PlainZIP

Higdon, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35979

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

1,398
52/sq mi
$51,833
Median income
$137,000
Median home value
1.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

17th pct
household income, US ZIPs
22th pct
home value, US ZIPs
52
people per sq mi
95%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35979 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35979 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Higdon, DeKalb County, Alabama, home to just 1,398 residents across 27.1 square miles, a density of 52 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35979 reports a modest median household income of $51,833 (15% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $24,519. Poverty here runs at 27.8%, with unemployment measured at 13.9%. The typical home here is valued at $137,000 (23% below the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 94.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 1.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.7, and the average commute is -. To put 35979 in local context, 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in DeKalb County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 →

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 35979, Higdon, 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

1,398

Population

27.1

Area (sq mi)

52

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 35979?

33.7

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 97.2%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.8%
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?

$51,833

Median Household Income

-15% vs state

$24,519

Per Capita Income

27.8%

Poverty Rate

13.9%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 35979 ranks nationally

Higdon, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$51,833 17th percentile higher than 17% 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 46.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 1.9%

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

What does housing look like?

417

Total Housing Units

410

Occupied Units

7

Vacant Units

2.69

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 94.9%
Renter 5.1%

$137,000

Median Home Value

-23% vs state

1988

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 14 business establishments in ZIP 35979, employing approximately 78 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,313,000.

14

Businesses

78

Employees

$3.3M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 3 21.4%
Accommodation and food services 3 21.4%

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 35979 vs 35966 →

ZIP 35979 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 35979 ranks #7 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 35979 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 35979 ranks #3 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
35966 Flat Rock, AL 3,914 4.6 mi
35958 Bryant, AL 3,582 6.3 mi
35981 Ider, AL 2,141 7.9 mi
30752 Trenton, GA 9,800 7.1 mi
30738 Rising Fawn, GA 3,799 7.8 mi
35740 Bridgeport, AL 3,482 11.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in DeKalb County

35967 standard
Fort Payne, AL
Pop: 16,630
35962 standard
Crossville, AL
Pop: 8,300
35986 standard
Rainsville, AL
Pop: 7,744
35978 standard
Henagar, AL
Pop: 5,390
35971 standard
Fyffe, AL
Pop: 4,914
35968 standard
Fort Payne, AL
Pop: 4,575

Related Areas

DeKalb County Higdon, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35979 in? ▼
ZIP code 35979 (Higdon) 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 35979? ▼
ZIP code 35979 in Higdon, AL has a population of 1,398 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35979? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35979 is $51,833, which is 32% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35979? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35979 is $137,000, which is 51% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35979? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35979 is White at 97.2%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35979? ▼
ZIP code 35979 has 14 business establishments employing approximately 78 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35979? ▼
In ZIP code 35979, 46.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 1.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 35979? ▼
In ZIP code 35979, approximately 94.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 5.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35979? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35979 is 27.8% 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.