PlainZIP

Decatur, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35603

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

30,545
168/sq mi
$81,490
Median income
$247,400
Median home value
28.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Decatur pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 36%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 43%
home value, US ZIPs
168
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35603 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35603 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama, with 30,545 residents across 182.2 square miles, a density of 168 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35603 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $81,490 (34% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $42,141. The poverty rate stands at 7.3% and the unemployment rate at 2.6%. Housing costs here run $247,400 for a typical home value (40% above the state average), with rent averaging $910 a month; 73.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42, and the average commute is 23 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 35603, plus 6 more within Morgan 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 35603

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Decatur, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35603.

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 35603, 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

30,545

Population

182.2

Area (sq mi)

168

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 35603?

42.0

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

4.8%

Foreign-Born

White 74.4%
African American 14.8%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%

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?

$81,490

Median Household Income

+34% vs state

$42,141

Per Capita Income

7.3%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

22.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35603 ranks nationally

Decatur, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$81,490 Top 36% higher than 64% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 58.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.3%

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

What does housing look like?

14,274

Total Housing Units

13,175

Occupied Units

1,099

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.9%
Renter 26.1%

$247,400

Median Home Value

+40% vs state

$910

Median Rent

1992

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

+1.4%

YoY Change (2024)

206

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+106%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35603 have increased 1.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +106% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.8% 139
2021 +14.0% 158
2022 +20.2% 190
2023 +6.9% 203
2024 +1.4% 206

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 500 business establishments in ZIP 35603, employing approximately 8,299 people with a combined annual payroll of $417,551,000.

500

Businesses

8,299

Employees

$417.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 81 16.2%
Health care and social assistance 76 15.2%
Construction 63 12.6%
Other services (except public administration) 52 10.4%
Accommodation and food services 50 10.0%
Finance and insurance 38 7.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 30 6.0%
Wholesale trade 22 4.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 21 4.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 4.2%
Manufacturing 20 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 9 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 1.4%
Educational services 5 1.0%
Information 3 0.6%

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 35603 vs 35601 →

ZIP 35603 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 35603 ranks #2 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 35603 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 35603 ranks #4 of 6 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
35601 Decatur, AL 34,434 5.6 mi
35640 Hartselle, AL 24,267 6.8 mi
35671 Tanner, AL 2,107 9.0 mi
35649 Mooresville, AL 68 7.7 mi
35615 Belle Mina, AL 68 10.2 mi
35756 Madison, AL 9,016 11.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Morgan County

35601 standard
Decatur, AL
Pop: 34,434
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 35603 in? ▼
ZIP code 35603 (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 35603? ▼
ZIP code 35603 in Decatur, AL has a population of 30,545 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35603? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35603 is $81,490, which is 7% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35603? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35603 is $247,400, which is 11% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35603? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35603 is White at 74.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35603? ▼
ZIP code 35603 has 500 business establishments employing approximately 8,299 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35603? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35603 are: Retail trade (81), Health care and social assistance (76), Construction (63). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35603? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35603 increased by 1.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 106%. 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 35603? ▼
In ZIP code 35603, 58.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.3% 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 35603? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35603 is 22.9 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 35603? ▼
In ZIP code 35603, approximately 73.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35603? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35603 is 7.3% 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.