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 Low-density area
- $58,214
- Median income Below-median income area
- $261,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 19.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 36278 (Wedowee, AL) rose +4.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 240.9 in 2023 to 251.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,796. The poverty rate is 16.9%, with unemployment at 3.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $261,000 (47% above the average Alabama ZIP), while 80.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $701.
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. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Randolph County, so 36278 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 36278
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wedowee, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36278.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
28 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
14 establishments
- Construction 8
Construction
8 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 8
Health care and social assistance
8 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 8
Accommodation and food services
8 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 36278?
51.6
Median Age
49.7%
Male
50.3%
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?
$58,214
Median Household Income
-4% vs state ZIP avg
$37,796
Per Capita Income
16.9%
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Unemployment Rate
30.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 36278 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Wedowee, 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)
$58,214 Top 46% higher than 54% 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
3,307housing units
3,307
Total Housing Units
1,938
Occupied Units
1,369
Vacant Units
2.18
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$261,000
Median Home Value
+47% vs state ZIP avg
$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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 36278, 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 (4,366 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Randolph County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 36278's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 36278 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Wedowee, AL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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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.