38642 ZIP Code — Lamar, MS

Marshall County, Mississippi

ZIP code 38642 is located in Lamar, Mississippi, within Marshall County. It covers approximately 75.32 square miles and serves a population of 2,047 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 662.

About ZIP code 38642

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $117,900. Owner-occupancy is high at 78%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $56,768. SNAP benefit usage at 20% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 46% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 26 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 10% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 38642 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,047

population

75.32

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

38642 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 38642

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 38642. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Lamar	Acceptable
Lamar	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

38647 Michigan City (7.8 mi) 38057 Moscow (11 mi) 38603 Ashland (11.5 mi) 38039 Grand Junction (13 mi) 38661 Red Banks (13.4 mi) 38635 Holly Springs (14.8 mi) 38066 Rossville (16.5 mi) 38076 Williston (16.6 mi) 38076 Williston (16.6 mi) 38076 Williston (16.6 mi) 38042 Hickory Valley (19 mi) 38067 Saulsbury (19.8 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,047
Population density	27 / sq mi
State FIPS	28
County FIPS	093

Geography
Land area	75.32 sq mi
Water area	0.24 sq mi
Latitude	34.9192
Longitude	-89.3211
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	58.1%	54.0%	52.9%
$50k – $100k	29.6%	27.6%	28.4%
$100k – $200k	12.2%	15.2%	15.3%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.2%	3.4%

Demographics & statistics

2,047

Population

People per sq mi

36.1

Median age

$56,768

Median household income

$28,458

Per capita income

$117,900

Median home value

$618

Median monthly rent

78.2%

Home ownership

9.8%

Poverty rate

1.6%

Unemployment

651

Housing units

9.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

225

25–34

223

170

35–44

168

45–54

55–59

149

60–64

148

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	342	16.7%
18 and over	1,705	83.3%
65 and over	254	12.4%
Median age	36.1 years

Race & ethnicity

Black or African American 54.3%

White 38%

Two or more races 7.5%

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%

Group	Count	%
Black or African American	1,112	54.3%
White	777	38%
Two or more races	153	7.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	5	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	58.1%	54.0%	52.9%
$50k – $100k	29.6%	27.6%	28.4%
$100k – $200k	12.2%	15.2%	15.3%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.2%	3.4%

Under $10k 4.0%

$10k–$15k 7.4%

$15k–$25k 5.8%

$25k–$35k 0.4%

$35k–$50k 19.8%

$50k–$75k 25.9%

$75k–$100k 18.2%

$100k–$150k 1.6%

$150k–$200k 11.4%

$200k+ 5.4%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.0%
$10k–$15k	7.4%
$15k–$25k	5.8%
$25k–$35k	0.4%
$35k–$50k	19.8%
$50k–$75k	25.9%
$75k–$100k	18.2%
$100k–$150k	1.6%
$150k–$200k	11.4%
$200k+	5.4%
Median income	$56,768

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 13.8%

$50k–$100k 21.1%

$100k–$150k 28.9%

$150k–$200k 16.1%

$200k–$300k 12.8%

$300k–$500k 2.5%

$500k–$1M 5.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$117,900
Median rent / month	$618
Owner occupied	78.2%
Renter occupied	21.8%
Vacant	5.9%
Single-family detached	77.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	23.0%
Median rooms	6.0
Avg household size (owned)	2.92

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	2.2%
2000–2009	6.8%
1990–1999	24.2%
1980–1989	26.5%
1970–1979	9.0%
1960–1969	12.3%
1950–1959	13.8%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	5.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	24.9%
3 bedrooms	55.1%
4 bedrooms	20.0%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	16.5%
2 vehicles	47.9%
3 or more	35.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	15.8%
Electricity	39.7%
Propane / LP gas	28.9%
Wood	15.6%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	268	34.8%
Cohabiting couple	34	4.4%
Male householder, no spouse	220	28.5%
Female householder, no spouse	249	32.3%
Households with children under 18	213	27.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	229	29.7%
Average household size	2.65

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	38.3%	44.6%
Married	32.7%	25.8%
Separated	0.0%	6.1%
Widowed	17.1%	7.6%
Divorced	11.9%	15.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 16.5%

Some HS, no diploma 17.4%

HS graduate 31.5%

Some college, no degree 19.8%

Associate's degree 5.1%

Bachelor's degree 2.6%

Graduate / professional 7.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	66.1%
Bachelor's or higher	9.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	232	57.4%
High school	77	19.1%
College / grad school	95	23.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 22.4%

Wholesale trade 21.7%

Arts, food & hospitality 12.8%

Transportation & utilities 11.3%

Retail trade 10.5%

Construction 7.0%

Public administration 4.4%

Professional & management 3.5%

Manufacturing 3.0%

Agriculture & mining 2.7%

Finance & real estate 0.8%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	26.2%
Service	18.6%
Sales & office	16.9%
Natural resources & construction	11.7%
Production & transportation	26.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	73.5%
Government	21.5%
Self-employed	4.9%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	84.3%
Carpool	9.9%
Public transit	1.0%
Walk	4.0%
Work from home	0.9%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	25.9

Poverty

All people 9.8%

Under 18 years 5.3%

18 and over 10.7%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 18.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	46.0%
Retirement income	29.6%
Supplemental Security	20.2%
Cash public assistance	0.9%
Food stamps / SNAP	20.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	42.2%
High blood pressure	44.2%
High cholesterol	34.9%
Diabetes	13.8%
Heart disease	6.7%
Stroke	4.2%
Asthma	10.5%
Arthritis	28.5%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	7.3%
Cancer	5.7%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.0%
Binge drinking	13.2%
No physical activity	30.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	36.6%
Depression	20.3%
Fair or poor health	21.7%
Poor mental health	15.3%
Poor physical health	11.3%
No health insurance	22.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.7%
Visited dentist	50.8%
Cholesterol screening	89.2%
Teeth loss	20.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	111	6.5%

Disability	%
Any disability	14.3%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	14.7%
65 and over	31.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	53.0%
Public insurance	42.8%
No insurance	14.3%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,014	98.4%
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)	2,038	99.6%
Born in same state	2,038	99.6%
Born in different state	1,499	73.2%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	9	0.4%
Not a US citizen	9	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	403	19.7%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	26	1.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.7%
Internet access	88.1%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 38642

What city is ZIP code 38642 in?

ZIP code 38642 is primarily assigned to Lamar, Mississippi.

What county is ZIP code 38642 in?

ZIP code 38642 falls within Benton County, Mississippi.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 38642?

10% 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 38642 have a large retiree population?

46% of households in ZIP code 38642 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 38642?

The median home value in ZIP code 38642 is $117,900.

What is the population of ZIP code 38642?

ZIP code 38642 has an estimated population of 2,047 residents, with a density of 27 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 38642 in?

ZIP code 38642 observes the CST timezone.