PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35212

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

11,539
760/sq mi
$36,633
Median income
$232,100
Median home value
34.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 47%
home value, US ZIPs
760
people per sq mi
45%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35212 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35212 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, home to 11,539 residents across 15.2 square miles, a density of 760 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35212 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,633 (40% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $29,623. The poverty rate stands at 37.2% and the unemployment rate at 7.6%. Housing costs here run $232,100 for a typical home value (31% above the state average), with rent averaging $841 a month; 44.6% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.4, and the average commute is 20 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 35212, 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 35212

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35212.

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 35212, 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

11,539

Population

15.2

Area (sq mi)

760

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 35212?

33.4

Median Age

47.3%

Male

52.7%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 26.6%
African American 66.1%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.7%

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?

$36,633

Median Household Income

-40% vs state

$29,623

Per Capita Income

37.2%

Poverty Rate

7.6%

Unemployment Rate

20.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35212 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$36,633 4th percentile higher than 4% 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 61.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.0%

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

What does housing look like?

5,613

Total Housing Units

4,520

Occupied Units

1,093

Vacant Units

2.20

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 44.6%
Renter 55.4%

$232,100

Median Home Value

+31% vs state

$841

Median Rent

1960

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

+1.4%

YoY Change (2024)

265

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+165%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35212 have increased 1.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +165% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.8% 203
2021 +9.9% 223
2022 +10.5% 246
2023 +6.3% 262
2024 +1.4% 265

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 207 business establishments in ZIP 35212, employing approximately 3,522 people with a combined annual payroll of $184,819,000.

207

Businesses

3,522

Employees

$184.8M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 32 15.5%
Retail trade 23 11.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 21 10.1%
Health care and social assistance 20 9.7%
Transportation and warehousing 18 8.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 8.7%
Accommodation and food services 18 8.7%
Construction 10 4.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 10 4.8%
Manufacturing 9 4.3%
Wholesale trade 8 3.9%
Information 6 2.9%
Educational services 6 2.9%
Finance and insurance 4 1.9%

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 35212 vs 35222 →

ZIP 35212 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 35212 ranks #5 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 35212 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 35212 ranks #9 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
35222 Birmingham, AL 7,884 1.9 mi
35213 Birmingham, AL 13,185 2.9 mi
35234 Birmingham, AL 6,311 2.9 mi
35206 Birmingham, AL 17,177 2.7 mi
35217 Birmingham, AL 13,729 4.2 mi
35223 Birmingham, AL 11,043 4.3 mi
35203 Birmingham, AL 3,798 3.8 mi
35233 Birmingham, AL 1,308 3.9 mi
35207 Birmingham, AL 9,010 4.2 mi
35210 Birmingham, AL 13,952 5.0 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 35212 in? ▼
ZIP code 35212 (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 35212? ▼
ZIP code 35212 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 11,539 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35212? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35212 is $36,633, which is 52% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35212? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35212 is $232,100, which is 17% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35212? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35212 is African American at 66.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35212? ▼
ZIP code 35212 has 207 business establishments employing approximately 3,522 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35212? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35212 are: Other services (except public administration) (32), Retail trade (23), Professional, scientific, and technical services (21). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35212? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35212 increased by 1.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 165%. 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 35212? ▼
In ZIP code 35212, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.0% 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 35212? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35212 is 20.0 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 35212? ▼
In ZIP code 35212, approximately 44.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 55.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35212? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35212 is 37.2% 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.