Downtown Tupelo is in ZIP code 38804, where Zillow's typical home value was $204,377 in September 2026. Its K-5 zone is Carver and Lawhon.

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Sources: the City of Tupelo’s development code overlay districts (PDF) and overlay and historic district map, the Tupelo Public School District’s K-5 zone map (PDF), the Mississippi Succeeds Report Card, Zillow Research and OpenStreetMap.

Downtown Tupelo is the city’s Mixed Use Downtown overlay district: the commercial core around Main Street, the Lee County Courthouse and City Hall at Fairpark. Most homes here are apartments and lofts over storefronts, plus houses at the edges of the district. For shops, restaurants, events and parking, see our guide to downtown Tupelo; this page covers living here.

What this means for you

  • High school: Tupelo High School, the district’s only high school. The K-5 zone is Carver Elementary (K-1) and Lawhon Elementary (2-5).
  • Home values: $204,377 typical value in ZIP code 38804 in September 2026, by Zillow’s index.
  • Nearest I-22 exit: Exit 86 at U.S. 45, about 3.9 miles by road from the middle of the district.

Where it is

The district’s boundary is on the city’s overlay map. It covers the blocks around City Hall and the courthouse and runs east along East Main Street in the Gateway East corridor toward the Elvis Presley Birthplace. All of it is in ZIP code 38804, and it is split among City Council Wards 3, 4 and 5.

The code divides downtown into sub-districts, each with a stated purpose:

  • City Center Retail: shops, restaurants and entertainment, with “upper story residential development” to bring more people on foot, the code says.
  • Judicial: government offices and professional offices, with housing and lodging.
  • Financial: banks and professional services.
  • Coliseum: the area around the coliseum complex, with event spaces, lodging and services.
  • Gateway East: a walkable gateway along the Birthplace Trail from the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Veterans Park to downtown.
  • Fairgrounds (Fairpark): the redevelopment district around City Hall, under its own design review standards (PDF).

The city’s GIS layer also shows Gateway West and Major Development sub-districts.

Inside downtown are two National Register historic districts on the city’s map: the Downtown Tupelo Historic District, listed in 2014, and the North Broadway Historic District, listed in 1985. Our history and landmarks guide lists the individual buildings.

Building and remodeling

The base zoning is Mixed Use Downtown. Any building permit for construction, alteration, repair or demolition goes first to the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association Design Review Committee, the code says, under the city’s downtown design review guidelines (PDF) and the Downtown Historic District conservation overlay standards (PDF). Fairpark projects also follow the Fairpark design guidelines, and crosswalks must be brick pavers or brick-style stamped asphalt. Ask the Planning Division, 662-841-6510, before you buy a building you plan to change. Our building permits and zoning guide has the permit steps.

Schools

The Tupelo Public School District’s K-5 zone map (PDF) puts downtown in the Carver and Lawhon zone. Grades are the state’s 2025-26 accountability grades on the Mississippi Succeeds Report Card.

Grades School Address State grade, 2025-26
K-1 Carver Elementary 910 N. Green St. A
2-5 Lawhon Elementary 140 Lake St. A
6 Milam Elementary 720 W. Jefferson St. C
7-8 Tupelo Middle School 1009 Varsity Drive B
9-12 Tupelo High School 4125 Golden Wave Drive C

The zone map is a drawing, not an address lookup. Confirm a specific address with the district’s Student Support Services, 662-841-8955, or on the attendance zones page. More on every school: our schools guide.

Home values

Zillow does not publish a figure for downtown alone. For ZIP code 38804, the Zillow Home Value Index was $204,377 in September 2026, up 6.3% from $192,237 in September 2025. The citywide figure was $216,061. The index is a modeled typical value for the middle third of homes, not a sale price, and Mississippi deeds do not list sale prices. More: our home prices guide.

Parks and trails

  • Fairpark, 71 Troy St., next to City Hall: a free splash pad and playground.
  • Gumtree Park, 683 N. Front St., about a quarter mile north of the district: 22 acres with eight outdoor courts, two fields, a playground, an amphitheater and a half-mile walking trail, according to Tupelo Parks and Recreation.
  • Veterans Memorial Park, about half a mile east, has the Tupelo Aquatic Center and three disc golf courses. See our parks and trails guide.

Getting around

Distances are measured on the road network with OpenStreetMap data; they are distances, not drive times.

  • I-22: Exit 86 at U.S. 45 is about 3.9 miles from the middle of the district.
  • Tupelo Regional Airport: about 4 miles from City Hall.
  • Memphis International Airport: about 99 miles.
  • Tupelo Transit runs on-demand, curb-to-curb rides citywide on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; call 662-269-3735, the city says. There are no fixed bus routes.

More in our getting around guide.

Groceries and everyday stores

From OpenStreetMap, inside or next to the district:

  • Walgreens, West Main Street (inside the district) and North Gloster Street
  • Walmart Neighborhood Market, South Gloster Street
  • Kroger, West Main Street
  • Tupelo Family Pharmacy, East Main Street

Related: Tupelo neighborhoods, Mill Village and the Historic Downtown Neighborhood.

Frequently asked questions

Can you live in downtown Tupelo?

Yes. The city’s development code calls for upper-story homes in the City Center Retail sub-district and housing in the Judicial sub-district of the Mixed Use Downtown overlay. Downtown is in ZIP code 38804.

What schools serve downtown Tupelo?

On the Tupelo Public School District’s zone map, downtown is in the Carver and Lawhon zone for kindergarten through fifth grade. All district students then attend Milam Elementary for sixth grade, Tupelo Middle School and Tupelo High School.

What is the typical home value in downtown Tupelo?

Zillow’s typical home value for ZIP code 38804, which covers downtown, was $204,377 in September 2026, up 6.3% in a year. Zillow does not publish a figure for downtown alone.

Is there a park in downtown Tupelo?

Yes. Fairpark, next to City Hall at 71 Troy St., has a free splash pad and playground. Gumtree Park, 683 N. Front St., is about a quarter mile north of the downtown district.