Piedmont, AL · standard
ZIP Code 36272
Etowah County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,389
- 15/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $51,635
- Median income Below-median income area
- $142,600
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 18.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Piedmont pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 16th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 23rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 15
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36272 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 36272 (Piedmont, AL) rose +8.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 220.8 in 2023 to 238.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 36272 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Piedmont, Etowah County, Alabama, home to 13,389 residents across 875.1 square miles, a density of 15 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 36272 reports a modest median household income of $51,635 (15% below the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,914. The poverty rate is 17.2%, with unemployment at 3.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $142,600 (19% below the average Alabama ZIP), and median rent is $870; owner occupancy is 77.1%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.3, and the average commute is 31 minutes. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the Alabama and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 36272.
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 36272
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Piedmont, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36272.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
31 establishments
- Construction
Construction
17 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
17 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 11
Health care and social assistance
11 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 11
Accommodation and food services
11 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 36272, Piedmont, 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
13,389
Population
875.1
Area (sq mi)
15
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 36272?
43.3
Median Age
47.0%
Male
53.0%
Female
2.1%
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?
$51,635
Median Household Income
-15% vs state ZIP avg
$28,914
Per Capita Income
17.2%
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Unemployment Rate
31.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 36272 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Piedmont, 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)
$51,635 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
6,128housing units
6,128
Total Housing Units
5,031
Occupied Units
1,097
Vacant Units
2.56
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$142,600
Median Home Value
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$870
Median Rent
1978
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+8.0%
YoY Change (2024)
238
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+138%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 36272 have increased 8.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +138% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.5% | 138 |
| 2021 | +10.0% | 152 |
| 2022 | +19.0% | 180 |
| 2023 | +22.4% | 221 |
| 2024 | +8.0% | 238 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 136 business establishments in ZIP 36272, employing approximately 1,396 people with a combined annual payroll of $49,178,000.
136
Businesses
1,396
Employees
$49.2M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 31 | 22.8% |
| Construction | 17 | 12.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 17 | 12.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 11 | 8.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 11 | 8.1% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 6.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 9 | 6.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 4.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 3.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 3.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 3.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 2.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 36272, 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 (13,389 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Etowah County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 36272 in?
ZIP code 36272 (Piedmont) is located in Etowah County, Alabama. Etowah County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/etowah-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36272?
ZIP code 36272 in Piedmont, AL has a population of 13,389 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36272?
The median household income in ZIP 36272 is $51,635, which is 32% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36272?
The median home value in ZIP 36272 is $142,600, which is 49% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36272?
The largest racial group in ZIP 36272 is White at 91.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36272?
ZIP code 36272 has 136 business establishments employing approximately 1,396 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36272?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36272 are: Retail trade (31), Construction (17), Other services (except public administration) (17). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 36272?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 36272 increased by 8.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 138%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 36272?
In ZIP code 36272, 57.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.0% 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 36272?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36272 is 31.1 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 36272?
In ZIP code 36272, approximately 77.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36272?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36272 is 17.2% 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 36272's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 36272 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.