Population 5,867 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 36521
Household size in ZIP 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.96 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.12 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.80 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
The typical household in ZIP 36521 holds 2.75 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.96, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the south 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 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.6 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.6 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.5 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.2 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 36521 is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.2, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 36.6, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, 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 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in ZIP 36521 (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 4.2 points from 2006–10, 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 36521
Renters in ZIP 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.2% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
ZIP 36521 is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 7.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 4.1 points, even as the national share rose. Only one other Alabama ZIP code with 5,000+ people has a lower 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 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.9% of the housing in ZIP 36521, 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 has fallen 4.4 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 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in ZIP 36521 is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1985 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 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $698 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $778 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $911 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,136 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$438 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in ZIP 36521 runs $1,136 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $438 a month from 2006–10, a 63% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 18.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the center and lowest 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 36521
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in ZIP 36521: 16.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.2 points, as it has 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 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.4% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.0% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.6% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in ZIP 36521 never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 9.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 36521
| Period | ZIP 36521 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.8%, unemployment in ZIP 36521 is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 36521 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 36521 | 2.75 | 36.2 | 9.8% | 7.2% | 14.9% | 1991 | $1,136 | 16.4% | 85.6% | 4.8% |
| ZIP 36522 | 2.72 | 41.1 | 11.8% | 27.7% | 18.2% | 1984 | $902 | 11.3% | 86.1% | 7.9% |
| ZIP 36505 | 3.01 | 39.3 | 22.0% | 13.9% | 2.6% | 1985 | $978 | 16.7% | 84.2% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 36571 | 2.44 | 42.5 | 12.0% | 21.2% | 7.9% | 1985 | $1,093 | 25.1% | 92.0% | 3.5% |
| ZIP 36572 | 2.71 | 47.9 | 5.4% | 14.1% | 9.5% | 1991 | $1,371 | 27.1% | 91.8% | 3.6% |
| ZIP 36512 | 2.48 | 46.8 | 1.0% | 11.2% | 10.3% | 1988 | $949 | 20.8% | 88.8% | 0.0% |
| ZIP 36525 | 2.83 | 40.2 | 16.9% | 30.3% | 15.9% | 1974 | $982 | 17.9% | 84.6% | 3.8% |
| ZIP 36587 | 2.95 | 38.0 | 11.2% | 13.7% | 12.2% | 1993 | $1,149 | 15.2% | 85.1% | 4.3% |
| ZIP 36560 | 2.57 | 44.9 | 10.2% | 14.8% | 19.7% | 1983 | $983 | 12.9% | 79.0% | 4.2% |
| ZIP 36579 | 3.02 | 39.0 | 18.9% | 17.9% | 34.2% | 1989 | $918 | 15.9% | 88.3% | 6.8% |
| ZIP 39452 | 2.60 | 38.1 | 11.2% | 16.4% | 10.9% | 1990 | $831 | 18.7% | 87.9% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 66725, KS · 37061, TN · 37324, TN · 37711, TN · 38006, TN · 61231, IL · 63845, MO · 65565, MO · 65610, MO · 66713, KS
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 36521. 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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