PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35206

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

17,177
649/sq mi
$42,549
Median income
$153,500
Median home value
21.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Birmingham pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

7th pct
household income, US ZIPs
27th pct
home value, US ZIPs
649
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35206 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35206 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, home to 17,177 residents across 26.5 square miles, a density of 649 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35206 reports a modest median household income of $42,549 (30% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $25,470. The poverty rate stands at 23.7% and the unemployment rate at 10.5%. On housing, the median home value is $153,500 (13% below the state average) with median rent at $1,024 per month, and 48.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.6, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 35206, plus 6 more within Jefferson 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 35206

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35206.

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 35206, 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

17,177

Population

26.5

Area (sq mi)

649

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 35206?

42.6

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

4.3%

Foreign-Born

White 22.1%
African American 71.1%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$42,549

Median Household Income

-30% vs state

$25,470

Per Capita Income

23.7%

Poverty Rate

10.5%

Unemployment Rate

21.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35206 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$42,549 7th percentile higher than 7% 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 55.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.5%

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

What does housing look like?

7,915

Total Housing Units

6,441

Occupied Units

1,474

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.9%
Renter 51.1%

$153,500

Median Home Value

-13% vs state

$1,024

Median Rent

1958

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

+9.0%

YoY Change (2024)

230

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+130%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35206 have increased 9.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +130% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +10.6% 154
2021 +14.2% 175
2022 +14.7% 201
2023 +4.8% 211
2024 +9.0% 230

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 187 business establishments in ZIP 35206, employing approximately 2,069 people with a combined annual payroll of $74,921,000.

187

Businesses

2,069

Employees

$74.9M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 44 23.5%
Other services (except public administration) 40 21.4%
Health care and social assistance 20 10.7%
Accommodation and food services 17 9.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 7.5%
Finance and insurance 10 5.3%
Construction 9 4.8%
Information 6 3.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 6 3.2%
Manufacturing 4 2.1%
Transportation and warehousing 3 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 1.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 1.6%
Educational services 3 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.6%

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 35206 vs 35212 →

ZIP 35206 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 35206 ranks #3 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 35206 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 35206 ranks #7 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
35212 Birmingham, AL 11,539 2.7 mi
35210 Birmingham, AL 13,952 3.2 mi
35217 Birmingham, AL 13,729 3.8 mi
35215 Birmingham, AL 46,951 5.5 mi
35213 Birmingham, AL 13,185 4.7 mi
35222 Birmingham, AL 7,884 4.5 mi
35223 Birmingham, AL 11,043 5.9 mi
35207 Birmingham, AL 9,010 6.3 mi
35234 Birmingham, AL 6,311 5.5 mi
35235 Birmingham, AL 19,484 5.3 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 35206 in? ▼
ZIP code 35206 (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 35206? ▼
ZIP code 35206 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 17,177 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35206? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35206 is $42,549, which is 44% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35206? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35206 is $153,500, which is 45% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35206? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35206 is African American at 71.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35206? ▼
ZIP code 35206 has 187 business establishments employing approximately 2,069 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35206? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35206 are: Retail trade (44), Other services (except public administration) (40), Health care and social assistance (20). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35206? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35206 increased by 9.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 130%. 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 35206? ▼
In ZIP code 35206, 55.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.5% 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 35206? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35206 is 21.4 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 35206? ▼
In ZIP code 35206, approximately 48.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35206? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35206 is 23.7% 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.