PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35205

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

19,686
2,100/sq mi
$51,158
Median income
$293,800
Median home value
58.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Birmingham pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

16th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 34%
home value, US ZIPs
2,100
people per sq mi
33%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35205 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35205 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, home to 19,686 residents across 9.4 square miles, a density of 2,100 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35205 reports a modest median household income of $51,158 (16% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $45,277. The poverty rate stands at 16.4% and the unemployment rate at 4.4%. Housing costs here run $293,800 for a typical home value (66% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,084 a month; 32.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 58.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.1, and the average commute is 16 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Jefferson County, letting you compare 35205 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 35205

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35205.

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 35205, Birmingham, 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

19,686

Population

9.4

Area (sq mi)

2,100

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 35205?

30.1

Median Age

48.2%

Male

51.8%

Female

8.6%

Foreign-Born

White 62.4%
African American 24.9%
Asian 5.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%

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?

$51,158

Median Household Income

-16% vs state

$45,277

Per Capita Income

16.4%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

16.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35205 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$51,158 16th percentile higher than 16% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 73.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 58.0%

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

What does housing look like?

12,087

Total Housing Units

9,926

Occupied Units

2,161

Vacant Units

1.52

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 32.8%
Renter 67.2%

$293,800

Median Home Value

+66% vs state

$1,084

Median Rent

1961

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

-0.5%

YoY Change (2024)

253

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+153%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35205 have decreased 0.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +153% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.5% 203
2021 +8.1% 220
2022 +11.0% 244
2023 +4.5% 255
2024 -0.5% 253

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 600 business establishments in ZIP 35205, employing approximately 12,585 people with a combined annual payroll of $873,342,000.

600

Businesses

12,585

Employees

$873.3M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 137 22.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 114 19.0%
Accommodation and food services 63 10.5%
Other services (except public administration) 59 9.8%
Finance and insurance 47 7.8%
Retail trade 46 7.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 32 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 3.7%
Construction 20 3.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 16 2.7%
Wholesale trade 12 2.0%
Information 9 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 8 1.3%
Educational services 6 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.0%
Manufacturing 3 0.5%

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 35205 vs 35233 →

ZIP 35205 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 35205 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 35205 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 35205 ranks #5 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
35233 Birmingham, AL 1,308 1.0 mi
35203 Birmingham, AL 3,798 1.6 mi
35209 Birmingham, AL 29,544 2.1 mi
35229 Birmingham, AL 940 2.3 mi
35234 Birmingham, AL 6,311 3.2 mi
35204 Birmingham, AL 10,337 2.6 mi
35222 Birmingham, AL 7,884 3.0 mi
35254 Birmingham, AL 1,403 3.2 mi
35208 Birmingham, AL 14,855 4.1 mi
35213 Birmingham, AL 13,185 3.9 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 Birmingham, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35205 in? ▼
ZIP code 35205 (Birmingham) 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 35205? ▼
ZIP code 35205 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 19,686 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35205? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35205 is $51,158, which is 33% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35205? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35205 is $293,800, which is 6% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35205? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35205 is White at 62.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35205? ▼
ZIP code 35205 has 600 business establishments employing approximately 12,585 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35205? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35205 are: Health care and social assistance (137), Professional, scientific, and technical services (114), Accommodation and food services (63). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35205? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35205 decreased by 0.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 153%. 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 35205? ▼
In ZIP code 35205, 73.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 58.0% 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 35205? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35205 is 16.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 35205? ▼
In ZIP code 35205, approximately 32.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 67.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35205? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35205 is 16.4% 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.