Population 3,263 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 35221
Household size in ZIP 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.10 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.49 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 35221 are small: just 2.10 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.59, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.2 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.2 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.2 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 35221 skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.3% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.3% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.6% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.8 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in ZIP 35221 (16.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%.
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 35221
Renters in ZIP 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.3% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +10.8 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in ZIP 35221 than nationally: 39.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 79.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.2% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.8% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 28.9% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in ZIP 35221: 26.4% 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.
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 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 35221 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1957, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $670 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $743 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $938 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $988 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$318 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 35221 costs $988 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 37.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 35221
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.2% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in ZIP 35221 have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.2%, against 35.6% nationally.
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 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.6% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.1% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.3% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.4% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in ZIP 35221 never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
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 35221
| Period | ZIP 35221 | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in ZIP 35221: 8.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. 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 35221 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 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 35064 | 2.52 | 34.8 | 30.8% | 42.4% | 19.3% | 1961 | $1,048 | 21.3% | 92.0% | 5.2% |
| ZIP 35211 | 2.17 | 38.1 | 22.8% | 57.9% | 16.7% | 1970 | $1,020 | 21.9% | 84.7% | 7.0% |
| 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 35061 | 2.64 | 45.5 | 19.2% | 20.0% | 26.0% | 1963 | $1,279 | 20.5% | 89.6% | 7.4% |
| ZIP 35226 | 2.68 | 39.2 | 7.3% | 20.2% | 7.4% | 1985 | $1,595 | 67.3% | 96.8% | 2.9% |
| ZIP 35020 | 2.60 | 38.1 | 21.7% | 41.9% | 16.7% | 1960 | $1,023 | 11.8% | 80.5% | 7.1% |
| ZIP 35209 | 2.38 | 31.9 | 8.3% | 49.5% | 15.4% | 1967 | $1,515 | 66.3% | 95.4% | 3.0% |
| ZIP 35224 | 2.61 | 40.0 | 20.1% | 35.4% | 30.0% | 1960 | $1,056 | 9.0% | 88.0% | 8.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 49868, MI · 45872, OH · 46543, IN · 46746, IN · 46793, IN · 47018, IN · 47512, IN · 48063, MI · 49094, MI · 49448, MI
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 35221. 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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