PlainZIP

Gainestown, AL · standard

ZIP Code 36540

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

691
6/sq mi
$29,609
Median income
16.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Gainestown pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

2th pct
household income, US ZIPs
6
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36540 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 36540 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gainestown, Clarke County, Alabama, home to just 691 residents across 115.2 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 36540 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $29,609 (51% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $28,891. The poverty rate stands at 35.3% and the unemployment rate at 21.3%. On housing, the median home value is - with median rent at - per month, and 86.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.5, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 2 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Clarke County, letting you compare 36540 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 →

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 36540, Gainestown, 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

691

Population

115.2

Area (sq mi)

6

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 36540?

36.5

Median Age

26.4%

Male

73.6%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 13.9%
African American 80.6%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%

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?

$29,609

Median Household Income

-51% vs state

$28,891

Per Capita Income

35.3%

Poverty Rate

21.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 36540 ranks nationally

Gainestown, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$29,609 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 50.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.5%

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

What does housing look like?

474

Total Housing Units

329

Occupied Units

145

Vacant Units

2.65

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.6%
Renter 13.4%

1981

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 4 business establishments in ZIP 36540, employing approximately 31 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,530,000.

4

Businesses

31

Employees

$1.5M

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 36540 vs 36480 →

ZIP 36540 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 36540 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
36480 Uriah, AL 1,773 8.9 mi
36470 Perdue Hill, AL 98 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Clarke County

36545 standard
Jackson, AL
Pop: 9,941
36784 standard
Thomasville, AL
Pop: 7,754
36451 standard
Grove Hill, AL
Pop: 4,977
36524 standard
Coffeeville, AL
Pop: 1,232
36482 standard
Whatley, AL
Pop: 1,090
36751 standard
Lower Peach Tree, AL
Pop: 945

Related Areas

Clarke County Gainestown, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 36540 in? ▼
ZIP code 36540 (Gainestown) is located in Clarke County, Alabama. Clarke County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/clarke-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36540? ▼
ZIP code 36540 in Gainestown, AL has a population of 691 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36540? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 36540 is $29,609, which is 61% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36540? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 36540 is African American at 80.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36540? ▼
ZIP code 36540 has 4 business establishments employing approximately 31 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 36540? ▼
In ZIP code 36540, 50.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 36540? ▼
In ZIP code 36540, approximately 86.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36540? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36540 is 35.3% 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.