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
National ZIP placement
Valley pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 22nd 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.
Within Alabama, Seale (36875) is the closest lower-income ZIP and Glenwood (36034) the closest higher-income ZIP by ACS median household income, the immediate statewide comparison set for ZIP 36854.
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 average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,238. The poverty rate is 13.9%, with unemployment at 2.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $160,100 (10% below the average Alabama ZIP) and median rent is $1,060; 73.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
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. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Chambers County, so 36854 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 36854
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Valley, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36854.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
43 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
36 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
34 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
31 establishments
- Construction
Construction
19 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 36854?
38.8
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
3.0%
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?
$55,973
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$30,238
Per Capita Income
13.9%
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Unemployment Rate
23.7 min
Mean Commute Time
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?
7,974
Total Housing Units
6,468
Occupied Units
1,506
Vacant Units
2.53
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$160,100
Median Home Value
-10% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 36854
Valley (36854)
14,576 residents
- 36863
Lanett (36863)
11,672 residents
- 31833
West Point (31833)
6,900 residents
- 36852 2,129
Cusseta (36852)
2,129 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 36854 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 36854 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 36852
Cusseta (36852)
$71,071 median income
- 31833
West Point (31833)
$61,348 median income
- 36854
Valley (36854)
$55,973 median income
- 36863
Lanett (36863)
$51,130 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.