ZIP Code 36870

standard

Source:

Phenix City · Lee County · Alabama

Population
18,783

299/sq mi

Median income
$72,500

▼ 5% vs US

higher than 51% of US ZIPs

Median home value
$195,100

▼ 30% vs US

higher than 42% of US ZIPs

Bachelor's or higher
22.9%

Median age 37.9

Land area
62.9 sq mi

Chicago

ZIP code 36870 in Phenix City, Alabama has a population of 18,783. The median household income is $72,500, which is 5% below the national average. Median home value is $195,100, 30% below the US average. 22.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

ZIP code 36870 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 62.9 square miles in Phenix City, Lee County, Alabama. The area is home to 18,783 residents, producing a population density of 299 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 36870 against Alabama and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 36870 sits at $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%. On housing, the median home value is $195,100 (10% above the state average) with median rent at $1,008 per month, and 80.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 36870 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 22.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lee County, so you can benchmark 36870 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 36870

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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

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)

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 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

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.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Phenix City, AL

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.

PlainZIP is not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau or any government agency.