Gadsden, AL · standard
ZIP Code 35904
Etowah County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 14,194
- 119/sq mi
- $43,771
- Median income
- $117,700
- Median home value
- 12.4%
- Bachelor's or higher
National ZIP placement
Gadsden pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 8th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 16th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 119
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35904 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 35904 (Gadsden, AL) rose +7.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 189.5 in 2023 to 203.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
Within Alabama, Ragland (35131) is the closest lower-income ZIP and Flat Rock (35966) the closest higher-income ZIP by ACS median household income, the immediate statewide comparison set for ZIP 35904.
ZIP code 35904 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama, home to 14,194 residents across 119.6 square miles, a density of 119 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 35904 reports a modest median household income of $43,771 (28% below the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $22,123. The poverty rate is 25.6%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $117,700 (34% below the average Alabama ZIP), and median rent is $817; owner occupancy is 72.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.1, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Etowah County, so 35904 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 35904
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gadsden, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35904.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
30 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
27 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
18 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
17 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
15 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 35904, 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
14,194
Population
119.6
Area (sq mi)
119
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 35904?
39.1
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
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?
$43,771
Median Household Income
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$22,123
Per Capita Income
25.6%
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Unemployment Rate
20.9 min
Mean Commute Time
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?
6,206
Total Housing Units
5,106
Occupied Units
1,100
Vacant Units
2.71
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$117,700
Median Home Value
-34% vs state ZIP avg
$817
Median Rent
1961
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
+7.2%
YoY Change (2024)
203
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+103%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 35904 have increased 7.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +103% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.9% | 139 |
| 2021 | +4.5% | 145 |
| 2022 | +27.3% | 185 |
| 2023 | +2.4% | 190 |
| 2024 | +7.2% | 203 |
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 159 business establishments in ZIP 35904, employing approximately 3,922 people with a combined annual payroll of $169,421,000.
159
Businesses
3,922
Employees
$169.4M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 30 | 18.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 27 | 17.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 18 | 11.3% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 10.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 15 | 9.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 9 | 5.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 9 | 5.7% |
| Construction | 7 | 4.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 4.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 3.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 2.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 2.5% |
| Information | 3 | 1.9% |
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 35904 vs 35954 →
ZIP 35904 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
- 35954
Attalla (35954)
12,416 residents
- 35906
Rainbow City (35906)
9,897 residents
- 35905 6,410
Gadsden (35905)
6,410 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35904 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 35904 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
- 35954
Attalla (35954)
$59,479 median income
- 35906
Rainbow City (35906)
$56,420 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 35904 ranks #6 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.