PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35221

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

4,834
507/sq mi
$33,472
Median income
$73,500
Median home value
14.9%
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.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
3th pct
home value, US ZIPs
507
people per sq mi
60%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35221 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35221 covers 9.5 square miles in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,834 residents on file, a density of 507 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35221 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $33,472 (45% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $27,066. Poverty here runs at 29.0%, with unemployment measured at 10.1%. Median home value sits at $73,500 (59% below the state average), median rent at $1,018 a month, and owner-occupancy at 60.2%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 54.3, and the average commute is -. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Jefferson County, so you can benchmark 35221 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 35221

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35221.

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 35221, 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

4,834

Population

9.5

Area (sq mi)

507

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 35221?

54.3

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

3.2%

Foreign-Born

White 4.2%
African American 88.3%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%

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?

$33,472

Median Household Income

-45% vs state

$27,066

Per Capita Income

29.0%

Poverty Rate

10.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 35221 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$33,472 3rd percentile higher than 3% 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 39.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.9%

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

What does housing look like?

2,205

Total Housing Units

1,578

Occupied Units

627

Vacant Units

1.91

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.2%
Renter 39.8%

$73,500

Median Home Value

-59% vs state

$1,018

Median Rent

1956

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 35 business establishments in ZIP 35221, employing approximately 590 people with a combined annual payroll of $39,721,000.

35

Businesses

590

Employees

$39.7M

Annual Payroll

4

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Manufacturing 9 25.7%
Retail trade 7 20.0%
Other services (except public administration) 6 17.1%
Health care and social assistance 5 14.3%

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 35221 vs 35211 →

ZIP 35221 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 35221 ranks #9 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 35221 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 35221 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
35211 Birmingham, AL 26,236 1.6 mi
35228 Birmingham, AL 10,419 1.4 mi
35064 Fairfield, AL 11,458 2.2 mi
35218 Birmingham, AL 7,353 4.0 mi
35208 Birmingham, AL 14,855 3.5 mi
35061 Dolomite, AL 1,465 3.6 mi
35020 Bessemer, AL 27,139 4.4 mi
35209 Birmingham, AL 29,544 5.2 mi
35226 Birmingham, AL 31,471 4.7 mi
35254 Birmingham, AL 1,403 5.2 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 35221 in? ▼
ZIP code 35221 (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 35221? ▼
ZIP code 35221 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 4,834 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35221? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35221 is $33,472, which is 56% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35221? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35221 is $73,500, which is 74% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35221? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35221 is African American at 88.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35221? ▼
ZIP code 35221 has 35 business establishments employing approximately 590 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35221? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35221 are: Manufacturing (9), Retail trade (7), Other services (except public administration) (6). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35221? ▼
In ZIP code 35221, 39.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 35221? ▼
In ZIP code 35221, approximately 60.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35221? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35221 is 29.0% 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.