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Union City city, TN

ZIP Code 38261 — Union City city, TN Demographics & Data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.

Working ClassLow Snow Area

Map, Quick Facts & Location

Quick Facts

Local time
Population
16,338
Median Income
$52,884
-30% vs US avg
Home Value
$141,900
-59% vs US avg
Median Rent
$534
-54% vs US avg
Median Age
39.7 yrs
+2% vs US avg
Area Code
Congress
Top Ancestry
AmericanEnglishIrish
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Location
Coordinates
36.4289, -89.1135
Elevation
350 ft
Land Area
186.4 sq mi
Water Area
6.7 sq mi (3% water)

At a glance

Population
16,338
Density
N/A
Median income
$52,884
-30% vs US avg
Home value
$141,900
-59% vs US avg
Median rent
$534
-54% vs US avg
Timezone

Overview of ZIP Code 38261

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What to know about ZIP 38261

ZIP code 38261 covers Union City, TN in Obion County with a population of about 16,338.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 39.7 (near the U.S. median).

It sits in telephone area code 731; U.S. House district TN-8; the PADUCAH - CAPE GIRAR D - HARSBG media market.

Income and economy in Union City, TN

Median household income in ZIP 38261 is about $52,884 — about 30% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 19.1%; unemployment rate near 5.0%; 20.4% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 13.3 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Retail trade; about 4.3% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 10.9 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Housing and affordability in ZIP 38261

Median home value is about $141,900 — about 59% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $534 (about 54% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 60.5% (about 4.9 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 38261 in Union City, TN, a household would need roughly $39,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $912. That sits below the local median household income ($52,884), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

Climate risk and migration signals

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Union City city, TN as Relatively Moderate (composite score 81.3), which is elevated versus much of the country. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (48.4) and flood (38.1). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Union City city, TN show little to no average snow and around 53.8 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 579 for ZIP 38261 (Union City city, TN) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.

Nearby (from this ZIP)

Airport PAH (47.5 miles (76.5 km)) · The University of Tennessee-Martin (15.2 miles (24.4 km)) · Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (40.7 miles (65.5 km)) · VA: Dyersburg, Tennessee CBOC (30.3 miles (48.8 km))

Full lists and map pins are in the Infrastructure section below.