PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35209

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

29,544
1,218/sq mi
$71,439
Median income
$504,600
Median home value
56.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Birmingham pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 13%
home value, US ZIPs
1,218
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35209 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35209 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, with 29,544 residents across 24.3 square miles, a density of 1,218 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35209 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,439 (17% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $50,432. Poverty here runs at 17.3%, with unemployment measured at 4.0%. On housing, the median home value is $504,600 (185% above the state average) with median rent at $1,318 per month, and 48.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 56.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.1, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Jefferson County, so you can benchmark 35209 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 35209

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35209.

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 35209, 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

29,544

Population

24.3

Area (sq mi)

1,218

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 35209?

34.1

Median Age

45.7%

Male

54.3%

Female

7.7%

Foreign-Born

White 66.6%
African American 24.8%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%

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?

$71,439

Median Household Income

+17% vs state

$50,432

Per Capita Income

17.3%

Poverty Rate

4.0%

Unemployment Rate

17.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35209 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,439 49th percentile higher than 49% 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 74.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 56.9%

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

What does housing look like?

15,205

Total Housing Units

13,175

Occupied Units

2,030

Vacant Units

2.23

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.5%
Renter 51.5%

$504,600

Median Home Value

+185% vs state

$1,318

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

+2.5%

YoY Change (2024)

293

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+193%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35209 have increased 2.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +193% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.8% 221
2021 +7.4% 238
2022 +12.9% 268
2023 +6.6% 286
2024 +2.5% 293

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 1,848 business establishments in ZIP 35209, employing approximately 39,607 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,638,748,000.

1,848

Businesses

39,607

Employees

$2.6B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 274 14.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 244 13.2%
Retail trade 217 11.7%
Finance and insurance 175 9.5%
Accommodation and food services 172 9.3%
Other services (except public administration) 136 7.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 114 6.2%
Wholesale trade 106 5.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 105 5.7%
Construction 98 5.3%
Information 55 3.0%
Transportation and warehousing 41 2.2%
Manufacturing 37 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 31 1.7%
Educational services 23 1.2%
Management of companies and enterprises 17 0.9%

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 35209 vs 35229 →

ZIP 35209 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 35209 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 35209 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 35209 ranks #4 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
35229 Birmingham, AL 940 1.3 mi
35205 Birmingham, AL 19,686 2.1 mi
35233 Birmingham, AL 1,308 3.1 mi
35203 Birmingham, AL 3,798 3.7 mi
35216 Birmingham, AL 36,408 3.5 mi
35211 Birmingham, AL 26,236 3.6 mi
35234 Birmingham, AL 6,311 5.2 mi
35204 Birmingham, AL 10,337 4.2 mi
35243 Birmingham, AL 17,328 4.4 mi
35223 Birmingham, AL 11,043 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
35020 standard
Bessemer, AL
Pop: 27,139
35211 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 26,236

Related Areas

Jefferson County Birmingham, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35209 in? ▼
ZIP code 35209 (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 35209? ▼
ZIP code 35209 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 29,544 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35209? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35209 is $71,439, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35209? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35209 is $504,600, which is 81% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35209? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35209 is White at 66.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35209? ▼
ZIP code 35209 has 1,848 business establishments employing approximately 39,607 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35209? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35209 are: Health care and social assistance (274), Professional, scientific, and technical services (244), Retail trade (217). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35209? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35209 increased by 2.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 193%. 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 35209? ▼
In ZIP code 35209, 74.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 56.9% 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 35209? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35209 is 17.4 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 35209? ▼
In ZIP code 35209, approximately 48.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35209? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35209 is 17.3% 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.