Valley Head, AL · standard
ZIP Code 35989
DeKalb County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,573
- 23/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $43,580
- Median income Below-median income area
- $94,100
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 14.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Valley Head pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 8th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 8th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 23
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35989 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 35989 covers 157.4 square miles in Valley Head, DeKalb County, Alabama (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,573 residents on file, a density of 23 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 35989 reports a modest median household income of $43,580 (28% below the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $23,399. The poverty rate is 19.6%, with unemployment at 2.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $94,100 (47% below the average Alabama ZIP), and median rent is $715; owner occupancy is 82.8%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.2, and the average commute is 30 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in DeKalb County, so 35989 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 35989
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Valley Head, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35989.
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
5 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
4 establishments
- Construction
Construction
3 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
3 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
3 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 35989, Valley Head, 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
3,573
Population
157.4
Area (sq mi)
23
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 35989?
42.2
Median Age
52.7%
Male
47.3%
Female
6.2%
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?
$43,580
Median Household Income
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$23,399
Per Capita Income
19.6%
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Unemployment Rate
30.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 35989 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Valley Head, 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)
$43,580 20th percentile higher than 20% 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
1,581housing units
1,581
Total Housing Units
1,263
Occupied Units
318
Vacant Units
2.64
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$94,100
Median Home Value
-47% vs state ZIP avg
$715
Median Rent
1987
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 27 business establishments in ZIP 35989, employing approximately 163 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,532,000.
27
Businesses
163
Employees
$7.5M
Annual Payroll
6
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5 | 18.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 4 | 14.8% |
| Construction | 3 | 11.1% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 11.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 11.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3 | 11.1% |
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 35989 vs 35981 →
ZIP 35989 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 35978
Henagar (35978)
5,390 residents
- 35968
Fort Payne (35968)
4,575 residents
- 35989
Valley Head (35989)
3,573 residents
- 35981 2,141
Ider (35981)
2,141 residents
- 35984 1,889
Mentone (35984)
1,889 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35989 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 35989 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 35978
Henagar (35978)
$55,509 median income
- 35981
Ider (35981)
$45,556 median income
- 35984
Mentone (35984)
$44,135 median income
- 35989
Valley Head (35989)
$43,580 median income
- 35968
Fort Payne (35968)
$43,539 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 35989 ranks #4 of 5 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 35989, 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 (3,573 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 35989 in?
ZIP code 35989 (Valley Head) 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 35989?
ZIP code 35989 in Valley Head, AL has a population of 3,573 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35989?
The median household income in ZIP 35989 is $43,580, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35989?
The median home value in ZIP 35989 is $94,100, which is 66% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35989?
The largest racial group in ZIP 35989 is White at 82.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35989?
ZIP code 35989 has 27 business establishments employing approximately 163 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35989?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35989 are: Manufacturing (5), Health care and social assistance (4), Construction (3). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35989?
In ZIP code 35989, 47.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.5% 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 35989?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35989 is 30.4 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 35989?
In ZIP code 35989, approximately 82.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35989?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35989 is 19.6% 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 35989's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 35989 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Valley Head, 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.