PlainZIP

Boaz, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35956

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

8,842
46/sq mi
$61,290
Median income
$181,900
Median home value
18.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

31th pct
household income, US ZIPs
38th pct
home value, US ZIPs
46
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35956 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35956 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Boaz, Etowah County, Alabama, home to 8,842 residents across 191.0 square miles, a density of 46 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35956 reports a modest median household income of $61,290 (1% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $28,465. 17.1% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.1%. Housing costs here run $181,900 for a typical home value (3% above the state average), with rent averaging $926 a month; 80.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38, and the average commute is 26 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Etowah County, letting you compare 35956 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 35956

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Boaz, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35956.

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 35956, Boaz, 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

8,842

Population

191.0

Area (sq mi)

46

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 35956?

38.0

Median Age

51.8%

Male

48.2%

Female

0.4%

Foreign-Born

White 95.2%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%

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?

$61,290

Median Household Income

+1% vs state

$28,465

Per Capita Income

17.1%

Poverty Rate

5.1%

Unemployment Rate

25.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35956 ranks nationally

Boaz, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,290 31st percentile higher than 31% 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 57.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.2%

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

What does housing look like?

3,946

Total Housing Units

3,141

Occupied Units

805

Vacant Units

2.79

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 80.5%
Renter 19.5%

$181,900

Median Home Value

+3% vs state

$926

Median Rent

1982

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

+11.0%

YoY Change (2024)

251

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+151%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35956 have increased 11.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.0% 153
2021 +10.4% 169
2022 +16.9% 197
2023 +14.4% 226
2024 +11.0% 251

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 72 business establishments in ZIP 35956, employing approximately 373 people with a combined annual payroll of $14,096,000.

72

Businesses

373

Employees

$14.1M

Annual Payroll

8

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 21 29.2%
Construction 11 15.3%
Other services (except public administration) 9 12.5%
Transportation and warehousing 5 6.9%
Manufacturing 4 5.6%
Wholesale trade 4 5.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 5.6%
Health care and social assistance 4 5.6%

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 35956 vs 35957 →

ZIP 35956 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 35956 ranks #4 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 35956 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 35956 ranks the highest of 4 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
35957 Boaz, AL 15,693 4.3 mi
35954 Attalla, AL 12,416 6.3 mi
35950 Albertville, AL 20,826 10.0 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 Boaz, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35956 in? ▼
ZIP code 35956 (Boaz) 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 35956? ▼
ZIP code 35956 in Boaz, AL has a population of 8,842 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35956? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35956 is $61,290, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35956? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35956 is $181,900, which is 35% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35956? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35956 is White at 95.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35956? ▼
ZIP code 35956 has 72 business establishments employing approximately 373 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35956? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35956 are: Retail trade (21), Construction (11), Other services (except public administration) (9). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35956? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35956 increased by 11.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. 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 35956? ▼
In ZIP code 35956, 57.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.2% 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 35956? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35956 is 25.7 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 35956? ▼
In ZIP code 35956, approximately 80.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35956? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35956 is 17.1% 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.