PlainZIP

Birmingham, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35242

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

49,545
362/sq mi
$117,047
Median income
$477,700
Median home value
65.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 11%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 14%
home value, US ZIPs
362
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35242 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35242 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birmingham, Shelby County, Alabama, with 49,545 residents across 137.0 square miles, a density of 362 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35242 skews affluent, with a median household income of $117,047 (92% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $68,914. 6.1% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 1.3%. The typical home here is valued at $477,700 (170% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,472 monthly, and 73.2% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 65.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.6, and the average commute is 26 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Shelby County, letting you compare 35242 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 35242

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birmingham, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35242.

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 35242, 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

49,545

Population

137.0

Area (sq mi)

362

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 35242?

43.6

Median Age

48.3%

Male

51.7%

Female

5.5%

Foreign-Born

White 79.3%
African American 10.3%
Asian 3.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%

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?

$117,047

Median Household Income

+92% vs state

$68,914

Per Capita Income

6.1%

Poverty Rate

1.3%

Unemployment Rate

26.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35242 ranks nationally

Birmingham, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$117,047 Top 11% higher than 89% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 75.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 65.8%

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

What does housing look like?

25,431

Total Housing Units

23,978

Occupied Units

1,453

Vacant Units

2.38

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.2%
Renter 26.8%

$477,700

Median Home Value

+170% vs state

$1,472

Median Rent

1998

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

+0.8%

YoY Change (2024)

205

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+105%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35242 have increased 0.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +105% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.8% 147
2021 +8.4% 159
2022 +15.5% 184
2023 +10.8% 203
2024 +0.8% 205

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 1,809 business establishments in ZIP 35242, employing approximately 31,408 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,182,787,000.

1,809

Businesses

31,408

Employees

$2.2B

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 276 15.3%
Health care and social assistance 235 13.0%
Retail trade 189 10.4%
Finance and insurance 186 10.3%
Accommodation and food services 143 7.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 130 7.2%
Other services (except public administration) 125 6.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 115 6.4%
Construction 112 6.2%
Wholesale trade 92 5.1%
Information 48 2.6%
Transportation and warehousing 36 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 34 1.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 30 1.7%
Educational services 30 1.7%
Manufacturing 14 0.8%
Industries not classified 7 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 5 0.3%

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 35242 vs 35243 →

ZIP 35242 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 35242 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 35242 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 35242 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
35243 Birmingham, AL 17,328 4.1 mi
35216 Birmingham, AL 36,408 6.7 mi
35043 Chelsea, AL 9,234 7.7 mi
35210 Birmingham, AL 13,952 8.3 mi
35223 Birmingham, AL 11,043 5.7 mi
35147 Sterrett, AL 5,468 8.2 mi
35213 Birmingham, AL 13,185 7.0 mi
35229 Birmingham, AL 940 7.3 mi
35209 Birmingham, AL 29,544 8.5 mi
35206 Birmingham, AL 17,177 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Shelby County

35007 standard
Alabaster, AL
Pop: 26,225
35124 standard
Pelham, AL
Pop: 23,020
35080 standard
Helena, AL
Pop: 15,881
35040 standard
Calera, AL
Pop: 14,965
35094 standard
Leeds, AL
Pop: 14,212
35115 standard
Montevallo, AL
Pop: 14,118

Related Areas

Shelby County Birmingham, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35242 in? ▼
ZIP code 35242 (Birmingham) is located in Shelby County, Alabama. Shelby County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/shelby-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35242? ▼
ZIP code 35242 in Birmingham, AL has a population of 49,545 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35242? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35242 is $117,047, which is 53% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35242? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35242 is $477,700, which is 72% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35242? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35242 is White at 79.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35242? ▼
ZIP code 35242 has 1,809 business establishments employing approximately 31,408 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35242? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35242 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (276), Health care and social assistance (235), Retail trade (189). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35242? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35242 increased by 0.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 105%. 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 35242? ▼
In ZIP code 35242, 75.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 65.8% 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 35242? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35242 is 26.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 35242? ▼
In ZIP code 35242, approximately 73.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35242? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35242 is 6.1% 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.