PlainZIP

Opelika, AL · standard

ZIP Code 36804

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

16,861
34/sq mi
$61,880
Median income
$218,000
Median home value
31.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

33th pct
household income, US ZIPs
49th pct
home value, US ZIPs
34
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36804 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 36804 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, home to 16,861 residents across 500.3 square miles, a density of 34 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 36804 reports a modest median household income of $61,880 (2% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $33,645. The poverty rate stands at 14.1% and the unemployment rate at 4.4%. Housing costs here run $218,000 for a typical home value (23% above the state average), with rent averaging $824 a month; 78.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 36804 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Lee 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 36804

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Opelika, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36804.

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 36804, Opelika, 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

16,861

Population

500.3

Area (sq mi)

34

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 36804?

40.0

Median Age

51.0%

Male

49.0%

Female

4.3%

Foreign-Born

White 61.7%
African American 28.9%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%

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?

$61,880

Median Household Income

+2% vs state

$33,645

Per Capita Income

14.1%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

25.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36804 ranks nationally

Opelika, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,880 33rd percentile higher than 33% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 59.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.6%

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

What does housing look like?

8,849

Total Housing Units

7,849

Occupied Units

1,000

Vacant Units

2.61

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.0%
Renter 22.0%

$218,000

Median Home Value

+23% vs state

$824

Median Rent

1997

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

-3.5%

YoY Change (2024)

231

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+131%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 36804 have decreased 3.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +131% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.7% 154
2021 +8.2% 166
2022 +15.7% 192
2023 +24.4% 239
2024 -3.5% 231

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 227 business establishments in ZIP 36804, employing approximately 3,135 people with a combined annual payroll of $163,863,000.

227

Businesses

3,135

Employees

$163.9M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 41 18.1%
Retail trade 31 13.7%
Accommodation and food services 29 12.8%
Other services (except public administration) 23 10.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 19 8.4%
Transportation and warehousing 17 7.5%
Wholesale trade 16 7.0%
Manufacturing 15 6.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 11 4.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 3.5%
Health care and social assistance 7 3.1%
Finance and insurance 4 1.8%
Information 3 1.3%

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 36804 vs 36830 →

ZIP 36804 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 36804 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 36804 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 36804 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
36830 Auburn, AL 33,201 8.7 mi
36874 Salem, AL 7,901 8.3 mi
36849 Auburn University, AL 3,150 9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lee County

36830 standard
Auburn, AL
Pop: 33,201
36801 standard
Opelika, AL
Pop: 22,214
36832 standard
Auburn, AL
Pop: 22,071
36870 standard
Phenix City, AL
Pop: 18,783
36877 standard
Smiths Station, AL
Pop: 11,414
36874 standard
Salem, AL
Pop: 7,901

Related Areas

Lee County Opelika, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 36804 in? ▼
ZIP code 36804 (Opelika) is located in Lee County, Alabama. Lee County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lee-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36804? ▼
ZIP code 36804 in Opelika, AL has a population of 16,861 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36804? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 36804 is $61,880, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36804? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 36804 is $218,000, which is 22% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36804? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 36804 is White at 61.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36804? ▼
ZIP code 36804 has 227 business establishments employing approximately 3,135 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36804? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36804 are: Construction (41), Retail trade (31), Accommodation and food services (29). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 36804? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 36804 decreased by 3.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 131%. 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 36804? ▼
In ZIP code 36804, 59.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.6% 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 36804? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36804 is 25.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 36804? ▼
In ZIP code 36804, approximately 78.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36804? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36804 is 14.1% 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.