PlainZIP

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
$72,500
Median income
$195,100
Median home value
22.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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
42th 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.

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 Alabama average), while per-capita income is $34,570. The poverty rate stands at 16.0% and the unemployment rate at 3.0%. The typical home here is valued at $195,100 (10% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,008 monthly, and 80.7% of units 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. A geography-based comparison follows: 7 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 36870, plus 6 more within Lee County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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.

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 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

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 36870?

37.9

Median Age

50.3%

Male

49.7%

Female

3.6%

Foreign-Born

White 70.3%
African American 20.6%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%

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

$34,570

Per Capita Income

16.0%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

26.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 36870 ranks nationally

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

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

$72,500 Top 49% higher than 51% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.9%

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

What does housing look like?

7,591

Total Housing Units

7,108

Occupied Units

483

Vacant Units

2.53

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 80.7%
Renter 19.3%

$195,100

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 36870 ranks #3 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 36870 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 36870 ranks #3 of 8 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
36877 Smiths Station, AL 11,414 5.3 mi
36869 Phenix City, AL 18,751 5.0 mi
36867 Phenix City, AL 22,210 5.7 mi
31901 Columbus, GA 8,638 8.3 mi
36874 Salem, AL 7,901 7.5 mi
31904 Columbus, GA 32,871 8.5 mi
31808 Fortson, GA 6,679 12.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lee County

36830 standard
Auburn, AL
Pop: 33,201
36801 standard
Opelika, AL
Pop: 22,214
36832 standard
Auburn, AL
Pop: 22,071
36804 standard
Opelika, AL
Pop: 16,861
36877 standard
Smiths Station, AL
Pop: 11,414
36874 standard
Salem, AL
Pop: 7,901

Related Areas

Lee County Phenix City, AL Alabama

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.