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
- $37,604
- Median income
- $184,000
- Median home value
- 20.3%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
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.
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 Arizona average), while per-capita income is $35,233. Local economic indicators show a 14.8% poverty rate alongside 0.6% unemployment. Housing costs here run $184,000 for a typical home value (45% below the state average), with rent averaging $668 a month; 79.3% of homes are owner-occupied.
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 -. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 85638, plus 6 more within Cochise 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 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
$35,233
Per Capita Income
14.8%
Poverty Rate
0.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 85638 ranks nationally
Tombstone, AZ household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$37,604 4th percentile higher than 4% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
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
$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 |
More ZIP Codes in Cochise County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
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Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.