Population 15,771 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 35121
Household size in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.64 people per household, ZIP 35121 sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.76, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.6 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.6 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.6, ZIP 35121 is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.0, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in ZIP 35121 as they are nationally: 12.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 35121
Renters in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.7% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.2% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.5% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in ZIP 35121 own their homes; 27.5% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Just over half of owners (51.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in ZIP 35121 is close to the national rate: 10.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in ZIP 35121 are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Birmingham area. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $569 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $620 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $680 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $695 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$126 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in ZIP 35121 pays $695 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $126 a month from 2006–10, a 22% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.5% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 35121
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.5% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.1% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in ZIP 35121 have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.5% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 75.0% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 74.7% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.2% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in ZIP 35121 never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.7 points, as it has nationally. ZIP 35121 has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Alabama ZIP codes.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 35121
| Period | ZIP 35121 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 35121 is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 5.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 35121 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 35121 | 2.64 | 44.6 | 12.1% | 27.5% | 10.9% | 1984 | $695 | 20.1% | 82.2% | 5.1% |
| ZIP 35049 | 3.06 | 39.7 | 14.6% | 16.9% | 8.9% | 1988 | $1,069 | 15.3% | 88.3% | 1.7% |
| ZIP 35097 | 2.49 | 44.5 | 7.2% | 17.0% | 9.3% | 1989 | $956 | 12.4% | 83.0% | 1.7% |
| ZIP 35952 | 2.81 | 40.5 | 7.4% | 19.8% | 15.6% | 1983 | $710 | 13.5% | 77.3% | 7.4% |
| ZIP 35990 | 2.58 | 45.6 | 13.3% | 28.8% | 24.5% | 1983 | $405 | 14.0% | 75.2% | 9.3% |
| ZIP 35031 | 2.63 | 39.3 | 12.6% | 23.0% | 12.8% | 1986 | $994 | 14.3% | 83.7% | 4.5% |
| ZIP 35987 | 2.89 | 42.3 | 8.8% | 9.3% | 14.3% | 1988 | $746 | 12.3% | 92.7% | 5.1% |
| ZIP 35972 | 2.43 | 50.9 | 7.8% | 4.2% | 10.2% | 1976 | $697 | 16.0% | 84.1% | 2.4% |
| ZIP 35133 | 2.50 | 45.7 | 10.8% | 9.0% | 10.8% | 1987 | $861 | 12.4% | 78.4% | 7.0% |
| ZIP 35953 | 2.76 | 45.7 | 13.4% | 13.7% | 16.2% | 1992 | $777 | 11.2% | 86.8% | 4.4% |
| ZIP 35172 | 2.56 | 40.7 | 5.9% | 12.0% | 11.0% | 1993 | $711 | 8.2% | 84.1% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 02090, MA · 33004, FL · 98467, WA · 33983, FL · 36305, AL · 40071, KY · 42728, KY · 43950, OH · 46814, IN · 62223, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 35121. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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