PlainZIP

Ashland, AL · standard

ZIP Code 36251

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

5,103
14/sq mi
$50,466
Median income
$169,500
Median home value
12.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ashland pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

15th pct
household income, US ZIPs
34th pct
home value, US ZIPs
14
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36251 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 36251 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ashland, Clay County, Alabama, home to 5,103 residents across 375.2 square miles, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 36251 reports a modest median household income of $50,466 (17% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $26,373. Local economic indicators show a 23.0% poverty rate alongside 1.8% unemployment. Housing costs here run $169,500 for a typical home value (4% below the state average), with rent averaging $449 a month; 74.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.7, and the average commute is 26 minutes. To put 36251 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 5 additional ZIPs in Clay 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 36251

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ashland, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36251.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 36251, Ashland, 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

5,103

Population

375.2

Area (sq mi)

14

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 36251?

41.7

Median Age

45.9%

Male

54.1%

Female

1.1%

Foreign-Born

White 82.5%
African American 9.7%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.3%

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?

$50,466

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$26,373

Per Capita Income

23.0%

Poverty Rate

1.8%

Unemployment Rate

25.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36251 ranks nationally

Ashland, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$50,466 15th percentile higher than 15% 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 51.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.9%

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

What does housing look like?

2,562

Total Housing Units

2,180

Occupied Units

382

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.9%
Renter 25.1%

$169,500

Median Home Value

-4% vs state

$449

Median Rent

1984

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 87 business establishments in ZIP 36251, employing approximately 1,377 people with a combined annual payroll of $49,679,000.

87

Businesses

1,377

Employees

$49.7M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 19 21.8%
Other services (except public administration) 14 16.1%
Health care and social assistance 12 13.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 9.2%
Accommodation and food services 7 8.1%
Finance and insurance 5 5.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 4 4.6%
Transportation and warehousing 4 4.6%
Manufacturing 3 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 3.5%

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 36251 vs 36267 →

ZIP 36251 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 36251 ranks #2 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 36251 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 36251 ranks #2 of 3 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
36267 Millerville, AL 35 5.2 mi
36255 Cragford, AL 969 8.3 mi
36266 Lineville, AL 5,582 11.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Clay County

36266 standard
Lineville, AL
Pop: 5,582
36258 standard
Delta, AL
Pop: 1,599
36255 standard
Cragford, AL
Pop: 969
36267 standard
Millerville, AL
Pop: 35
35082 standard
Hollins, AL
Pop: 7

Related Areas

Clay County Ashland, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 36251 in? ▼
ZIP code 36251 (Ashland) is located in Clay County, Alabama. Clay County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/clay-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36251? ▼
ZIP code 36251 in Ashland, AL has a population of 5,103 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36251? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 36251 is $50,466, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36251? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 36251 is $169,500, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36251? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 36251 is White at 82.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36251? ▼
ZIP code 36251 has 87 business establishments employing approximately 1,377 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36251? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36251 are: Retail trade (19), Other services (except public administration) (14), Health care and social assistance (12). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 36251? ▼
In ZIP code 36251, 51.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.9% 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 36251? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36251 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 36251? ▼
In ZIP code 36251, approximately 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36251? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36251 is 23.0% 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.