PlainZIP

Valley, AL · standard

ZIP Code 36854

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

14,576
96/sq mi
$55,973
Median income
$160,100
Median home value
17.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Valley pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

22th pct
household income, US ZIPs
30th pct
home value, US ZIPs
96
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36854 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 36854 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Valley, Chambers County, Alabama, home to 14,576 residents across 152.5 square miles, a density of 96 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 36854 reports a modest median household income of $55,973 (8% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $30,238. The poverty rate stands at 13.9% and the unemployment rate at 2.8%. Median home value sits at $160,100 (10% below the state average), median rent at $1,060 a month, and owner-occupancy at 73.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.8, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 36854 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 3 additional ZIPs in Chambers 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 36854

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Valley, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36854.

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 36854, Valley, 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

14,576

Population

152.5

Area (sq mi)

96

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 36854?

38.8

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 67.7%
African American 27.0%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%

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?

$55,973

Median Household Income

-8% vs state

$30,238

Per Capita Income

13.9%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

23.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36854 ranks nationally

Valley, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$55,973 22nd percentile higher than 22% 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 55.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.6%

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

What does housing look like?

7,974

Total Housing Units

6,468

Occupied Units

1,506

Vacant Units

2.53

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.2%
Renter 26.8%

$160,100

Median Home Value

-10% vs state

$1,060

Median Rent

1988

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

+0.4%

YoY Change (2024)

258

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+158%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 36854 have increased 0.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +158% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.1% 160
2021 +13.9% 182
2022 +15.8% 211
2023 +22.1% 257
2024 +0.4% 258

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 236 business establishments in ZIP 36854, employing approximately 3,179 people with a combined annual payroll of $133,804,000.

236

Businesses

3,179

Employees

$133.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 43 18.2%
Other services (except public administration) 36 15.3%
Accommodation and food services 34 14.4%
Health care and social assistance 31 13.1%
Construction 19 8.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 7.2%
Finance and insurance 16 6.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 5.9%
Transportation and warehousing 8 3.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 5 2.1%
Manufacturing 4 1.7%
Wholesale trade 4 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 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 36854 vs 36852 →

ZIP 36854 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 36854 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 36854 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 36854 ranks #3 of 4 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
36852 Cusseta, AL 2,129 6.2 mi
31833 West Point, GA 6,900 8.7 mi
36863 Lanett, AL 11,672 10.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Chambers County

36863 standard
Lanett, AL
Pop: 11,672
36862 standard
Lafayette, AL
Pop: 6,623
36855 standard
Five Points, AL
Pop: 1,551

Related Areas

Chambers County Valley, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 36854 in? ▼
ZIP code 36854 (Valley) is located in Chambers County, Alabama. Chambers County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/chambers-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36854? ▼
ZIP code 36854 in Valley, AL has a population of 14,576 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36854? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 36854 is $55,973, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36854? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 36854 is $160,100, which is 42% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36854? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 36854 is White at 67.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36854? ▼
ZIP code 36854 has 236 business establishments employing approximately 3,179 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36854? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36854 are: Retail trade (43), Other services (except public administration) (36), Accommodation and food services (34). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 36854? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 36854 increased by 0.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 158%. 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 36854? ▼
In ZIP code 36854, 55.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.6% 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 36854? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36854 is 23.7 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 36854? ▼
In ZIP code 36854, approximately 73.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36854? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36854 is 13.9% 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.