Tombstone, AZ · standard
ZIP Code 85638
Cochise County, Arizona - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,973
- 2/sq mi Low-density area
- $37,604
- Median income Below-median income area
- $184,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 20.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Tombstone pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 4th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 39th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 2
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 85638 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 85638 (Tombstone, AZ) fell -10.3% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 85638 covers 822.1 square miles in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,973 residents on file, a density of 2 people per square mile, in the Phoenix time zone.
ZIP 85638 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $37,604 (48% below the average Arizona ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,233. The poverty rate is 14.8%, with unemployment at 0.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $184,000 (45% below the average Arizona ZIP), and median rent is $668; owner occupancy is 79.3%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 65.3, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cochise County, so 85638 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 85638
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Tombstone, AZ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 85638.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
24 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
21 establishments
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
6 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 5
Professional, scientific, and technical services
5 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 4
Other services (except public administration)
4 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 85638, Tombstone, AZ · 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
1,973
Population
822.1
Area (sq mi)
2
People / sq mi
Phoenix
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 85638?
65.3
Median Age
55.6%
Male
44.4%
Female
8.0%
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?
$37,604
Median Household Income
-48% vs state ZIP avg
$35,233
Per Capita Income
14.8%
Poverty Rate
0.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 85638 ranks among Arizona ZIPs
Tombstone, AZ household income vs. every Arizona ZIP code
Median household income among 372 reporting Arizona ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$37,604 9th percentile higher than 9% of 372 Arizona ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Arizona 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
1,146housing units
1,146
Total Housing Units
825
Occupied Units
321
Vacant Units
1.72
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$184,000
Median Home Value
-45% vs state ZIP avg
$668
Median Rent
1984
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 75 business establishments in ZIP 85638, employing approximately 477 people with a combined annual payroll of $12,674,000.
75
Businesses
477
Employees
$12.7M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 24 | 32.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 21 | 28.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 6 | 8.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 6.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 5.3% |
| Construction | 3 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 4.0% |
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 85638 vs 85635 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85635 | Sierra Vista, AZ | 34,727 | 12.5 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 85638, both outside AZ so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,973 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cochise County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 85638 in?
ZIP code 85638 (Tombstone) is located in Cochise County, Arizona. Cochise County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cochise-az.
What is the population of ZIP code 85638?
ZIP code 85638 in Tombstone, AZ has a population of 1,973 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 85638?
The median household income in ZIP 85638 is $37,604, which is 51% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 85638?
The median home value in ZIP 85638 is $184,000, which is 34% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 85638?
The largest racial group in ZIP 85638 is White at 86.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 85638?
ZIP code 85638 has 75 business establishments employing approximately 477 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 85638?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 85638 are: Retail trade (24), Accommodation and food services (21), Arts, entertainment, and recreation (6). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 85638?
In ZIP code 85638, 55.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.3% 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 85638?
In ZIP code 85638, approximately 79.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 85638?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 85638 is 14.8% 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 85638's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 85638 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Tombstone, AZ 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.