ZIP Code 38109: Population, Income, Housing

State: TN

Total population: 42,452 Household income: $37,496 Rent: $1,040

Overview

Total population

42,452

Rent

$1,040

Year built

1964

Household income

$37,496

Per capita income

$21,923

Poverty rate

32.1%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.6 persons

Rent over 30% of income

60.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Tennessee

County

Shelby County

City

Memphis

Total population

42,452

Adults over 25

28,807

Total households

16,616

Household size

2.6 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$37,496

Per capita income

$21,923

Poverty rate

32.1%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

60.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,040

Year built

1964

Households that rent

44.3%

Households that own

55.7%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.8

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

1.8%

Black

94.9%

Asian

N/A

Two or more races

2.4%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

0.8%

Not Hispanic or Latino

99.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

13,530 (92.5%)

Commute time to work

24 mins

Work from home

1,092 (7.5%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

32.1%

High school graduate or GED

45.7%

Some college or associate degree

Bachelor’s degree or higher

14.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 38109 with: Shelby County, TN Memphis, TN Memphis metro area, TN-MS-AR Tennessee United States

ZIP 38109

Total population42,452

Rent$1,040

Year built1964

Household income$37,496

Per capita income$21,923

Poverty rate32.1%

Unemployment rateN/A

Shelby County, TN

Total population919,173

Rent$1,232

Year built1977

Household income$63,767

Per capita income$39,083

Poverty rate17.8%

Unemployment rate4.5%

Memphis, TN

Total population618,980

Rent$1,181

Year built1970

Household income$51,736

Per capita income$33,100

Poverty rate23.1%

Unemployment rate5%

Memphis Metro Area, TN-MS-AR

Total population1,341,924

Rent$1,220

Year built1983

Household income$66,401

Per capita income$37,885

Poverty rate16.5%

Unemployment rate4.1%

Tennessee State

Total population7,066,383

Rent$1,189

Year built1987

Household income$69,595

Per capita income$39,437

Poverty rate13.8%

Unemployment rate3.4%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP38109	CountyShelby, TN	CityMemphis, TN	Metro AreaMemphis metro area, TN-MS-AR	StateTennessee	CountryUnited States
Total population	42,452	919,173	618,980	1,341,924	7,066,383	334,922,499
Rent	$1,040	$1,232	$1,181	$1,220	$1,189	$1,413
Year built	1964	1977	1970	1983	1987	1980
Household income	$37,496	$63,767	$51,736	$66,401	$69,595	$80,734
Per capita income	$21,923	$39,083	$33,100	$37,885	$39,437	$44,673
Poverty rate	32.1%	17.8%	23.1%	16.5%	13.8%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	4.5%	5%	4.1%	3.4%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 38109

Rent & Income

In 38109, the typical monthly rent is $1,040 and the typical household income is $37,496. Rent here is lower than in both Memphis and Tennessee, and household income is also lower than in both. The estimated poverty rate is 32.1%, which is higher than in both Memphis and Tennessee.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 44.3% of households. About 60.8% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Only about 14.2% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, indicating lower levels of formal education.

ZIP 38109 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 38109 — Poverty

How ZIP 38109 compares in Tennessee (69 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,040	12 / 69	from lower rent	$732 – $2,202
Household income	$37,496	68 / 69	from higher income	$36,901 – $154,578
Poverty rate	32.1%	68 / 69	from lower poverty	3.4% – 37.7%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Tennessee with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 38109

Rent

For rent, this ZIP is positioned 12th out of 69 ZIP Codes in Tennessee. In Tennessee as a whole, the range goes from $732 in ZIP 37643 up to $2,202 in ZIP 37027.

Household income

For household income, ZIP Code 38109 ranks 68th out of 69 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from $36,901 in ZIP 38127 up to $154,578 in ZIP 37027.

Poverty rate

For poverty levels, this ZIP is positioned 68th out of 69 ZIP Codes. Across Tennessee, figures vary from 3.4% in ZIP 38017 up to 37.7% in ZIP 38127.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 38109 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,040 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 38109

Annual Household Income: $37,496

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 38109

Estimated Rate: 32.1%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 38109

In ZIP Code 38109, households that rent: 7,359 (44.3%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	7,359	44.3%
Owner-Occupied	9,257	55.7%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 38109

In ZIP Code 38109, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 4,477 (60.8%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	4,477	60.8%
Other renter households	2,882	39.2%
Total renter households	7,359	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 38109

Less than High School: 9,251 people (32.1%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 13,161 people (45.7%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,295 people (8%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 4,100 people (14.2%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 28,807

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.