Population 19,023 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 36542
Household size in ZIP 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.13 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.25 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 36542 are small: just 2.25 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. Household size has edged down from 2.31 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 28 of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
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 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.7 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.0 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.0 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.2 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 36542 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. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.7, as it has nationally. Of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 17 are older.
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 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.8% of households in ZIP 36542, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points, as it has nationally. ZIP 36542 has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of 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 36542
Renters in ZIP 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.6% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.9% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.7% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.7% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly a third of households in ZIP 36542 rent their homes (31.7%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 42.8% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southwest. The renter share is down 4.0 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 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.2% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −16.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 28.2% of the housing in ZIP 36542, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 16.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1999 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1997 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1997 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2003 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in ZIP 36542 is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2003, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1999 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing. Only 12 of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have newer 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 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $914 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $899 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,055 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,424 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$510 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in ZIP 36542 runs $1,424 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in Alabama as a whole ($1,091). Rent has climbed $510 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 36542
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.0% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in ZIP 36542 as nationally: 38.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in Alabama as a whole (29.0%). The share with a degree is up 10.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.4% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.2% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.7% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in ZIP 36542: 96.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 13 of the 288 Alabama ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a higher 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 36542
| Period | ZIP 36542 | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 36542 has been low: just 2.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.8 points since 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 36542 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 36542 | 2.25 | 47.2 | 7.8% | 31.7% | 28.2% | 2003 | $1,424 | 38.0% | 96.7% | 2.0% |
| ZIP 36511 | 2.91 | 49.5 | 11.7% | 19.0% | 19.4% | 2000 | $964 | 35.8% | 90.0% | 1.0% |
| ZIP 36535 | 2.31 | 46.2 | 6.9% | 23.3% | 11.5% | 2001 | $1,335 | 24.4% | 89.1% | 5.1% |
| ZIP 36561 | 2.21 | 54.3 | 4.9% | 20.7% | 56.4% | 2000 | $1,790 | 45.1% | 97.9% | 3.1% |
| ZIP 36555 | 2.60 | 49.6 | 5.2% | 13.8% | 20.7% | 1993 | $1,034 | 39.5% | 91.7% | 1.3% |
| ZIP 36530 | 2.36 | 48.9 | 6.2% | 19.1% | 17.6% | 1995 | $1,138 | 20.0% | 89.1% | 3.0% |
| ZIP 36549 | 2.21 | 60.1 | 3.2% | 9.1% | 20.0% | 1995 | $1,127 | 25.5% | 94.5% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 32507 | 2.39 | 42.8 | 13.4% | 35.6% | 20.6% | 1984 | $1,479 | 31.2% | 92.6% | 6.4% |
| ZIP 36528 | 2.13 | 61.5 | 5.4% | 2.5% | 59.1% | 1994 | $1,844 | 41.1% | 97.5% | 11.9% |
| ZIP 32512 | 1.63 | 52.1 | 4.8% | 60.1% | 25.8% | 1985 | $995 | 43.8% | 80.7% | 0.0% |
| ZIP 32508 | 2.67 | 20.8 | 3.8% | 100.0% | 10.9% | 1967 | $1,797 | 46.7% | 100.0% | 2.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 07086, NJ · 55346, MN · 46373, IN · 31030, GA · 19107, PA · 19054, PA · 17025, PA · 14559, NY · 08210, NJ · 08033, NJ
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 36542. 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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