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 Moderate-density area
- $51,833
- Median income Below-median income area
- $137,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 1.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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
- 22nd 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 average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $24,519. Economic pressure is pronounced: 27.8% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 13.9%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $137,000 (23% below the average Alabama ZIP); owner occupancy is 94.9%.
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 -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in DeKalb County, so 35979 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 →
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
Who lives in ZIP 35979?
33.7
Median Age
50.4%
Male
49.6%
Female
0.0%
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?
$51,833
Median Household Income
-15% vs state ZIP avg
$24,519
Per Capita Income
27.8%
Poverty Rate
13.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 35979 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Higdon, 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)
$51,833 40th percentile higher than 40% 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
417housing units
417
Total Housing Units
410
Occupied Units
7
Vacant Units
2.69
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$137,000
Median Home Value
-23% vs state ZIP avg
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.
- 30752
Trenton (30752)
9,800 residents
- 35966 3,914
Flat Rock (35966)
3,914 residents
- 30738 3,799
Rising Fawn (30738)
3,799 residents
- 35958 3,582
Bryant (35958)
3,582 residents
- 35740 3,482
Bridgeport (35740)
3,482 residents
- 35981 2,141
Ider (35981)
2,141 residents
- 35979 1,398
Higdon (35979)
1,398 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35979 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 35979 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 30738
Rising Fawn (30738)
$66,080 median income
- 30752
Trenton (30752)
$59,391 median income
- 35979
Higdon (35979)
$51,833 median income
- 35958
Bryant (35958)
$50,885 median income
- 35740
Bridgeport (35740)
$46,148 median income
- 35981
Ider (35981)
$45,556 median income
- 35966
Flat Rock (35966)
$43,883 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 35979, 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 (1,398 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 35979's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 35979 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Higdon, 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.