PlainZIP

Emelle, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35459

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

872
3/sq mi
$36,850
Median income
$97,800
Median home value
18.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Emelle pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
9th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35459 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35459 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Emelle, Sumter County, Alabama, home to just 872 residents across 348.8 square miles, a density of 3 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35459 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,850 (40% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $29,441. The poverty rate stands at 13.8% and the unemployment rate at 1.2%. Housing costs here run $97,800 for a typical home value (45% below the state average), with rent averaging $825 a month; 81.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 74.6, and the average commute is 34 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 35459, plus 6 more within Sumter 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 →

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 35459, Emelle, 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

872

Population

348.8

Area (sq mi)

3

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 35459?

74.6

Median Age

33.6%

Male

66.4%

Female

1.0%

Foreign-Born

White 22.6%
African American 73.4%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.5%

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?

$36,850

Median Household Income

-40% vs state

$29,441

Per Capita Income

13.8%

Poverty Rate

1.2%

Unemployment Rate

34.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35459 ranks nationally

Emelle, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$36,850 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 52.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.4%

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

What does housing look like?

495

Total Housing Units

395

Occupied Units

100

Vacant Units

1.47

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.5%
Renter 18.5%

$97,800

Median Home Value

-45% vs state

$825

Median Rent

1983

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 17 business establishments in ZIP 35459, employing approximately 116 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,616,000.

17

Businesses

116

Employees

$6.6M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 6 35.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 29.4%

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 35459 vs 35464 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
35464 Gainesville, AL 654 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sumter County

35470 standard
Livingston, AL
Pop: 5,468
36925 standard
York, AL
Pop: 3,115
36907 standard
Cuba, AL
Pop: 1,930
35460 standard
Epes, AL
Pop: 834
35464 standard
Gainesville, AL
Pop: 654
35477 standard
Panola, AL
Pop: 335

Related Areas

Sumter County Emelle, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35459 in? ▼
ZIP code 35459 (Emelle) is located in Sumter County, Alabama. Sumter County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sumter-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35459? ▼
ZIP code 35459 in Emelle, AL has a population of 872 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35459? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35459 is $36,850, which is 52% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35459? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35459 is $97,800, which is 65% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35459? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35459 is African American at 73.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35459? ▼
ZIP code 35459 has 17 business establishments employing approximately 116 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35459? ▼
In ZIP code 35459, 52.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.4% 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 35459? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35459 is 34.4 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 35459? ▼
In ZIP code 35459, approximately 81.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35459? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35459 is 13.8% 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.