PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35226

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

31,471
679/sq mi
$124,516
Median income
$411,000
Median home value
69.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Birmingham pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 20%
home value, US ZIPs
679
people per sq mi
83%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35226 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35226 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, with 31,471 residents across 46.3 square miles, a density of 679 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35226 skews affluent, with a median household income of $124,516 (104% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $57,371. Poverty here runs at 4.8%, with unemployment measured at 3.0%. Housing costs here run $411,000 for a typical home value (132% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,499 a month; 83.3% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 69.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.7, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 35226 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 35226

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35226.

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 35226, 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

31,471

Population

46.3

Area (sq mi)

679

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 35226?

37.7

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

9.4%

Foreign-Born

White 75.1%
African American 11.2%
Asian 8.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%

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?

$124,516

Median Household Income

+104% vs state

$57,371

Per Capita Income

4.8%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

24.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35226 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$124,516 Top 8% higher than 92% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $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 78.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 69.3%

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

What does housing look like?

15,183

Total Housing Units

14,435

Occupied Units

748

Vacant Units

2.66

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 83.3%
Renter 16.7%

$411,000

Median Home Value

+132% vs state

$1,499

Median Rent

1984

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

+4.0%

YoY Change (2024)

231

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+131%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35226 have increased 4.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +131% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.6% 168
2021 +9.4% 184
2022 +13.6% 209
2023 +6.1% 222
2024 +4.0% 231

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 581 business establishments in ZIP 35226, employing approximately 4,807 people with a combined annual payroll of $204,698,000.

581

Businesses

4,807

Employees

$204.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 105 18.1%
Health care and social assistance 79 13.6%
Retail trade 58 10.0%
Other services (except public administration) 57 9.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 53 9.1%
Construction 45 7.8%
Finance and insurance 39 6.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 37 6.4%
Accommodation and food services 32 5.5%
Wholesale trade 23 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 15 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 2.4%
Educational services 12 2.1%
Information 7 1.2%
Manufacturing 3 0.5%

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 35226 vs 35244 →

ZIP 35226 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 35226 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 35226 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 35226 ranks the highest 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
35244 Birmingham, AL 32,390 3.3 mi
35216 Birmingham, AL 36,408 3.6 mi
35211 Birmingham, AL 26,236 3.9 mi
35209 Birmingham, AL 29,544 5.0 mi
35221 Birmingham, AL 4,834 4.7 mi
35020 Bessemer, AL 27,139 6.2 mi
35229 Birmingham, AL 940 5.6 mi
35204 Birmingham, AL 10,337 8.5 mi
35254 Birmingham, AL 1,403 8.2 mi
35205 Birmingham, AL 19,686 7.0 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
35209 standard
Birmingham, AL
Pop: 29,544
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 35226 in? ▼
ZIP code 35226 (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 35226? ▼
ZIP code 35226 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 31,471 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35226? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35226 is $124,516, which is 63% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35226? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35226 is $411,000, which is 48% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35226? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35226 is White at 75.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35226? ▼
ZIP code 35226 has 581 business establishments employing approximately 4,807 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35226? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35226 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (105), Health care and social assistance (79), Retail trade (58). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35226? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35226 increased by 4.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 131%. 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 35226? ▼
In ZIP code 35226, 78.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 69.3% 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 35226? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35226 is 24.4 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 35226? ▼
In ZIP code 35226, approximately 83.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35226? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35226 is 4.8% 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.