PlainZIP

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
$51,635
Median income
$142,600
Median home value
18.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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
23th 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.

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 Alabama average), while per-capita income is $28,914. 17.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.4%. The typical home here is valued at $142,600 (19% below the state average); renters pay a median of $870 monthly, and 77.1% of units are owner-occupied.

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. The state and national benchmarks above give 36272's numbers context; they should not be read in isolation.

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.

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 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

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 36272?

43.3

Median Age

47.0%

Male

53.0%

Female

2.1%

Foreign-Born

White 91.2%
African American 4.8%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

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

$28,914

Per Capita Income

17.2%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

31.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36272 ranks nationally

Piedmont, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$51,635 16th percentile higher than 16% 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 57.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.0%

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

What does housing look like?

6,128

Total Housing Units

5,031

Occupied Units

1,097

Vacant Units

2.56

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 77.1%
Renter 22.9%

$142,600

Median Home Value

-19% vs state

$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.

More ZIP Codes in Etowah County

35901 standard
Gadsden, AL
Pop: 20,045
35903 standard
Gadsden, AL
Pop: 18,088
35904 standard
Gadsden, AL
Pop: 14,194
35954 standard
Attalla, AL
Pop: 12,416
35906 standard
Rainbow City, AL
Pop: 9,897
35956 standard
Boaz, AL
Pop: 8,842

Related Areas

Etowah County Piedmont, AL Alabama

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.