15

People / sq mi

Indiana/Indianapolis

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 47838?

39.4

Median Age

72.8%

Male

27.2%

Female

0.9%

Foreign-Born

White 75.3%
African American 14.7%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%

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?

$61,875

Median Household Income

-16% vs state

$22,295

Per Capita Income

18.0%

Poverty Rate

9.0%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 47838 ranks nationally

Carlisle, IN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,875 33rd percentile higher than 33% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 61.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.1%

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

What does housing look like?

906

Total Housing Units

786

Occupied Units

120

Vacant Units

2.76

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.9%
Renter 14.1%

$129,000

Median Home Value

-33% vs state

$671

Median Rent

1973

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 32 business establishments in ZIP 47838, employing approximately 659 people with a combined annual payroll of $52,425,000.

32

Businesses

659

Employees

$52.4M

Annual Payroll

5

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 6 18.8%
Transportation and warehousing 5 15.6%
Wholesale trade 4 12.5%
Retail trade 4 12.5%
Health care and social assistance 4 12.5%

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 47838 vs 47865 →

ZIP 47838 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 47838 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 47838 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 47838 ranks #2 of 6 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
47865 Paxton, IN 79 4.6 mi
47535 Freelandville, IN 566 6.9 mi
47561 Oaktown, IN 1,588 7.3 mi
47882 Sullivan, IN 8,430 9.5 mi
47848 Dugger, IN 1,691 8.4 mi
47528 Edwardsport, IN 476 10.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sullivan County

47882 standard
Sullivan, IN
Pop: 8,430
47879 standard
Shelburn, IN
Pop: 3,302
47850 standard
Farmersburg, IN
Pop: 2,456
47848 standard
Dugger, IN
Pop: 1,691
47861 standard
Merom, IN
Pop: 616
47855 standard
Hymera, IN
Pop: 546

Related Areas

Sullivan County Carlisle, IN Indiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 47838 in? ▼
ZIP code 47838 (Carlisle) is located in Sullivan County, Indiana. Sullivan County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sullivan-in.
What is the population of ZIP code 47838? ▼
ZIP code 47838 in Carlisle, IN has a population of 4,081 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 47838? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 47838 is $61,875, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 47838? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 47838 is $129,000, which is 54% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 47838? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 47838 is White at 75.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 47838? ▼
ZIP code 47838 has 32 business establishments employing approximately 659 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 47838? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 47838 are: Accommodation and food services (6), Transportation and warehousing (5), Wholesale trade (4). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 47838? ▼
In ZIP code 47838, 61.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 8.1% 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 47838? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 47838 is 24.9 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 47838? ▼
In ZIP code 47838, approximately 85.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 47838? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 47838 is 18.0% 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.