Population 13,872 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 35208
Household size in ZIP 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 35208 average 2.58 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.62, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
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 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.8 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.6 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.3 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.6, ZIP 35208 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 35.3, a much bigger shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest.
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 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in ZIP 35208 (14.5%), above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 9.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 35208
Renters in ZIP 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.6% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.9% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.2% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.7% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.9 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in ZIP 35208 rent their homes (35.7%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the wider Birmingham area (29.2%). Nearly six in ten owners (56.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 5.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.9% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 20.9% of the housing in ZIP 35208, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1953 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
ZIP 35208 is a place of older homes: half were built before 1953, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only two have older homes.
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 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $766 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $792 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $876 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,127 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$361 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in ZIP 35208 runs $1,127 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $361 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the southwest.
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 35208
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in ZIP 35208: 23.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the west.
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 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.0% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.6% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.5% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.8% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in ZIP 35208 is close to the national rate: 87.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Birmingham area overall (90.5%). The share with a diploma has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 35208
| Period | ZIP 35208 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −11.0 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in ZIP 35208: 6.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 11.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 35208 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 35208 | 2.58 | 44.6 | 14.5% | 35.7% | 20.9% | 1953 | $1,127 | 23.0% | 87.8% | 6.7% |
| ZIP 35218 | 2.81 | 40.3 | 25.4% | 61.9% | 25.8% | 1958 | $983 | 10.1% | 83.8% | 6.4% |
| ZIP 35211 | 2.17 | 38.1 | 22.8% | 57.9% | 16.7% | 1970 | $1,020 | 21.9% | 84.7% | 7.0% |
| ZIP 35064 | 2.52 | 34.8 | 30.8% | 42.4% | 19.3% | 1961 | $1,048 | 21.3% | 92.0% | 5.2% |
| ZIP 35204 | 2.01 | 41.6 | 15.6% | 55.8% | 24.0% | 1956 | $832 | 26.7% | 80.6% | 9.3% |
| ZIP 35221 | 2.10 | 47.2 | 16.6% | 39.3% | 26.4% | 1957 | $988 | 18.2% | 83.4% | 8.3% |
| ZIP 35228 | 2.43 | 41.3 | 17.3% | 36.3% | 16.4% | 1962 | $1,002 | 20.4% | 90.3% | 5.8% |
| ZIP 35224 | 2.61 | 40.0 | 20.1% | 35.4% | 30.0% | 1960 | $1,056 | 9.0% | 88.0% | 8.9% |
| ZIP 35233 | 1.40 | 27.7 | 1.7% | 93.4% | 13.4% | 2009 | $1,646 | 76.9% | 100.0% | 0.7% |
| ZIP 35209 | 2.38 | 31.9 | 8.3% | 49.5% | 15.4% | 1967 | $1,515 | 66.3% | 95.4% | 3.0% |
| ZIP 35203 | 1.48 | 39.1 | 11.1% | 69.3% | 22.0% | 1954 | $1,286 | 37.8% | 82.6% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 42642, KY · 57069, SD · 52641, IA · 51031, IA · 48625, MI · 47620, IN · 46550, IN · 46107, IN · 43608, OH · 43558, OH
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 35208. 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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