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 Moderate-density area
- $50,466
- Median income Below-median income area
- $169,500
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 12.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,373. The poverty rate is 23.0%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $169,500 (4% below the average Alabama ZIP) and median rent is $449; 74.9% of occupied 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. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Clay County, so 36251 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 36251
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ashland, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36251.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
19 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
14 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
12 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
8 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 7
Accommodation and food services
7 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 36251?
41.7
Median Age
45.9%
Male
54.1%
Female
1.1%
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?
$50,466
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$26,373
Per Capita Income
23.0%
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 36251 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Ashland, 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)
$50,466 35th percentile higher than 35% 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
2,562housing units
2,562
Total Housing Units
2,180
Occupied Units
382
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$169,500
Median Home Value
-4% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 36266
Lineville (36266)
5,582 residents
- 36251
Ashland (36251)
5,103 residents
- 36255 969
Cragford (36255)
969 residents
- 36267 35
Millerville (36267)
35 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 36251 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 36251 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 36255
Cragford (36255)
$84,792 median income
- 36251
Ashland (36251)
$50,466 median income
- 36266
Lineville (36266)
$48,924 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 36251, 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 (5,103 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Clay County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 36251's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 36251 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ashland, 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.