ZIP Code 38127: Population, Income, Housing

State: TN
Total population: 39,541 Household income: $36,901 Rent: $1,160

Overview

Total population
39,541
Rent
$1,160
Year built
1966
Household income
$36,901
Per capita income
$18,421
Poverty rate
37.7%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.7 persons
Rent over 30% of income
50.2%

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).

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
39,541
Adults over 25
22,934
Total households
14,427
Household size
2.7 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).

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.

Income & Poverty

Household income
$36,901
Per capita income
$18,421
Poverty rate
37.7%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
50.2%

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).

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.

Housing

Rent
$1,160
Year built
1966
Households that rent
57.8%
Households that own
42.2%
Rooms per home (all homes)
5.4

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).

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.

Race

White
8.7%
Black
87.3%
Asian
0.2%
Two or more races
1.9%

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.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
2.9%
Not Hispanic or Latino
97.1%

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.

Commute

Commute rate
12,172 (91.6%)
Commute time to work
22 mins
Work from home
1,122 (8.4%)

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).

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.

Education

Less than high school
38.1%
High school graduate or GED
42%
Some college or associate degree
8.9%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
11%

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.

 

Comparison of ZIP Code 38127 with: Shelby County, TN Memphis metro area, TN-MS-AR Tennessee United States

ZIP 38127

Total population39,541
Rent$1,160
Year built1966
Household income$36,901
Per capita income$18,421
Poverty rate37.7%
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 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 ZIP38127 CountyShelby, TNMetro AreaMemphis metro area, TN-MS-ARStateTennesseeCountryUnited States
Total population39,541919,1731,341,9247,066,383334,922,499
Rent$1,160$1,232$1,220$1,189$1,413
Year built19661977198319871980
Household income$36,901$63,767$66,401$69,595$80,734
Per capita income$18,421$39,083$37,885$39,437$44,673
Poverty rate37.7%17.8%16.5%13.8%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A4.5%4.1%3.4%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

Loading...

 

Summary for 38127

Rent & Income

In 38127, the typical monthly rent is $1,160 and the typical household income is $36,901. Rent here is similar to Tennessee, and household income is lower than Tennessee. The estimated poverty rate is 37.7%.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 57.8% of households, making this a predominantly renter area. About 50.2% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Only about 11% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, indicating lower levels of formal education.

 

ZIP 38127 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 38127 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 38127 compares in Tennessee (69 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $1,160 23 / 69 from lower rent $732 – $2,202
Household income $36,901 69 / 69 from higher income $36,901 – $154,578
Poverty rate 37.7% 69 / 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 38127

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 38127 places 23rd out of 69 ZIP Codes in Tennessee. Throughout Tennessee, numbers span from $732 in ZIP 37643 up to $2,202 in ZIP 37027.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 69th out of 69 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $36,901 in ZIP 38127 up to $154,578 in ZIP 37027.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 38127 comes 69th out of 69 ZIP Codes. In Tennessee as a whole, the range goes from 3.4% in ZIP 38017 up to 37.7% in ZIP 38127.

 

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 38127 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,160 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 38127

Annual Household Income: $36,901

💡 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 38127

Estimated Rate: 37.7%

💡 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 38127

In ZIP Code 38127, households that rent: 8,341 (57.8%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 8,341 57.8%
Owner-Occupied 6,086 42.2%

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 38127

In ZIP Code 38127, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 4,185 (50.2%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 4,185 50.2%
Other renter households 4,156 49.8%
Total renter households 8,341 100%

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 38127

Less than High School: 8,739 people (38.1%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 9,622 people (42%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,040 people (8.9%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 2,533 people (11%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 22,934

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.