PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35208

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

14,855
1,626/sq mi
$38,561
Median income
$97,100
Median home value
20.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Birmingham pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
9th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,626
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35208 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35208 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, home to 14,855 residents across 9.1 square miles, a density of 1,626 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35208 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $38,561 (37% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $23,809. 23.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.5%. On housing, the median home value is $97,100 (45% below the state average) with median rent at $1,031 per month, and 64.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.4, and the average commute is 22 minutes. To put 35208 in local context, 10 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 35208

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35208.

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 35208, 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

14,855

Population

9.1

Area (sq mi)

1,626

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 35208?

43.4

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

3.8%

Foreign-Born

White 4.5%
African American 92.8%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.7%
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%

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?

$38,561

Median Household Income

-37% vs state

$23,809

Per Capita Income

23.0%

Poverty Rate

7.5%

Unemployment Rate

21.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35208 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$38,561 5th percentile higher than 5% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 53.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.1%

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

What does housing look like?

7,152

Total Housing Units

5,659

Occupied Units

1,493

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.2%
Renter 35.8%

$97,100

Median Home Value

-45% vs state

$1,031

Median Rent

1954

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

-8.9%

YoY Change (2024)

156

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+56%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35208 have decreased 8.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +56% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -15.3% 125
2021 +27.3% 160
2022 +13.0% 180
2023 -5.0% 171
2024 -8.9% 156

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 139 business establishments in ZIP 35208, employing approximately 1,322 people with a combined annual payroll of $55,851,000.

139

Businesses

1,322

Employees

$55.9M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 45 32.4%
Accommodation and food services 27 19.4%
Other services (except public administration) 18 12.9%
Finance and insurance 11 7.9%
Health care and social assistance 8 5.8%
Wholesale trade 7 5.0%
Transportation and warehousing 5 3.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 2.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 2.9%
Information 3 2.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 2.2%

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 35208 vs 35218 →

ZIP 35208 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 35208 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 35208 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 35208 ranks #6 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
35218 Birmingham, AL 7,353 1.1 mi
35254 Birmingham, AL 1,403 1.8 mi
35211 Birmingham, AL 26,236 3.3 mi
35064 Fairfield, AL 11,458 2.8 mi
35204 Birmingham, AL 10,337 2.9 mi
35221 Birmingham, AL 4,834 3.5 mi
35205 Birmingham, AL 19,686 4.1 mi
35228 Birmingham, AL 10,419 3.7 mi
35224 Birmingham, AL 6,094 4.1 mi
35233 Birmingham, AL 1,308 4.5 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 35208 in? ▼
ZIP code 35208 (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 35208? ▼
ZIP code 35208 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 14,855 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35208? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35208 is $38,561, which is 49% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35208? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35208 is $97,100, which is 65% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35208? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35208 is African American at 92.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35208? ▼
ZIP code 35208 has 139 business establishments employing approximately 1,322 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35208? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35208 are: Retail trade (45), Accommodation and food services (27), Other services (except public administration) (18). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35208? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35208 decreased by 8.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 56%. 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 35208? ▼
In ZIP code 35208, 53.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.1% 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 35208? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35208 is 21.7 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 35208? ▼
In ZIP code 35208, approximately 64.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35208? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35208 is 23.0% 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.