PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35234

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

6,311
684/sq mi
$26,831
Median income
$114,300
Median home value
11.2%
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, mixed-tenure area.

1th pct
household income, US ZIPs
14th pct
home value, US ZIPs
684
people per sq mi
54%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35234 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35234 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, home to 6,311 residents across 9.2 square miles, a density of 684 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35234 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $26,831 (56% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $21,652. The poverty rate stands at 32.3% and the unemployment rate at 6.5%. Median home value sits at $114,300 (35% below the state average), median rent at $858 a month, and owner-occupancy at 53.7%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42, and the average commute is -. To put 35234 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 35234

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35234.

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 35234, 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

6,311

Population

9.2

Area (sq mi)

684

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 35234?

42.0

Median Age

51.3%

Male

48.7%

Female

2.2%

Foreign-Born

White 12.5%
African American 79.4%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.1%
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?

$26,831

Median Household Income

-56% vs state

$21,652

Per Capita Income

32.3%

Poverty Rate

6.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 35234 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$26,831 1st percentile higher than 1% 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 55.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.2%

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

What does housing look like?

2,528

Total Housing Units

1,605

Occupied Units

923

Vacant Units

2.01

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.7%
Renter 46.3%

$114,300

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

$858

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 139 business establishments in ZIP 35234, employing approximately 3,699 people with a combined annual payroll of $297,332,000.

139

Businesses

3,699

Employees

$297.3M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Wholesale trade 27 19.4%
Other services (except public administration) 26 18.7%
Retail trade 18 12.9%
Manufacturing 15 10.8%
Transportation and warehousing 14 10.1%
Accommodation and food services 10 7.2%
Health care and social assistance 9 6.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 7 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 2.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 2.9%

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 35234 vs 35203 →

ZIP 35234 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 35234 ranks #7 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 35234 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 35234 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
35203 Birmingham, AL 3,798 1.6 mi
35233 Birmingham, AL 1,308 2.2 mi
35207 Birmingham, AL 9,010 2.1 mi
35222 Birmingham, AL 7,884 2.2 mi
35205 Birmingham, AL 19,686 3.2 mi
35204 Birmingham, AL 10,337 2.5 mi
35212 Birmingham, AL 11,539 2.9 mi
35254 Birmingham, AL 1,403 3.6 mi
35209 Birmingham, AL 29,544 5.2 mi
35229 Birmingham, AL 940 5.3 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 35234 in? ▼
ZIP code 35234 (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 35234? ▼
ZIP code 35234 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 6,311 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35234? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35234 is $26,831, which is 65% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35234? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35234 is $114,300, which is 59% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35234? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35234 is African American at 79.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35234? ▼
ZIP code 35234 has 139 business establishments employing approximately 3,699 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35234? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35234 are: Wholesale trade (27), Other services (except public administration) (26), Retail trade (18). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35234? ▼
In ZIP code 35234, 55.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.2% 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 35234? ▼
In ZIP code 35234, approximately 53.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 46.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35234? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35234 is 32.3% 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.