Phenix City, AL · standard
ZIP Code 36870
Lee County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,783
- 299/sq mi High-density area
- $72,500
- Median income Near-median income area
- $195,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 22.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Phenix City pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 49%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 42nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 299
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 36870 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 36870 (Phenix City, AL) rose +8.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 191.2 in 2023 to 207.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 36870 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Phenix City, Lee County, Alabama, home to 18,783 residents across 62.9 square miles, a density of 299 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 36870 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $72,500 (19% above the average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,570. The poverty rate is 16.0%, with unemployment at 3.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $195,100 (10% above the average Alabama ZIP) and median rent is $1,008; 80.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lee County, so 36870 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 36870
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Phenix City, AL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 36870.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
35 establishments
- Construction
Construction
33 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
23 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
- Finance and insurance 10
Finance and insurance
10 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 36870, 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
18,783
Population
62.9
Area (sq mi)
299
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 36870?
37.9
Median Age
50.3%
Male
49.7%
Female
3.6%
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?
$72,500
Median Household Income
+19% vs state ZIP avg
$34,570
Per Capita Income
16.0%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
26.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 36870 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Phenix City, AL household income vs. every Alabama ZIP code
Median household income among 587 reporting Alabama ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$72,500 Top 24% higher than 76% of 587 Alabama ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Alabama 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
7,591housing units
7,591
Total Housing Units
7,108
Occupied Units
483
Vacant Units
2.53
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$195,100
Median Home Value
+10% vs state ZIP avg
$1,008
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
+8.5%
YoY Change (2024)
207
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+107%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 36870 have increased 8.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +107% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.8% | 138 |
| 2021 | +10.4% | 153 |
| 2022 | +16.7% | 178 |
| 2023 | +7.4% | 191 |
| 2024 | +8.5% | 207 |
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 160 business establishments in ZIP 36870, employing approximately 1,527 people with a combined annual payroll of $52,273,000.
160
Businesses
1,527
Employees
$52.3M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 35 | 21.9% |
| Construction | 33 | 20.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 23 | 14.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 10.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 10 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 5.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 8 | 5.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 3.8% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 3.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 3.1% |
| Educational services | 3 | 1.9% |
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 36870 vs 36877 →
ZIP 36870 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 31904
Columbus (31904)
32,871 residents
- 36867
Phenix City (36867)
22,210 residents
- 36870
Phenix City (36870)
18,783 residents
- 36869
Phenix City (36869)
18,751 residents
- 36877 11,414
Smiths Station (36877)
11,414 residents
- 31901 8,638
Columbus (31901)
8,638 residents
- 36874 7,901
Salem (36874)
7,901 residents
- 31808 6,679
Fortson (31808)
6,679 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 36870 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 36870 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 31808
Fortson (31808)
$109,294 median income
- 36877
Smiths Station (36877)
$78,103 median income
- 36870
Phenix City (36870)
$72,500 median income
- 36874
Salem (36874)
$66,986 median income
- 31904
Columbus (31904)
$66,291 median income
- 31901
Columbus (31901)
$51,424 median income
- 36869
Phenix City (36869)
$50,061 median income
- 36867
Phenix City (36867)
$48,026 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 36870 ranks #3 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 36870, both outside AL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (18,783 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lee County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 36870 in?
ZIP code 36870 (Phenix City) 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 36870?
ZIP code 36870 in Phenix City, AL has a population of 18,783 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 36870?
The median household income in ZIP 36870 is $72,500, which is 5% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 36870?
The median home value in ZIP 36870 is $195,100, which is 30% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 36870?
The largest racial group in ZIP 36870 is White at 70.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 36870?
ZIP code 36870 has 160 business establishments employing approximately 1,527 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 36870?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 36870 are: Retail trade (35), Construction (33), Other services (except public administration) (23). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 36870?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 36870 increased by 8.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 107%. 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 36870?
In ZIP code 36870, 54.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.9% 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 36870?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 36870 is 26.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 36870?
In ZIP code 36870, approximately 80.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36870?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 36870 is 16.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 36870's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 36870 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Phenix City, AL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.