PlainZIP

Bessemer, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35023

Jefferson County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

25,436
109/sq mi
$69,863
Median income
$161,800
Median home value
17.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bessemer pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

46th pct
household income, US ZIPs
30th pct
home value, US ZIPs
109
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35023 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35023 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bessemer, Jefferson County, Alabama, with 25,436 residents across 234.0 square miles, a density of 109 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35023 reports a modest median household income of $69,863 (15% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $28,830. The poverty rate stands at 13.5% and the unemployment rate at 6.4%. Housing costs here run $161,800 for a typical home value (9% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,266 a month; 84.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is 29 minutes. To put 35023 in local context, 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Jefferson County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 35023

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bessemer, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35023.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 35023, Bessemer, AL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

25,436

Population

234.0

Area (sq mi)

109

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 35023?

40.3

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

3.4%

Foreign-Born

White 58.8%
African American 31.8%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$69,863

Median Household Income

+15% vs state

$28,830

Per Capita Income

13.5%

Poverty Rate

6.4%

Unemployment Rate

28.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35023 ranks nationally

Bessemer, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$69,863 46th percentile higher than 46% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 54.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

9,918

Total Housing Units

8,679

Occupied Units

1,239

Vacant Units

2.80

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.9%
Renter 15.1%

$161,800

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$1,266

Median Rent

1974

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+8.1%

YoY Change (2024)

199

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+99%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35023 have increased 8.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +99% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.5% 135
2021 +9.8% 149
2022 +17.1% 174
2023 +5.8% 184
2024 +8.1% 199

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 376 business establishments in ZIP 35023, employing approximately 5,433 people with a combined annual payroll of $290,479,000.

376

Businesses

5,433

Employees

$290.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 75 19.9%
Other services (except public administration) 61 16.2%
Construction 45 12.0%
Accommodation and food services 45 12.0%
Health care and social assistance 29 7.7%
Finance and insurance 20 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 4.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 4.0%
Wholesale trade 14 3.7%
Manufacturing 13 3.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 13 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 12 3.2%
Information 5 1.3%
Utilities 3 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 35023 vs 35118 →

ZIP 35023 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35023 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 35023 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 35023 ranks #3 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
35118 Mulga, AL 3,138 5.3 mi
35127 Pleasant Grove, AL 10,099 6.9 mi
35061 Dolomite, AL 1,465 7.9 mi
35006 Adger, AL 3,121 6.6 mi
35224 Birmingham, AL 6,094 9.2 mi
35020 Bessemer, AL 27,139 9.3 mi
35005 Adamsville, AL 7,942 10.2 mi
35060 Docena, AL 414 10.5 mi
35022 Bessemer, AL 18,888 12.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Jefferson County

35215 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 46,951
35216 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 36,408
35244 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 32,390
35226 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 31,471
35209 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 29,544
35020 standard
Bessemer, AL
Pop: 27,139

Related Areas

Jefferson County Bessemer, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35023 in? ▼
ZIP code 35023 (Bessemer) is located in Jefferson County, Alabama. Jefferson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/jefferson-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35023? ▼
ZIP code 35023 in Bessemer, AL has a population of 25,436 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35023? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35023 is $69,863, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35023? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35023 is $161,800, which is 42% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35023? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35023 is White at 58.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35023? ▼
ZIP code 35023 has 376 business establishments employing approximately 5,433 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35023? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35023 are: Retail trade (75), Other services (except public administration) (61), Construction (45). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35023? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35023 increased by 8.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 99%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35023? ▼
In ZIP code 35023, 54.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 35023? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35023 is 28.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 35023? ▼
In ZIP code 35023, approximately 84.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35023? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35023 is 13.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.