38544 ZIP Code, Baxter, TN
38544 is a ZIP code in Baxter, Tennessee — mostly in Putnam County (91% of its land), with smaller parts in DeKalb County. It covers 79 square miles of land. The closest ZIP codes are 38582, 38545 and 38503. 8,175 people live here in 3,078 households. With about 103 people per square mile it is lightly settled, and most homes are owner-occupied (79%). Median household income is $69,823, close to the Tennessee median of $69,595.
Quick facts
- Mailing city: Baxter, TN
- County: Putnam County
- Land area: 79 sq mi
- Population: 8,175
- Median household income: $69,823
- Carrier routes: 7 (3,662 homes)
Key figures
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Residents | 8,175 |
| Households | 3,078 |
| Median household income | $69,823 |
| Income per person | $31,331 |
| Median age | 40.9 |
| Homeowners | 78.8% |
| Median home value | $245,100 |
| Median rent | $955 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% |
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.7 |
| Households with kids under 18 | 33.3% |
| Moved in the past year | 4.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.2% |
| Broadband internet | 91.0% |
| Speak a non-English language at home | 7.6% |
Household income
| % of households | Value |
|---|---|
| <$10K | 3.8% |
| $10–15K | 2.5% |
| $15–25K | 11.3% |
| $25–35K | 4.7% |
| $35–50K | 12.8% |
| $50–75K | 20.3% |
| $75–100K | 15.1% |
| $100–150K | 16.5% |
| $150–200K | 6.2% |
| $200K+ | 6.8% |
Age
| % of all residents | Value |
|---|---|
| <10 | 11.3% |
| 10–19 | 16.6% |
| 20–24 | 4.0% |
| 25–34 | 9.6% |
| 35–44 | 14.6% |
| 45–54 | 16.6% |
| 55–64 | 10.9% |
| 65–74 | 10.3% |
| 75+ | 6.2% |
Tenure
| % of housing units | Value |
|---|---|
| Owned, with mortgage | 35.5% |
| Owned outright | 33.0% |
| Rented | 18.2% |
| Vacant | 13.3% |
Type of building
| % of housing units | Value |
|---|---|
| Detached house | 79.9% |
| Townhome | 0.8% |
| 2–4 units | 2.3% |
| 5–19 units | 1.3% |
| 20+ units | 0.4% |
| Mobile / other | 15.2% |
Businesses in 38544
92 business establishments with 868 employees (ZIP Codes Business Patterns 2023).
- Retail Trade: 18
- Other Services (except Public Administration): 12
- Construction: 11
- Health Care and Social Assistance: 10
- Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services: 8
- Manufacturing: 6
- Accommodation and Food Services: 6
- Transportation and Warehousing: 5
EDDM carrier routes
38544 has 7 USPS carrier routes with 3,662 residential and 97 business mailboxes. Open the EDDM route map.
Carrier routes in 38544
38544 has 7 USPS carrier routes (7 rural (R)) with 3,662 residential and 97 business mailboxes. Routes range from 453 homes (R031) to 597 homes (R034); the median route has 519 homes. The Census counted 3,078 households in 38544 (2020–2024 average); USPS counts current mailboxes, including new and vacant homes.
| Homes per route | Routes |
|---|---|
| 1–249 | 0 |
| 250–499 | 2 |
| 500–749 | 5 |
| 750–999 | 0 |
| 1,000–1,499 | 0 |
| 1,500+ | 0 |
Best routes in 38544 for…
Most businesses
For B2B offers: office supplies, cleaning, IT, catering and commercial services.
- Route R034 — USPS business mailboxes 26, 597 homes
- Route R035 — USPS business mailboxes 23, 549 homes
- Route R037 — USPS business mailboxes 20, 519 homes
- Route R031 — USPS business mailboxes 11, 453 homes
- Route R032 — USPS business mailboxes 10, 511 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Every carrier route in 38544
| Route | Type | Homes | Businesses | Est. median income | Est. owners | Est. families with kids | Est. moved in past year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R031 | Rural | 453 | 11 | $60,843 | — | — | — |
| R032 | Rural | 511 | 10 | $90,486 | — | — | — |
| R033 | Rural | 490 | 2 | $85,781 | — | — | — |
| R034 | Rural | 597 | 26 | $68,381 | — | — | — |
| R035 | Rural | 549 | 23 | $53,208 | — | — | — |
| R036 | Rural | 543 | 5 | $46,584 | — | — | — |
| R037 | Rural | 519 | 20 | $53,208 | — | — | — |
Income, owners, families and movers are estimates for each route (how we estimate them); mailbox counts are current USPS figures. Open 38544 on the EDDM route map.
