PlainZIP

Calera, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35040

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

14,965
76/sq mi
$84,554
Median income
$232,300
Median home value
34.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Calera pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 33%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 47%
home value, US ZIPs
76
people per sq mi
79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35040 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35040 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Calera, Shelby County, Alabama, home to 14,965 residents across 197.7 square miles, a density of 76 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35040 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $84,554 (39% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $37,805. Local economic indicators show a 7.9% poverty rate alongside 2.3% unemployment. Housing costs here run $232,300 for a typical home value (31% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,512 a month; 78.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.3, and the average commute is 33 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 4 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 35040, plus 6 more within Shelby County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 35040

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Calera, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35040.

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 35040, Calera, 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

14,965

Population

197.7

Area (sq mi)

76

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 35040?

35.3

Median Age

50.2%

Male

49.8%

Female

5.4%

Foreign-Born

White 63.2%
African American 28.5%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%

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?

$84,554

Median Household Income

+39% vs state

$37,805

Per Capita Income

7.9%

Poverty Rate

2.3%

Unemployment Rate

32.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35040 ranks nationally

Calera, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$84,554 Top 33% higher than 67% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.8%

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

What does housing look like?

7,818

Total Housing Units

7,358

Occupied Units

460

Vacant Units

2.62

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.9%
Renter 21.1%

$232,300

Median Home Value

+31% vs state

$1,512

Median Rent

2005

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

+4.8%

YoY Change (2024)

205

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+105%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35040 have increased 4.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +105% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.8% 142
2021 +8.4% 154
2022 +19.7% 185
2023 +6.2% 196
2024 +4.8% 205

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 312 business establishments in ZIP 35040, employing approximately 5,709 people with a combined annual payroll of $375,832,000.

312

Businesses

5,709

Employees

$375.8M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 57 18.3%
Accommodation and food services 36 11.5%
Construction 31 9.9%
Other services (except public administration) 26 8.3%
Health care and social assistance 24 7.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 21 6.7%
Wholesale trade 18 5.8%
Transportation and warehousing 18 5.8%
Manufacturing 17 5.5%
Finance and insurance 16 5.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 3.9%
Information 10 3.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 10 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.6%
Educational services 4 1.3%

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 35040 vs 35085 →

ZIP 35040 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 35040 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 35040 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 35040 ranks #3 of 5 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
35085 Jemison, AL 8,933 8.6 mi
35007 Alabaster, AL 26,225 8.7 mi
35051 Columbiana, AL 8,787 9.5 mi
35114 Alabaster, AL 7,172 11.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Shelby County

35242 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 49,545
35007 standard
Alabaster, AL
Pop: 26,225
35124 standard
Pelham, AL
Pop: 23,020
35080 standard
Helena, AL
Pop: 15,881
35094 standard
Leeds, AL
Pop: 14,212
35115 standard
Montevallo, AL
Pop: 14,118

Related Areas

Shelby County Calera, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35040 in? ▼
ZIP code 35040 (Calera) is located in Shelby County, Alabama. Shelby County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/shelby-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35040? ▼
ZIP code 35040 in Calera, AL has a population of 14,965 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35040? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35040 is $84,554, which is 11% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35040? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35040 is $232,300, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35040? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35040 is White at 63.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35040? ▼
ZIP code 35040 has 312 business establishments employing approximately 5,709 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35040? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35040 are: Retail trade (57), Accommodation and food services (36), Construction (31). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35040? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35040 increased by 4.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 105%. 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 35040? ▼
In ZIP code 35040, 60.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.8% 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 35040? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35040 is 32.7 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 35040? ▼
In ZIP code 35040, approximately 78.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35040? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35040 is 7.9% 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.