PlainZIP

Altoona, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35952

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

7,727
27/sq mi
$48,361
Median income
$117,500
Median home value
11.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Altoona pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

12th pct
household income, US ZIPs
16th pct
home value, US ZIPs
27
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35952 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35952 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Altoona, Etowah County, Alabama, home to 7,727 residents across 284.1 square miles, a density of 27 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35952 reports a modest median household income of $48,361 (21% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $25,477. Local economic indicators show a 22.2% poverty rate alongside 7.5% unemployment. Housing costs here run $117,500 for a typical home value (34% below the state average), with rent averaging $647 a month; 81.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.9, and the average commute is 34 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 35952, 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 35952

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Altoona, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35952.

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 35952, Altoona, 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

7,727

Population

284.1

Area (sq mi)

27

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 35952?

40.9

Median Age

52.0%

Male

48.0%

Female

7.2%

Foreign-Born

White 90.1%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%

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?

$48,361

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$25,477

Per Capita Income

22.2%

Poverty Rate

7.5%

Unemployment Rate

33.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35952 ranks nationally

Altoona, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$48,361 12th percentile higher than 12% 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 49.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.1%

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

What does housing look like?

3,634

Total Housing Units

3,107

Occupied Units

527

Vacant Units

2.70

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.0%
Renter 19.0%

$117,500

Median Home Value

-34% vs state

$647

Median Rent

1986

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

+13.7%

YoY Change (2024)

190

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+90%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35952 have increased 13.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +90% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +19.3% 144
2021 +11.8% 161
2022 +17.5% 189
2023 -11.7% 167
2024 +13.7% 190

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 89 business establishments in ZIP 35952, employing approximately 699 people with a combined annual payroll of $25,247,000.

89

Businesses

699

Employees

$25.2M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 23 25.8%
Other services (except public administration) 12 13.5%
Accommodation and food services 11 12.4%
Health care and social assistance 8 9.0%
Construction 6 6.7%
Wholesale trade 6 6.7%
Finance and insurance 6 6.7%
Transportation and warehousing 4 4.5%
Manufacturing 3 3.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 3.4%

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 35952 vs 35990 →

ZIP 35952 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 35952 ranks #3 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 35952 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 35952 ranks #5 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
35990 Walnut Grove, AL 38 1.1 mi
35972 Gallant, AL 1,139 5.6 mi
35980 Horton, AL 5,161 9.6 mi
35987 Steele, AL 2,666 10.2 mi
35957 Boaz, AL 15,693 11.6 mi
35121 Oneonta, AL 15,570 11.4 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 Altoona, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35952 in? ▼
ZIP code 35952 (Altoona) 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 35952? ▼
ZIP code 35952 in Altoona, AL has a population of 7,727 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35952? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35952 is $48,361, which is 37% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35952? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35952 is $117,500, which is 58% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35952? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35952 is White at 90.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35952? ▼
ZIP code 35952 has 89 business establishments employing approximately 699 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35952? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35952 are: Retail trade (23), Other services (except public administration) (12), Accommodation and food services (11). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35952? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35952 increased by 13.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 90%. 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 35952? ▼
In ZIP code 35952, 49.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.1% 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 35952? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35952 is 33.6 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 35952? ▼
In ZIP code 35952, approximately 81.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35952? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35952 is 22.2% 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.