ZIP Code 35209 — Birmingham, AL

About ZIP 35209

ZIP code 35209 serves Birmingham in Jefferson, Alabama. It centers near 33.4653°, -86.8082° and, by population, qualifies as a sizable suburban ZIP. Roughly 29,884 people are estimated to live within its boundaries based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018–2022).

The median household earns about $74,742 per year here. The typical owner-occupied home is valued near $436,100, and asking rents on the open market sit around $1,186 per month. Compared to the rest of Alabama, that makes 35209 significantly more expensive than typical for the state. Looking at the entire state, the average ZIP code reports a median income closer to $40,745 and a median home value of $108,120.

The median resident is around 30.9 years old, and roughly 21.9% of the population holds at least a bachelor's degree. Unemployment estimates from the same Census release put the share of unemployed adults around 1.6% of the total population (the labor-force-only rate is higher, since not every resident is counted as "in the labor force").

Cost of living read

If you're considering a move into 35209, the most useful exercise is to compare the housing math against your current ZIP. Here, a typical home runs $436,100 and a typical rental runs $1,186 a month. Translate that into your own budget:

• At a 7% 30-year mortgage with 20% down, financing the median home here lands monthly principal & interest near $2,321 — before property tax, insurance, or HOA dues.
• Renting the median unit at $1,186/mo costs roughly $14,232 per year, or about 19.0% of the local median household income.
• For movers from substantially cheaper or more expensive metros, the home-value gap (+$327,980 versus the state average of $108,120) is often the single biggest line item to plan for.

Who lives here

The age and education profile of a ZIP tells you a lot about what daily life feels like there. With a median age of 30.9 and a population of 29,884, ZIP 35209 reads as a working-age neighborhood with a mix of young professionals and young families.

Geography & nearby ZIPs

This ZIP centers at 33.4653, -86.8082. The eight closest neighboring ZIP codes are listed below — useful if you're scoping out the surrounding area, comparing schools, or just want a feel for the broader neighborhood than this one boundary captures.

Race & ethnicity (2019–2023 ACS)

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2019–2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates (table B03002) count 33,476 people in this ZIP Code Tabulation Area — a newer, supplemental release added alongside the core figures above. See the methodology page for why the core figures themselves have not yet been refreshed to this vintage.

Poverty status (2019–2023 ACS)

Of the 33,168 residents here for whom the Census Bureau determines poverty status (table B17001), 5,638 (17.0%) were below the poverty line in the past 12 months.

Commuting (2019–2023 ACS)

Among the 15,394 workers age 16+ here who did not work from home (table B08303), the Census Bureau's own travel-time brackets break down like this:

Housing occupancy (2019–2023 ACS)

Of the 15,141 housing units counted here (table B25002), 12,985 (85.8%) were occupied and 2,156 (14.2%) were vacant.

How to use this profile

Treat ZipLocal Guide as a starting point — never the final word — when you're researching a relocation. The Census ACS data on this page are reliable medians for the ZIP code tabulation area, but they tell you nothing about which side of the freeway you should live on, which streets the local high schoolers actually walk to school, or how the neighborhood has changed since the 2022 estimate window. For those, walk the area, talk to people on the street, and verify your assumptions with a local agent or community group.

If you find this neighborhood interesting, the easiest next step is to view all ZIPs in Birmingham or browse the rest of Alabama.