PlainZIP

Decatur, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35601

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

34,434
472/sq mi
$51,429
Median income
$172,200
Median home value
18.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Decatur pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

16th pct
household income, US ZIPs
35th pct
home value, US ZIPs
472
people per sq mi
58%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35601 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35601 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama, with 34,434 residents across 72.9 square miles, a density of 472 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35601 reports a modest median household income of $51,429 (16% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $28,453. The poverty rate stands at 17.3% and the unemployment rate at 5.3%. Housing costs here run $172,200 for a typical home value (3% below the state average), with rent averaging $891 a month; 57.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.6, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Morgan County, so you can benchmark 35601 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 35601

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Decatur, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35601.

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 35601, Decatur, 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

34,434

Population

72.9

Area (sq mi)

472

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 35601?

36.6

Median Age

51.0%

Male

49.0%

Female

11.3%

Foreign-Born

White 48.4%
African American 27.2%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.7%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.2%
Hispanic or Latino 24.0%

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?

$51,429

Median Household Income

-16% vs state

$28,453

Per Capita Income

17.3%

Poverty Rate

5.3%

Unemployment Rate

20.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35601 ranks nationally

Decatur, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$51,429 16th percentile higher than 16% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 48.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.1%

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

What does housing look like?

15,048

Total Housing Units

13,938

Occupied Units

1,110

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.8%
Renter 42.2%

$172,200

Median Home Value

-3% vs state

$891

Median Rent

1968

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

+8.3%

YoY Change (2024)

231

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+131%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35601 have increased 8.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +131% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.1% 145
2021 +18.8% 172
2022 +20.4% 207
2023 +3.0% 213
2024 +8.3% 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 1,326 business establishments in ZIP 35601, employing approximately 25,813 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,417,980,000.

1,326

Businesses

25,813

Employees

$1.4B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 229 17.3%
Health care and social assistance 208 15.7%
Accommodation and food services 116 8.8%
Other services (except public administration) 106 8.0%
Finance and insurance 105 7.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 103 7.8%
Wholesale trade 90 6.8%
Construction 84 6.3%
Manufacturing 79 6.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 56 4.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 47 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 43 3.2%
Information 18 1.4%
Educational services 15 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 0.5%
Utilities 3 0.2%

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 35601 vs 35603 →

ZIP 35601 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 35601 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 35601 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 35601 ranks #5 of 5 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
35603 Decatur, AL 30,545 5.6 mi
35671 Tanner, AL 2,107 5.4 mi
35649 Mooresville, AL 68 8.1 mi
35673 Trinity, AL 8,199 7.3 mi
35615 Belle Mina, AL 68 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Morgan County

35603 standard
Decatur, AL
Pop: 30,545
35640 standard
Hartselle, AL
Pop: 24,267
35670 standard
Somerville, AL
Pop: 7,676
35622 standard
Falkville, AL
Pop: 7,388
35754 standard
Laceys Spring, AL
Pop: 5,362
35619 standard
Danville, AL
Pop: 5,135

Related Areas

Morgan County Decatur, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35601 in? ▼
ZIP code 35601 (Decatur) is located in Morgan County, Alabama. Morgan County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/morgan-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35601? ▼
ZIP code 35601 in Decatur, AL has a population of 34,434 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35601? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35601 is $51,429, which is 33% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35601? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35601 is $172,200, which is 38% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35601? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35601 is White at 48.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35601? ▼
ZIP code 35601 has 1,326 business establishments employing approximately 25,813 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35601? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35601 are: Retail trade (229), Health care and social assistance (208), Accommodation and food services (116). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35601? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35601 increased by 8.3% 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 35601? ▼
In ZIP code 35601, 48.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.1% 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 35601? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35601 is 20.6 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 35601? ▼
In ZIP code 35601, approximately 57.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35601? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35601 is 17.3% 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.