Lafayette, AL · standard
ZIP Code 36862
Chambers County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,623
- 11/sq mi
- $37,719
- Median income
- $134,700
- Median home value
- 15.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
National ZIP placement
Lafayette pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 5th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 21st pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 11
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36862 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 36862 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lafayette, Chambers County, Alabama, home to 6,623 residents across 619.0 square miles, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 36862 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $37,719 (38% below the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,718. Unemployment is 10.2%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $134,700 (24% below the average Alabama ZIP), and median rent is $678; owner occupancy is 72.6%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Chambers County, so 36862 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 36862
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lafayette, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36862.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
21 establishments
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
16 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
16 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
10 establishments
- Wholesale trade 8
Wholesale trade
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 36862, Lafayette, 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
6,623
Population
619.0
Area (sq mi)
11
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 36862?
50.0
Median Age
47.4%
Male
52.6%
Female
0.6%
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?
$37,719
Median Household Income
-38% vs state ZIP avg
$26,718
Per Capita Income
16.9%
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Unemployment Rate
31.0 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?
3,240
Total Housing Units
2,570
Occupied Units
670
Vacant Units
2.21
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$134,700
Median Home Value
-24% vs state ZIP avg
$678
Median Rent
1980
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 109 business establishments in ZIP 36862, employing approximately 1,034 people with a combined annual payroll of $44,080,000.
109
Businesses
1,034
Employees
$44.1M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 21 | 19.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 16 | 14.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 16 | 14.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 10 | 9.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 7.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 8 | 7.3% |
| Construction | 6 | 5.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 6 | 5.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 5 | 4.6% |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 3.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 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 36862 vs 36855 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36855 | Five Points, AL | 1,551 | 11.9 mi |