38221 ZIP Code — Big Sandy, TN

Benton County, Tennessee

ZIP code 38221 is located in Big Sandy, Tennessee, within Benton County. It covers approximately 108.45 square miles and serves a population of 3,042 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 731.

About ZIP code 38221

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $104,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 76%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $50,208. Poverty affects 19% of residents, above the national average. 48% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with professional and management as the leading industry. The average commute of 33 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 9% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (15%), smoking (25%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 38221 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

3,042

population

108.45

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

38221 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 38221

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 38221. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Big Sandy	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

38256 Springville (6.1 mi) 37175 Stewart (9.8 mi) 38333 Eva (10.1 mi) 38222 Buchanan (12 mi) 38236 Mansfield (14.3 mi) 38320 Camden (14.8 mi) 37178 Tennessee Ridge (15 mi) 38242 Paris (18.6 mi) 38342 Hollow Rock (19 mi) 37058 Dover (19.1 mi) 37134 New Johnsonville (19.5 mi) 38317 Bruceton (19.7 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	3,042
Population density	28 / sq mi
State FIPS	47
County FIPS	005

Geography
Land area	108.45 sq mi
Water area	15.89 sq mi
Latitude	36.2729
Longitude	-88.0456
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	731

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	62.4%	58.9%	45.7%
$50k – $100k	28.1%	28.1%	30.9%
$100k – $200k	6.6%	10.9%	18.3%
Over $200k	2.9%	2.1%	5.1%

Demographics & statistics

3,042

Population

People per sq mi

53.6

Median age

$50,208

Median household income

$25,524

Per capita income

$104,300

Median home value

$645

Median monthly rent

75.7%

Home ownership

18.5%

Poverty rate

12.9%

Unemployment

1,557

Housing units

9.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

195

25–34

221

35–44

201

45–54

229

111

55–59

126

124

60–64

141

243

65–74

276

117

75–84

134

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	469	15.4%
18 and over	2,573	84.6%
65 and over	882	29.0%
Median age	53.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 96.1%

Two or more races 3.1%

Asian 0.7%

Black or African American 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	2,923	96.1%
Two or more races	94	3.1%
Asian	22	0.7%
Black or African American	3	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	62.4%	58.9%	45.7%
$50k – $100k	28.1%	28.1%	30.9%
$100k – $200k	6.6%	10.9%	18.3%
Over $200k	2.9%	2.1%	5.1%

Under $10k 9.1%

$10k–$15k 4.6%

$15k–$25k 10.4%

$25k–$35k 14.0%

$35k–$50k 11.3%

$50k–$75k 21.2%

$75k–$100k 19.3%

$100k–$150k 7.2%

$150k–$200k 1.8%

$200k+ 1.0%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.1%
$10k–$15k	4.6%
$15k–$25k	10.4%
$25k–$35k	14.0%
$35k–$50k	11.3%
$50k–$75k	21.2%
$75k–$100k	19.3%
$100k–$150k	7.2%
$150k–$200k	1.8%
$200k+	1.0%
Median income	$50,208

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 17.1%

$50k–$100k 31.1%

$100k–$150k 13.8%

$150k–$200k 13.0%

$200k–$300k 9.3%

$300k–$500k 7.1%

$500k–$1M 7.2%

$1M+ 1.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$104,300
Median rent / month	$645
Owner occupied	75.7%
Renter occupied	24.3%
Vacant	30.0%
Single-family detached	67.9%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	30.7%
Median rooms	5.1
Avg household size (owned)	2.25

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	7.8%
2000–2009	9.7%
1990–1999	17.5%
1980–1989	15.4%
1970–1979	18.3%
1960–1969	17.8%
1950–1959	11.0%
1940–1949	0.9%
1939 or earlier	1.7%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.9%
1 bedroom	1.8%
2 bedrooms	34.5%
3 bedrooms	55.2%
4 bedrooms	6.3%
5+ bedrooms	1.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.4%
1 vehicle	38.6%
2 vehicles	43.3%
3 or more	16.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	35.0%
Electricity	46.6%
Propane / LP gas	10.3%
Fuel oil	0.8%
Wood	6.6%
No fuel used	0.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	519	39.5%
Cohabiting couple	130	9.9%
Male householder, no spouse	221	16.8%
Female householder, no spouse	443	33.7%
Households with children under 18	276	21.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	619	47.1%
Average household size	2.32

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	29.5%	21.2%
Married	50.3%	37.0%
Separated	2.0%	7.0%
Widowed	2.9%	18.2%
Divorced	15.3%	16.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.7%

Some HS, no diploma 7.0%

HS graduate 45.8%

Some college, no degree 22.3%

Associate's degree 11.1%

Bachelor's degree 4.4%

Graduate / professional 4.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	88.3%
Bachelor's or higher	9.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	10	2.5%
Kindergarten	38	9.3%
Elementary school	190	46.6%
High school	114	27.9%
College / grad school	56	13.7%

Employment

Industry of employment

Professional & management 17.9%

Transportation & utilities 14.9%

Education & healthcare 13.3%

Manufacturing 12.9%

Retail trade 12.9%

Wholesale trade 8.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.0%

Other services 4.3%

Finance & real estate 3.8%

Construction 3.4%

Public administration 0.6%

Agriculture & mining 0.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	33.0%
Service	13.2%
Sales & office	18.7%
Natural resources & construction	8.5%
Production & transportation	26.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	82.6%
Government	7.0%
Self-employed	10.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	82.1%
Carpool	6.8%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.3%
Work from home	9.5%
Other means	1.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	32.5

Poverty

All people 18.5%

Under 18 years 19.2%

18 and over 18.4%

Married-couple families 10.2%

Female-led households 8.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	47.7%
Retirement income	28.9%
Supplemental Security	6.1%
Cash public assistance	0.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	10.1%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	38.6%
High blood pressure	45.1%
High cholesterol	42.6%
Diabetes	15.4%
Heart disease	9.9%
Stroke	4.5%
Asthma	10.6%
Arthritis	36.6%
Kidney disease	3.8%
Pulmonary disease	12.3%
Cancer	8.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	25.4%
Binge drinking	12.3%
No physical activity	29.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.5%
Depression	26.7%
Fair or poor health	21.1%
Poor mental health	16.6%
Poor physical health	14.5%
No health insurance	16.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	77.3%
Visited dentist	54.8%
Cholesterol screening	91.6%
Teeth loss	19.9%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	181	7.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	21.1%
Under 18	4.3%
18–64 years	14.0%
65 and over	43.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	57.1%
Public insurance	46.0%
No insurance	12.1%
Uninsured under 19	6.1%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,909	95.6%
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)	2,995	98.5%
Born in same state	2,983	98.1%
Born in different state	1,739	57.2%
Foreign born	12	0.4%
Naturalized citizen	47	1.5%
Not a US citizen	47	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	1,061	34.9%
French	340	11.2%
Italian	294	9.7%
Irish	28	0.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	18	0.6%
Norwegian	9	0.3%
Polish	4	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	43.2%
Internet access	87.7%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 38221

What city is ZIP code 38221 in?

ZIP code 38221 is primarily assigned to Big Sandy, Tennessee.

What county is ZIP code 38221 in?

ZIP code 38221 falls within Benton County, Tennessee.

Does ZIP code 38221 have an older population?

29% of residents in ZIP code 38221 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 38221?

9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 38221 have a large retiree population?

48% of households in ZIP code 38221 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 38221?

19% of residents in ZIP code 38221 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 38221 in?

ZIP code 38221 observes the CST timezone.