How route demographics are estimated
Mailbox counts come from USPS; demographics are estimates
The number of homes and businesses on each carrier route is the current USPS EDDM count. The Census Bureau does not publish figures for carrier routes, so income, homeownership, ages, families, movers and housing age on a route are EDDM2GO estimates built from Census block groups (neighborhood areas of roughly 600 to 3,000 people).
How a route gets its figures: the block-group length-share method
We trace each route's streets every 25 meters and record which block group each stretch falls in. The route's homes are spread along its streets in proportion to length, so a route with 60% of its street length in one block group is assumed to have 60% of its homes there. Each block group then contributes its Census counts in proportion to the share of its housing units that sit on the route (capped at the whole block group). Medians are recalculated from the combined income, home-value and age brackets, the way the Census Bureau computes them, not averaged.
Margins of error
Census survey figures carry a margin of error at 90% confidence; we carry it through the calculation and show it as ±. Our margins treat the route-to-block-group split as exact, so the real uncertainty is larger. Routes with fewer than 100 estimated households, large margins, or streets we could not place are flagged.
Different years
USPS mailbox counts are current. Census figures are 5-year averages for 2020–2024, so a new subdivision may have more homes on the route today than the Census counted. Use the route figures to compare routes with each other, not as an exact head count.
Why some routes show identical figures
Two routes that run through the same block group get the same percentages and medians, because the Census publishes one set of figures for the whole block group. Their mailbox counts still differ, and those are exact.
Route and mailbox counts: USPS EDDM route data. Route demographics: EDDM2GO estimates from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year block-group data (2020–2024) and 2024 cartographic block-group boundaries. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Nearby ZIP codes
- 38582 (6.3 mi)
- 38545 (8.4 mi)
- 38503 — Cookeville city, TN (9 mi)
- 38548 (9 mi)
- 38505 — Cookeville city, TN (9.3 mi)
- 38501 — Cookeville city, TN (10.4 mi)
- 38564 (11.6 mi)
- 38569 (11.6 mi)
Areas that include 38544
- Baxter, TN ZIP codes — 1 ZIP code
- Putnam County ZIP codes — 9 ZIP codes
- Tennessee ZIP code data
Where it ranks
- No. 3 of 6: highest median household income in Putnam County
- No. 5 of 7: highest median home value in Putnam County
- No. 3 of 7: highest share of owner-occupied homes in Putnam County
- No. 2 of 7: highest share of households with children in Putnam County
- No. 4 of 7: lowest median age in Putnam County
- No. 4 of 7: highest median age in Putnam County
- No. 1 of 6: fastest population growth in Putnam County
Mail every home in 38544
Route counts on this page price as Full Service 6.5 × 9 postcards: we print, bundle by carrier route and hand the mailing to USPS. Prefer to take it to the Post Office yourself? Print only costs less and you pay postage at drop-off.
EDDM guides
ZIP code statistics describe the Census ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 38544, which approximates the USPS ZIP code area. Census figures: American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024.
Frequently asked questions
- What city is 38544 in?
- 38544 is a Baxter, TN mailing address. By land area, 4% lies inside Baxter; the rest is outside any Census-defined city or community.
- What county is 38544 in?
- 38544 is mostly in Putnam County (91% of its land), with smaller parts in DeKalb County.
- What is the population of 38544?
- About 8,175 people (±840), according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2020–2024. The 2020 Census counted 7,435.
- What is the median household income in 38544?
- $69,823 (±$5,445), compared with $69,595 for Tennessee as a whole. Half the households in the ZIP code earn more and half earn less.
- How many carrier routes and mailboxes are in 38544?
- 7 USPS carrier routes with 3,662 residential and 97 business mailboxes (3,760 in all), from the route data stored by EDDM2GO. An EDDM mailing can target any combination of these routes.
- What ZIP codes are near 38544?
- The closest, measured center to center: 38582 (6.3 mi), 38545 (8.4 mi), 38503 (9 mi, Cookeville), 38548 (9 mi), 38505 (9.3 mi, Cookeville) and 38501 (10.4 mi, Cookeville).
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.