PlainZIP

Gadsden, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35905

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

6,410
60/sq mi
$67,042
Median income
$195,600
Median home value
21.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Gadsden pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

42th pct
household income, US ZIPs
42th pct
home value, US ZIPs
60
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35905 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35905 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama, home to 6,410 residents across 107.6 square miles, a density of 60 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35905 reports a modest median household income of $67,042 (10% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $32,511. Local economic indicators show a 11.3% poverty rate alongside 2.5% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $195,600 (10% above the state average); renters pay a median of $829 monthly, and 81.1% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.9, and the average commute is 28 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 35905, plus 6 more within Etowah 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 35905

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gadsden, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35905.

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 35905, 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

6,410

Population

107.6

Area (sq mi)

60

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 35905?

39.9

Median Age

46.1%

Male

53.9%

Female

1.2%

Foreign-Born

White 93.5%
African American 2.3%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.9%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$67,042

Median Household Income

+10% vs state

$32,511

Per Capita Income

11.3%

Poverty Rate

2.5%

Unemployment Rate

28.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35905 ranks nationally

Gadsden, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$67,042 42nd percentile higher than 42% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.7%

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

What does housing look like?

2,872

Total Housing Units

2,412

Occupied Units

460

Vacant Units

2.57

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.1%
Renter 18.9%

$195,600

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$829

Median Rent

1979

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

+18.8%

YoY Change (2024)

219

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+119%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35905 have increased 18.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +119% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.7% 138
2021 +18.6% 163
2022 +18.4% 194
2023 -4.8% 184
2024 +18.8% 219

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 79 business establishments in ZIP 35905, employing approximately 893 people with a combined annual payroll of $31,699,000.

79

Businesses

893

Employees

$31.7M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 16 20.3%
Retail trade 13 16.5%
Construction 8 10.1%
Accommodation and food services 7 8.9%
Finance and insurance 6 7.6%
Health care and social assistance 6 7.6%
Manufacturing 5 6.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 6.3%
Transportation and warehousing 4 5.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 3.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 3.8%

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 35905 vs 36279 →

ZIP 35905 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 35905 ranks #6 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 35905 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 35905 ranks #2 of 7 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
36279 Wellington, AL 2,645 4.3 mi
35903 Gadsden, AL 18,088 6.8 mi
35901 Gadsden, AL 20,045 8.0 mi
35907 Gadsden, AL 8,345 7.6 mi
36265 Jacksonville, AL 21,060 8.9 mi
35904 Gadsden, AL 14,194 10.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Etowah County

35901 standard
Gadsden, AL
Pop: 20,045
35903 standard
Gadsden, AL
Pop: 18,088
35904 standard
Gadsden, AL
Pop: 14,194
36272 standard
Piedmont, AL
Pop: 13,389
35954 standard
Attalla, AL
Pop: 12,416
35906 standard
Rainbow City, AL
Pop: 9,897

Related Areas

Etowah County Gadsden, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35905 in? ▼
ZIP code 35905 (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 35905? ▼
ZIP code 35905 in Gadsden, AL has a population of 6,410 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35905? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35905 is $67,042, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35905? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35905 is $195,600, which is 30% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35905? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35905 is White at 93.5%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35905? ▼
ZIP code 35905 has 79 business establishments employing approximately 893 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35905? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35905 are: Other services (except public administration) (16), Retail trade (13), Construction (8). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35905? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35905 increased by 18.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 119%. 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 35905? ▼
In ZIP code 35905, 54.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.7% 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 35905? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35905 is 28.2 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 35905? ▼
In ZIP code 35905, approximately 81.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35905? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35905 is 11.3% 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.