Russell County · Alabama
ZIP code 36856
- Population
- 8,825
- Median income
- $68,636
- Median home
- $252,700
- Sales tax
- 4%
ZCTA residents
Household, past 12 months
Owner-occupied value
Alabama state rate
Quick answer
ZIP 36856 sits in Russell County, Alabama and is home to 8,825 people. Median household income is $68,636, the median home is worth $252,700 and median gross rent is $1,054. 92% of households own their home, and purchases are taxed at 4% (Alabama state rate).
- County
- Russell County
- State
- Alabama (AL)
- Area codes
- Not published
- Metro area
- Outside covered metros
FIPS 01113
656 ZIPs covered
No NANPA match for this ZIP
Rate jurisdiction used for tax
The numbers for 36856
American Community Survey 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates for this ZCTA.
- Population
- 8,825ZIP 36856 residents
- Median household income
- $68,636Past 12 months, inflation adjusted
- Median home value
- $252,700Owner-occupied units
- Median gross rent
- $1,054Rent plus utilities, monthly
- Median age
- 31.3 yrsAll residents
- Homeownership rate
- 92%Owner-occupied households
Sales tax in 36856
What a purchase inside this ZIP costs at checkout.
Alabama levies 4% statewide, and counties, cities and special districts inside this ZIP can add their own local rate on top. Check the county page for the local component before you quote a price.
Affordability in this ZIP
Derived from the Census medians above — indicative, not an offer.
A rent burden above 30% is the federal threshold for cost-burdened households, and a price-to-income multiple above 4× is generally considered a stretched housing market. The mortgage figure is principal and interest only — taxes, insurance and HOA dues are extra.
How 36856 compares
ZIP 36856 against the median ZIP in Russell County and across Alabama.
| Measure | ZIP 36856 | County median | State median | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,636 | $46,847 | $55,313 | +24% |
| Median home value | $252,700 | $143,800 | $148,100 | +71% |
| Median gross rent | $1,054 | $912 | $823 | +28% |
| Population | 8,825 | 2,760 | 3,811 | +132% |
Medians are computed across the 8 ZIP areas in Russell County and the 656 ZIP areas in Alabama.
Statewide rank
Where this ZIP places among all 656 Alabama ZIP areas.
- Income
- #157
- Home value
- #65
- Population
- #201
richer than 73% of 585 state ZIPs
above 89% of 571 state ZIPs
larger than 69% of 656 state ZIPs
Comparable ZIP codes
Alabama ZIP areas with almost the same household income.
Nearby ZIP codes
Other ZIP codes filed under Russell County.
ZIP 36856 questions
Common questions about this ZIP code.
- Where is ZIP code 36856?
- ZIP 36856 lies mostly in Russell County, Alabama. County assignment follows the largest share of land area, so a ZIP straddling a county line is filed under its dominant county.
- What sales tax do I pay in 36856?
- Alabama charges 4% statewide, plus any county, city or district rate that applies locally.
- Is 36856 expensive to live in?
- Median rent runs $1,054 a month, about 18% of median household income, and the median home is worth $252,700 — +71% against the typical Alabama ZIP.
- Is a ZCTA the same as a postal ZIP code?
- Not exactly. The Census builds ZIP Code Tabulation Areas from the ZIP codes of addresses inside each census block, so a ZCTA can differ slightly from the USPS delivery route of the same number, and PO-box-only ZIPs have no ZCTA at all.
Keep going
Related pages for this area.
Sources & transparency
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates — 2019-2023 ACS 5-year — population, income, housing
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file — County assignment by largest land-area overlap
- Alabama Department of Revenue — Sales tax rates and local add-ons
Last reviewed December 2024. Figures are published for reference and can change; verify with the source agency before filing or contracting. How we build and check this data.