Population 11,768 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 35217
Household size in ZIP 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in ZIP 35217 has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.68 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
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 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.2 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in ZIP 35217 is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.0, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the northeast.
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 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.3% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.3% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in ZIP 35217 (17.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 5.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. ZIP 35217 has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Alabama ZIP codes.
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 35217
Renters in ZIP 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.3% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.8% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.9% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 54.6% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.3 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in ZIP 35217: 54.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Nearly six in ten owners (57.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 11.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 14 of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.1% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.4% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in ZIP 35217: 16.4% of homes are empty, 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 down 0.7 points from 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 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 35217 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest. Only 11 of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people 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 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $722 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $761 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $797 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,020 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$298 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in ZIP 35217 pays $1,020 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $298 a month from 2006–10, a 41% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the south.
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 35217
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in ZIP 35217 have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 11.0%, against 35.6% nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the center. Only 14 of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
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 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.3% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.3% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.5% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.7% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a quarter of adults in ZIP 35217 never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Only seven of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 35217
| Period | ZIP 35217 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 35217 is close to the national rate: 5.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 8.3 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 35217 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 35217 | 2.47 | 39.8 | 17.0% | 54.6% | 16.4% | 1961 | $1,020 | 11.0% | 75.7% | 5.0% |
| ZIP 35068 | 2.24 | 36.8 | 21.7% | 36.1% | 7.6% | 1986 | $1,278 | 30.8% | 92.2% | 2.5% |
| ZIP 35206 | 2.36 | 41.1 | 22.5% | 51.2% | 18.0% | 1959 | $1,077 | 21.5% | 87.0% | 9.0% |
| ZIP 35207 | 2.81 | 31.1 | 33.4% | 48.6% | 15.3% | 1961 | $784 | 12.0% | 79.9% | 9.2% |
| ZIP 35212 | 2.28 | 34.1 | 20.8% | 54.4% | 17.7% | 1964 | $987 | 32.1% | 84.4% | 9.5% |
| ZIP 35119 | 2.99 | 39.0 | 7.1% | 19.2% | 3.7% | 1977 | $1,069 | 27.0% | 85.4% | 9.6% |
| ZIP 35234 | 2.17 | 43.0 | 12.5% | 47.0% | 38.1% | 1958 | $901 | 9.9% | 80.3% | 9.6% |
| ZIP 35222 | 2.16 | 37.2 | 8.4% | 45.4% | 10.7% | 1967 | $1,128 | 60.7% | 96.2% | 5.5% |
| ZIP 35215 | 2.64 | 36.3 | 25.1% | 42.5% | 14.0% | 1973 | $1,208 | 19.3% | 89.0% | 7.4% |
| ZIP 35203 | 1.48 | 39.1 | 11.1% | 69.3% | 22.0% | 1954 | $1,286 | 37.8% | 82.6% | 4.7% |
| ZIP 35213 | 2.43 | 38.8 | 2.5% | 26.5% | 9.1% | 1963 | $1,572 | 83.7% | 98.3% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 99114, WA · 93433, CA · 24202, VA · 22044, VA · 37327, TN · 17566, PA · 14527, NY · 07836, NJ · 45648, OH · 45885, 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 35217. 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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