PlainZIP

Wedowee, AL · standard

ZIP Code 36278

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

4,366
13/sq mi
$58,214
Median income
$261,000
Median home value
19.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wedowee pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

26th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 40%
home value, US ZIPs
13
people per sq mi
80%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36278 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 36278 covers 343.8 square miles in Wedowee, Randolph County, Alabama (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,366 residents on file, a density of 13 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 36278 reports a modest median household income of $58,214 (4% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $37,796. Poverty here runs at 16.9%, with unemployment measured at 3.9%. Median home value sits at $261,000 (47% above the state average), median rent at $701 a month, and owner-occupancy at 80.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.6, and the average commute is 31 minutes. To put 36278 in local context, 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 4 additional ZIPs in Randolph 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 36278

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wedowee, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36278.

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 36278, Wedowee, 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

4,366

Population

343.8

Area (sq mi)

13

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 36278?

51.6

Median Age

49.7%

Male

50.3%

Female

1.1%

Foreign-Born

White 82.8%
African American 13.4%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%

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?

$58,214

Median Household Income

-4% vs state

$37,796

Per Capita Income

16.9%

Poverty Rate

3.9%

Unemployment Rate

30.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36278 ranks nationally

Wedowee, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$58,214 26th percentile higher than 26% 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 51.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.1%

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

What does housing look like?

3,307

Total Housing Units

1,938

Occupied Units

1,369

Vacant Units

2.18

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 80.2%
Renter 19.8%

$261,000

Median Home Value

+47% vs state

$701

Median Rent

1996

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

+4.2%

YoY Change (2024)

251

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+151%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 36278 have increased 4.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.3% 164
2021 +9.3% 179
2022 +23.0% 221
2023 +9.2% 241
2024 +4.2% 251

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 107 business establishments in ZIP 36278, employing approximately 884 people with a combined annual payroll of $35,163,000.

107

Businesses

884

Employees

$35.2M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 28 26.2%
Other services (except public administration) 14 13.1%
Construction 8 7.5%
Health care and social assistance 8 7.5%
Accommodation and food services 8 7.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 6.5%
Manufacturing 6 5.6%
Transportation and warehousing 6 5.6%
Finance and insurance 6 5.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 4.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 3.7%

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 36278 vs 36280 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
36280 Woodland, AL 3,932 8.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Randolph County

36274 standard
Roanoke, AL
Pop: 11,199
36280 standard
Woodland, AL
Pop: 3,932
36276 standard
Wadley, AL
Pop: 2,592
36263 standard
Graham, AL
Pop: 658

Related Areas

Randolph County Wedowee, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 36278 in? ▼
ZIP code 36278 (Wedowee) is located in Randolph County, Alabama. Randolph County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/randolph-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36278? ▼
ZIP code 36278 in Wedowee, AL has a population of 4,366 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36278? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 36278 is $58,214, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36278? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 36278 is $261,000, which is 6% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36278? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 36278 is White at 82.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36278? ▼
ZIP code 36278 has 107 business establishments employing approximately 884 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36278? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36278 are: Retail trade (28), Other services (except public administration) (14), Construction (8). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 36278? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 36278 increased by 4.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. 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 36278? ▼
In ZIP code 36278, 51.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.1% 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 36278? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36278 is 30.8 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 36278? ▼
In ZIP code 36278, approximately 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36278? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36278 is 16.9% 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.