Henagar, AL · standard
ZIP Code 35978
DeKalb County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,390
- 31/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $55,509
- Median income Below-median income area
- $137,100
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Henagar pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 22nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 22nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 31
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35978 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 35978 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Henagar, DeKalb County, Alabama, home to 5,390 residents across 174.4 square miles, a density of 31 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 35978 reports a modest median household income of $55,509 (9% below the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,855. The poverty rate is 20.1%, 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 $137,100 (23% below the average Alabama ZIP), and median rent is $1,041; owner occupancy is 77.5%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in DeKalb County, so 35978 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 35978
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Henagar, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35978.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
14 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
8 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
6 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 35978, Henagar, 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
5,390
Population
174.4
Area (sq mi)
31
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 35978?
39.0
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
0.1%
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?
$55,509
Median Household Income
-9% vs state ZIP avg
$30,855
Per Capita Income
20.1%
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
28.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 35978 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Henagar, 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)
$55,509 49th percentile higher than 49% 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
2,296housing units
2,296
Total Housing Units
1,982
Occupied Units
314
Vacant Units
2.82
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$137,100
Median Home Value
-23% vs state ZIP avg
$1,041
Median Rent
1982
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 65 business establishments in ZIP 35978, employing approximately 831 people with a combined annual payroll of $32,754,000.
65
Businesses
831
Employees
$32.8M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 14 | 21.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 12.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 7 | 10.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 10.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 9.2% |
| Construction | 5 | 7.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 7.7% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 4.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 4.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 4.6% |
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 35978 vs 35989 →
ZIP 35978 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 35986
Rainsville (35986)
7,744 residents
- 35978
Henagar (35978)
5,390 residents
- 35765
Pisgah (35765)
4,013 residents
- 35989
Valley Head (35989)
3,573 residents
- 35981 2,141
Ider (35981)
2,141 residents
- 35988 1,940
Sylvania (35988)
1,940 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35978 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 35978 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 35986
Rainsville (35986)
$68,056 median income
- 35765
Pisgah (35765)
$64,009 median income
- 35978
Henagar (35978)
$55,509 median income
- 35988
Sylvania (35988)
$53,684 median income
- 35981
Ider (35981)
$45,556 median income
- 35989
Valley Head (35989)
$43,580 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 35978 ranks #3 of 6 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 35978, 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 (5,390 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in DeKalb County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 35978 in?
ZIP code 35978 (Henagar) is located in DeKalb County, Alabama. DeKalb County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dekalb-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35978?
ZIP code 35978 in Henagar, AL has a population of 5,390 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35978?
The median household income in ZIP 35978 is $55,509, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35978?
The median home value in ZIP 35978 is $137,100, which is 51% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35978?
The largest racial group in ZIP 35978 is White at 92.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35978?
ZIP code 35978 has 65 business establishments employing approximately 831 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35978?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35978 are: Retail trade (14), Transportation and warehousing (8), Accommodation and food services (7). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35978?
In ZIP code 35978, 56.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.5% 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 35978?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35978 is 28.3 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 35978?
In ZIP code 35978, approximately 77.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35978?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35978 is 20.1% 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 35978's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 35978 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Henagar, 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.