Germantown 38138 vs. 38139: How the Zip Codes Differ

Germantown is one city with one City Hall, one tax rate and one parks system, but it is split across two zip codes: 38138 and 38139. If you are searching for a home here, you will see both numbers constantly, and it is fair to wonder what the difference actually is. The short version is that 38138 covers the older, more central part of Germantown and 38139 covers the newer east side toward Collierville and Eads. The longer version is below.

Where each zip code sits

Think of 38138 as the west and central part of town. It includes the historic center along Poplar Pike, the Poplar Avenue corridor and the civic area around Exeter Road. It borders several Memphis zip codes on its western edge.

38139 is the east side. Addresses along Dogwood Road, Wolf River Boulevard and Forest Hill-Irene Road generally fall here, and the zip touches Collierville (38017), Cordova (38018) and Eads (38028). The exact line between the two is not a single tidy road, so the reliable way to know which zip a specific house is in is simply to check the address rather than guess from a map.

One detail worth knowing: the 38139 zip code extends past the Germantown city limits. A home can carry a "38139" mailing address and still sit inside the Town of Collierville, with Collierville services and Collierville Schools. Mailing address and municipality are two different things, and it is worth confirming both before you get attached to a house.

How the homes differ

The two zip codes developed in different decades, and you can see it from the street. Germantown had about 5,000 residents in 1972 and more than 21,000 by 1980, so a great deal of the city was built in a short window.

In 38138 you will find many of the earlier subdivisions. Germantown Heights dates to 1957, and neighborhoods such as Poplar Estates and English Meadows followed in the 1960s. Census-based data describes the housing in 38138 as built mostly in the 1960s. Expect established streets, mature trees and a lot of one-story and split-level brick homes, many of which have been updated more than once.

In 38139, the housing is described as built mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, with newer construction farther east. The Dogwood-area subdivisions, including Dogwood Grove and Dogwood Trails, are here, along with later developments near Houston Levee Road and Forest Hill-Irene.

Recent sale prices reflect that difference in age and size. According to Redfin, the median sale price in August 2026 was about $440,000 in 38138 and about $652,000 in 38139. Those are one-month snapshots that move around, especially in a zip code with fewer than 100 sales, so treat them as a general picture and not a prediction for any single home.

Landmarks and schools by zip

Many of Germantown's best-known gathering places are in 38138. The Germantown Performing Arts Center and The Grove are at 1801 Exeter Road, and Oaklawn Garden is on Poplar Pike in the old part of town. Riverdale K-8 on Neshoba Road is in 38138 as well.

On the 38139 side you will find Cameron Brown Park on Farmington Boulevard and most of the Germantown Municipal School District campuses: Dogwood Elementary on Dogwood Road, Farmington Elementary on Cordes Road, Forest Hill Elementary on Forest Hill-Irene Road, and Houston Middle and Houston High on Wolf River Boulevard.

Germantown Elementary, Germantown Middle and Germantown High, often called the 3Gs, are physically in 38138. Under a December 2022 settlement, the elementary and middle schools are moving to Germantown's district over a multi-year transition, and the high school property is scheduled to transfer to the city by July 1, 2032. Because that transition is still playing out, the best step is to confirm the school assignment for a specific address directly with the district before you make an offer. School location and school zone are not the same thing, in either zip code.

What stays the same in both

Inside the Germantown city limits, the basics do not change with the zip code:

• Electricity and natural gas come from MLGW.
• Water, sewer and trash service come from the City of Germantown.
• The city property tax rate is $1.79 per $100 of assessed value, and the city's 2026-27 budget kept that rate flat. Shelby County's rate, set in mid-2026, is about $2.70 per $100. Residential property is assessed at 25 percent of its appraised value.
• City parks, the greenway system and city recreation programs are open to residents of both zips.

So the zip code tells you roughly where in Germantown a home is and roughly when the neighborhood was built. It does not tell you the school zone, the condition of the house or whether it suits how you live.

How to use this when you are looking

If you are drawn to older homes with large trees and a short drive to Poplar Avenue, start with 38138. If you want a newer floor plan or you are comparing Germantown with Collierville, spend time in 38139. Many people end up touring both, because the right house matters more than the last digit of the zip. Either way, verify three things for any address you like: the municipality, the school assignment and the utility providers.

If it would help to walk through a few streets in each part of Germantown or to check the details on a specific address, I am glad to do that with you. There is no pressure and no timeline. Reach out whenever it is useful.

Kelly Day, SRES, SRS, AHWD, PSA, RENE
Multi Million Dollar Club
Broker Lic # 365811
simpliHOM
901-289-9227
855-856-9466
[email protected]
https://memphishouselistings.com