38720 ZIP Code — Alligator, MS

Bolivar County, Mississippi

ZIP code 38720 is located in Alligator, Mississippi, within Bolivar County. It covers approximately 58.88 square miles and serves a population of 656 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 662.

About ZIP code 38720

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $57,500. Owner-occupancy is high at 80%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $55,903. Poverty affects 27% of residents, above the national average.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 26 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 19% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (16%), smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks. 15% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 38720 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, and high homeownership.

656

population

58.88

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

38720 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 38720

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 38720. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Alligator	Acceptable
Alligator	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

38740 Duncan (3.4 mi) 38614 Clarksdale (9.6 mi) 38774 Shelby (10.4 mi) 38746 Gunnison (13.7 mi) 38762 Mound Bayou (15.3 mi) 72333 Elaine (15.9 mi) 72048 Ethel (19.3 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	656
Population density	11 / sq mi
State FIPS	28
County FIPS	011

Geography
Land area	58.88 sq mi
Water area	3.61 sq mi
Latitude	34.1111
Longitude	-90.8181
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	662

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	61.2%	64.0%	52.9%
$50k – $100k	28.9%	23.1%	28.4%
$100k – $200k	9.9%	10.4%	15.3%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.5%	3.4%

Demographics & statistics

656

Population

People per sq mi

33.3

Median age

$55,903

Median household income

$24,092

Per capita income

$57,500

Median home value

Median monthly rent

80.1%

Home ownership

26.5%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

295

Housing units

18.7%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	148	22.6%
18 and over	508	77.4%
65 and over	75	11.4%
Median age	33.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 61%

Black or African American 35.9%

Two or more races 1.7%

Hispanic or Latino 1.5%

Group	Count	%
White	406	61%
Black or African American	239	35.9%
Two or more races	11	1.7%
Hispanic or Latino	10	1.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	61.2%	64.0%	52.9%
$50k – $100k	28.9%	23.1%	28.4%
$100k – $200k	9.9%	10.4%	15.3%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.5%	3.4%

Under $10k 4.6%

$10k–$15k 4.6%

$15k–$25k 9.3%

$25k–$35k 17.1%

$35k–$50k 8.9%

$50k–$75k 33.5%

$75k–$100k 6.4%

$100k–$150k 13.2%

$150k–$200k 2.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.6%
$10k–$15k	4.6%
$15k–$25k	9.3%
$25k–$35k	17.1%
$35k–$50k	8.9%
$50k–$75k	33.5%
$75k–$100k	6.4%
$100k–$150k	13.2%
$150k–$200k	2.5%
Median income	$55,903

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 46.7%

$50k–$100k 20.9%

$100k–$150k 14.7%

$150k–$200k 12.4%

$200k–$300k 4.4%

$1M+ 0.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$57,500
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	80.1%
Renter occupied	19.9%
Vacant	19.9%
Single-family detached	59.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	36.8%
Median rooms	5.6
Avg household size (owned)	2.31

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	8.5%
2000–2009	5.4%
1990–1999	13.7%
1980–1989	27.4%
1970–1979	12.0%
1960–1969	12.3%
1950–1959	11.4%
1940–1949	2.3%
1939 or earlier	7.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	16.2%
3 bedrooms	72.4%
4 bedrooms	11.4%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.6%
1 vehicle	25.3%
2 vehicles	41.3%
3 or more	28.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	37.4%
Propane / LP gas	62.6%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	101	35.9%
Cohabiting couple	22	7.8%
Male householder, no spouse	93	33.1%
Female householder, no spouse	65	23.1%
Households with children under 18	90	32.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	64	22.8%
Average household size	2.33

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	22.2%	55.0%
Married	41.4%	34.0%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	20.9%	5.3%
Divorced	15.5%	5.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.9%

Some HS, no diploma 8.5%

HS graduate 38.9%

Some college, no degree 21.3%

Associate's degree 7.6%

Bachelor's degree 18.0%

Graduate / professional 0.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	86.5%
Bachelor's or higher	18.7%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	24	13.6%
Elementary school	68	38.4%
High school	18	10.2%
College / grad school	67	37.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 42.9%

Retail trade 15.9%

Agriculture & mining 12.5%

Public administration 7.1%

Transportation & utilities 6.8%

Arts, food & hospitality 6.4%

Wholesale trade 3.0%

Other services 2.4%

Construction 2.0%

Manufacturing 1.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	29.4%
Service	26.7%
Sales & office	22.6%
Natural resources & construction	13.9%
Production & transportation	7.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	63.5%
Government	33.1%
Self-employed	3.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	92.5%
Carpool	7.5%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	25.9

Poverty

All people 26.5%

Under 18 years 41.8%

18 and over 22.2%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 41.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	28.5%
Retirement income	25.3%
Supplemental Security	10.3%
Cash public assistance	0.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	11.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.4%
High blood pressure	48.3%
High cholesterol	40.4%
Diabetes	16.4%
Heart disease	9.5%
Stroke	5.5%
Asthma	10.7%
Arthritis	34.1%
Kidney disease	4.3%
Pulmonary disease	10.1%
Cancer	7.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	22.0%
Binge drinking	12.2%
No physical activity	33.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.4%
Depression	21.2%
Fair or poor health	25.2%
Poor mental health	15.4%
Poor physical health	14.0%
No health insurance	21.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	80.1%
Visited dentist	53.8%
Cholesterol screening	89.5%
Teeth loss	19.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	47	9.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	10.5%
Under 18	1.4%
18–64 years	11.8%
65 and over	21.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	57.5%
Public insurance	37.2%
No insurance	15.1%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	620	94.5%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	656	100.0%
Born in same state	656	100.0%
Born in different state	488	74.4%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	109	16.6%
Italian	78	11.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	18	2.7%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	42.8%
Internet access	79.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 38720

What city is ZIP code 38720 in?

ZIP code 38720 is primarily assigned to Alligator, Mississippi.

What county is ZIP code 38720 in?

ZIP code 38720 falls within Bolivar County, Mississippi.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38720?

27% of residents in ZIP code 38720 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 38720 mostly owner-occupied?

80% of occupied units in ZIP code 38720 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 38720?

The median home value in ZIP code 38720 is $57,500.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 38720?

Health data for ZIP code 38720 shows elevated rates of diabetes (16%) and smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

What timezone is ZIP code 38720 in?

ZIP code 38720 observes the CST timezone.