Gadsden, AL · standard
ZIP Code 35903
Etowah County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,088
- 104/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $53,122
- Median income Below-median income area
- $172,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 18.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Gadsden pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 18th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 35th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 104
- people per sq mi
- 65%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35903 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 35903 (Gadsden, AL) rose +2.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 205.6 in 2023 to 210.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 35903 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama, home to 18,088 residents across 174.4 square miles, a density of 104 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 35903 reports a modest median household income of $53,122 (13% below the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,903. The poverty rate is 15.3%, with unemployment at 4.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $172,300 (3% below the average Alabama ZIP) and median rent is $861; 65.4% of occupied 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 44.1, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Etowah County, so 35903 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 35903
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gadsden, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35903.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
75 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
61 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
46 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
46 establishments
- Construction 23
Construction
23 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 35903, Gadsden, 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
18,088
Population
174.4
Area (sq mi)
104
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 35903?
44.1
Median Age
46.4%
Male
53.6%
Female
3.0%
Foreign-Born
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?
$53,122
Median Household Income
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$30,903
Per Capita Income
15.3%
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Unemployment Rate
26.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 35903 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Gadsden, AL household income vs. every Alabama ZIP code
Median household income among 587 reporting Alabama ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$53,122 44th percentile higher than 44% of 587 Alabama ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Alabama 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
8,449housing units
8,449
Total Housing Units
6,872
Occupied Units
1,577
Vacant Units
2.46
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$172,300
Median Home Value
-3% vs state ZIP avg
$861
Median Rent
1972
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
+2.3%
YoY Change (2024)
210
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+110%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 35903 have increased 2.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +110% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.6% | 140 |
| 2021 | +13.4% | 158 |
| 2022 | +12.0% | 177 |
| 2023 | +15.8% | 206 |
| 2024 | +2.3% | 210 |
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 341 business establishments in ZIP 35903, employing approximately 7,275 people with a combined annual payroll of $302,058,000.
341
Businesses
7,275
Employees
$302.1M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 75 | 22.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 61 | 17.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 46 | 13.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 46 | 13.5% |
| Construction | 23 | 6.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 19 | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 4.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 16 | 4.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 11 | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 2.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 1.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 1.2% |
| Educational services | 4 | 1.2% |
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 35903 vs 35901 →
ZIP 35903 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 35901
Gadsden (35901)
20,045 residents
- 35903
Gadsden (35903)
18,088 residents
- 35904
Gadsden (35904)
14,194 residents
- 35905 6,410
Gadsden (35905)
6,410 residents
- 35983 3,738
Leesburg (35983)
3,738 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35903 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 35903 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 35905
Gadsden (35905)
$67,042 median income
- 35983
Leesburg (35983)
$63,793 median income
- 35903
Gadsden (35903)
$53,122 median income
- 35901
Gadsden (35901)
$48,876 median income
- 35904
Gadsden (35904)
$43,771 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 35903 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 35903, both outside AL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (18,088 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Etowah County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 35903 in?
ZIP code 35903 (Gadsden) is located in Etowah County, Alabama. Etowah County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/etowah-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35903?
ZIP code 35903 in Gadsden, AL has a population of 18,088 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35903?
The median household income in ZIP 35903 is $53,122, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35903?
The median home value in ZIP 35903 is $172,300, which is 38% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35903?
The largest racial group in ZIP 35903 is White at 61.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35903?
ZIP code 35903 has 341 business establishments employing approximately 7,275 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35903?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35903 are: Retail trade (75), Health care and social assistance (61), Accommodation and food services (46). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35903?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35903 increased by 2.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 110%. 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 35903?
In ZIP code 35903, 45.8% 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 35903?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35903 is 26.4 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 35903?
In ZIP code 35903, approximately 65.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35903?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35903 is 15.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 35903's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 35903 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Gadsden, AL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.