PlainZIP

Phenix City, AL · standard

ZIP Code 36869

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

18,751
97/sq mi
$50,061
Median income
$136,700
Median home value
14.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Phenix City pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

14th pct
household income, US ZIPs
22th pct
home value, US ZIPs
97
people per sq mi
60%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36869 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 36869 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Phenix City, Russell County, Alabama, home to 18,751 residents across 193.9 square miles, a density of 97 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 36869 reports a modest median household income of $50,061 (18% below the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $26,543. Local economic indicators show a 22.2% poverty rate alongside 4.9% unemployment. Median home value sits at $136,700 (23% below the state average), median rent at $895 a month, and owner-occupancy at 60.2%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.7, and the average commute is 26 minutes. To put 36869 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Russell 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 36869

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Phenix City, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36869.

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 36869, Phenix City, 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

18,751

Population

193.9

Area (sq mi)

97

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 36869?

39.7

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

2.6%

Foreign-Born

White 38.3%
African American 54.3%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%

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?

$50,061

Median Household Income

-18% vs state

$26,543

Per Capita Income

22.2%

Poverty Rate

4.9%

Unemployment Rate

25.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36869 ranks nationally

Phenix City, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$50,061 14th percentile higher than 14% 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 47.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.1%

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

What does housing look like?

10,301

Total Housing Units

8,967

Occupied Units

1,334

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.2%
Renter 39.8%

$136,700

Median Home Value

-23% vs state

$895

Median Rent

1986

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

+5.7%

YoY Change (2024)

204

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+104%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 36869 have increased 5.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +104% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +9.6% 139
2021 +8.3% 150
2022 +22.4% 184
2023 +4.9% 193
2024 +5.7% 204

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 165 business establishments in ZIP 36869, employing approximately 2,336 people with a combined annual payroll of $97,545,000.

165

Businesses

2,336

Employees

$97.5M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 24 14.6%
Construction 19 11.5%
Other services (except public administration) 19 11.5%
Accommodation and food services 18 10.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 17 10.3%
Manufacturing 16 9.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 14 8.5%
Transportation and warehousing 13 7.9%
Health care and social assistance 8 4.8%
Wholesale trade 7 4.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 2.4%

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 36869 vs 36870 →

ZIP 36869 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 36869 ranks #6 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 36869 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 36869 ranks #8 of 9 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
36870 Phenix City, AL 18,783 5.0 mi
31903 Columbus, GA 20,128 7.4 mi
36867 Phenix City, AL 22,210 6.2 mi
31901 Columbus, GA 8,638 6.6 mi
36877 Smiths Station, AL 11,414 9.6 mi
31906 Columbus, GA 21,757 8.3 mi
36875 Seale, AL 4,622 8.1 mi
31904 Columbus, GA 32,871 10.3 mi
36856 Fort Mitchell, AL 3,719 11.0 mi
36874 Salem, AL 7,901 12.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Russell County

36867 standard
Phenix City, AL
Pop: 22,210
36875 standard
Seale, AL
Pop: 4,622
36856 standard
Fort Mitchell, AL
Pop: 3,719
36860 standard
Hurtsboro, AL
Pop: 1,580
36871 standard
Pittsview, AL
Pop: 1,277
36858 standard
Hatchechubbee, AL
Pop: 441

Related Areas

Russell County Phenix City, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 36869 in? ▼
ZIP code 36869 (Phenix City) is located in Russell County, Alabama. Russell County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/russell-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 36869? ▼
ZIP code 36869 in Phenix City, AL has a population of 18,751 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36869? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 36869 is $50,061, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36869? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 36869 is $136,700, which is 51% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36869? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 36869 is African American at 54.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36869? ▼
ZIP code 36869 has 165 business establishments employing approximately 2,336 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36869? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36869 are: Retail trade (24), Construction (19), Other services (except public administration) (19). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 36869? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 36869 increased by 5.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 104%. 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 36869? ▼
In ZIP code 36869, 47.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.1% 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 36869? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36869 is 25.6 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 36869? ▼
In ZIP code 36869, approximately 60.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36869? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36869 is 22.2% 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.