Sylvania, AL · standard
ZIP Code 35988
DeKalb County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,940
- 61/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $53,684
- Median income Below-median income area
- $158,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 22.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sylvania pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 19th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 29th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 61
- people per sq mi
- 65%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35988 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 35988 covers 31.6 square miles in Sylvania, DeKalb County, Alabama (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,940 residents on file, a density of 61 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 35988 reports a modest median household income of $53,684 (12% below the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,340. The poverty rate is 9.5%, with unemployment at 7.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $158,500 (11% below the average Alabama ZIP) and median rent is $691; 64.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.2, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in DeKalb County, so 35988 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 35988
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sylvania, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35988.
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
4 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
4 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 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 35988, Sylvania, 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
1,940
Population
31.6
Area (sq mi)
61
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 35988?
34.2
Median Age
43.2%
Male
56.8%
Female
8.5%
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?
$53,684
Median Household Income
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$25,340
Per Capita Income
9.5%
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 35988 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Sylvania, 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)
$53,684 45th percentile higher than 45% 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
874housing units
874
Total Housing Units
794
Occupied Units
80
Vacant Units
2.98
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$158,500
Median Home Value
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$691
Median Rent
1985
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 22 business establishments in ZIP 35988, employing approximately 204 people with a combined annual payroll of $8,353,000.
22
Businesses
204
Employees
$8.4M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4 | 18.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 18.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 18.2% |
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 35988 vs 35986 →
ZIP 35988 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
- 35971
Fyffe (35971)
4,914 residents
- 35968
Fort Payne (35968)
4,575 residents
- 35765
Pisgah (35765)
4,013 residents
- 35744 2,570
Dutton (35744)
2,570 residents
- 35988 1,940
Sylvania (35988)
1,940 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35988 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 35988 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
- 35971
Fyffe (35971)
$58,528 median income
- 35978
Henagar (35978)
$55,509 median income
- 35744
Dutton (35744)
$54,868 median income
- 35988
Sylvania (35988)
$53,684 median income
- 35968
Fort Payne (35968)
$43,539 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 35988 ranks #6 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 35988, 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 (1,940 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 35988 in?
ZIP code 35988 (Sylvania) 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 35988?
ZIP code 35988 in Sylvania, AL has a population of 1,940 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35988?
The median household income in ZIP 35988 is $53,684, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35988?
The median home value in ZIP 35988 is $158,500, which is 43% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35988?
The largest racial group in ZIP 35988 is White at 77.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35988?
ZIP code 35988 has 22 business establishments employing approximately 204 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35988?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35988 are: Manufacturing (4), Wholesale trade (4), Other services (except public administration) (4). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35988?
In ZIP code 35988, 58.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.7% 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 35988?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35988 is 25.5 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 35988?
In ZIP code 35988, approximately 64.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35988?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35988 is 9.5% 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 35988's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 35988 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sylvania, 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.