36251 ZIP Code — Ashland, AL

Clay County, Alabama

ZIP code 36251 is located in Ashland, Alabama, within Clay County. It covers approximately 146.57 square miles and serves a population of 5,291 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 256.

About ZIP code 36251

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $136,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 76%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $44,970. Poverty affects 24% of residents, above the national average. 34% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 24 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 11% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (16%), smoking (27%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 36251 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

5,291

population

146.57

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

36251 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 36251

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 36251. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Ashland	Acceptable
Ashland	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

36255 Cragford (8.9 mi) 36266 Lineville (9.8 mi) 35072 Goodwater (15.1 mi) 35160 Talladega (15.5 mi) 36256 Daviston (16.7 mi) 36276 Wadley (17 mi) 36268 Munford (18.1 mi) 36258 Delta (18.8 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	5,291
Population density	36 / sq mi
State FIPS	01
County FIPS	027

Geography
Land area	146.57 sq mi
Water area	0.62 sq mi
Latitude	33.2302
Longitude	-85.8678
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	256

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	60.2%	54.8%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	23.2%	27.4%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	12.1%	14.7%	18.0%
Over $200k	4.5%	3.2%	4.4%

Demographics & statistics

5,291

Population

People per sq mi

41.5

Median age

$44,970

Median household income

$25,963

Per capita income

$136,700

Median home value

$417

Median monthly rent

75.6%

Home ownership

24.1%

Poverty rate

4.6%

Unemployment

2,000

Housing units

10.5%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

109

Under 5

118

171

5–9

185

135

10–14

146

195

15–19

210

230

20–24

247

291

25–34

313

259

35–44

280

330

45–54

356

217

55–59

234

153

60–64

165

227

65–74

245

173

75–84

186

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,101	20.8%
18 and over	4,190	79.2%
65 and over	947	17.9%
Median age	41.5 years

Race & ethnicity

White 78.5%

Black or African American 7.8%

Two or more races 7.5%

Hispanic or Latino 4.8%

Other race 0.8%

Asian 0.4%

Group	Count	%
White	4,366	78.5%
Black or African American	436	7.8%
Two or more races	419	7.5%
Hispanic or Latino	269	4.8%
Other race	45	0.8%
Asian	25	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	60.2%	54.8%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	23.2%	27.4%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	12.1%	14.7%	18.0%
Over $200k	4.5%	3.2%	4.4%

Under $10k 10.5%

$10k–$15k 9.4%

$15k–$25k 10.3%

$25k–$35k 9.1%

$35k–$50k 15.1%

$50k–$75k 16.9%

$75k–$100k 7.2%

$100k–$150k 13.3%

$150k–$200k 6.5%

$200k+ 1.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	10.5%
$10k–$15k	9.4%
$15k–$25k	10.3%
$25k–$35k	9.1%
$35k–$50k	15.1%
$50k–$75k	16.9%
$75k–$100k	7.2%
$100k–$150k	13.3%
$150k–$200k	6.5%
$200k+	1.6%
Median income	$44,970

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 17.3%

$50k–$100k 20.6%

$100k–$150k 15.4%

$150k–$200k 7.2%

$200k–$300k 26.0%

$300k–$500k 8.9%

$500k–$1M 3.4%

$1M+ 1.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$136,700
Median rent / month	$417
Owner occupied	75.6%
Renter occupied	24.4%
Vacant	17.2%
Single-family detached	61.9%
Large apartment buildings	0.2%
Mobile homes	26.6%
Median rooms	5.8
Avg household size (owned)	2.51

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.6%
2010–2019	7.2%
2000–2009	10.9%
1990–1999	20.9%
1980–1989	20.9%
1970–1979	9.0%
1960–1969	10.6%
1950–1959	7.7%
1940–1949	4.3%
1939 or earlier	8.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.6%
1 bedroom	6.1%
2 bedrooms	29.7%
3 bedrooms	41.8%
4 bedrooms	17.1%
5+ bedrooms	3.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	9.7%
1 vehicle	23.9%
2 vehicles	30.8%
3 or more	35.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	29.5%
Electricity	43.5%
Propane / LP gas	14.0%
Wood	11.8%
No fuel used	1.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,051	50.6%
Cohabiting couple	100	4.8%
Male householder, no spouse	235	11.3%
Female householder, no spouse	691	33.3%
Households with children under 18	591	28.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	671	32.3%
Average household size	2.48

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	35.4%	23.4%
Married	54.5%	42.3%
Separated	0.6%	0.4%
Widowed	2.7%	15.7%
Divorced	6.8%	18.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 6.1%

Some HS, no diploma 12.3%

HS graduate 33.3%

Some college, no degree 23.8%

Associate's degree 14.0%

Bachelor's degree 8.9%

Graduate / professional 1.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	81.7%
Bachelor's or higher	10.5%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	70	6.3%
Kindergarten	26	2.4%
Elementary school	493	44.6%
High school	242	21.9%
College / grad school	275	24.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 27.9%

Education & healthcare 17.3%

Construction 13.0%

Retail trade 10.5%

Agriculture & mining 7.2%

Transportation & utilities 4.8%

Other services 4.8%

Finance & real estate 4.5%

Professional & management 3.8%

Information 2.3%

Public administration 1.6%

Wholesale trade 1.2%

Arts, food & hospitality 1.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	33.5%
Service	6.7%
Sales & office	18.7%
Natural resources & construction	13.7%
Production & transportation	27.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	81.0%
Government	10.8%
Self-employed	7.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.5%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	81.4%
Carpool	6.7%
Public transit	0.6%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	6.3%
Other means	5.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	23.5

Poverty

All people 24.1%

Under 18 years 29.7%

18 and over 22.7%

Married-couple families 12.0%

Female-led households 47.5%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	33.7%
Retirement income	19.6%
Supplemental Security	6.0%
Cash public assistance	6.1%
Food stamps / SNAP	15.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.6%
High blood pressure	46.5%
High cholesterol	38.7%
Diabetes	16.0%
Heart disease	10.0%
Stroke	5.3%
Asthma	11.0%
Arthritis	36.9%
Kidney disease	4.3%
Pulmonary disease	13.5%
Cancer	7.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	27.2%
Binge drinking	13.0%
No physical activity	36.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	38.9%
Depression	28.3%
Fair or poor health	27.9%
Poor mental health	18.5%
Poor physical health	16.9%
No health insurance	21.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	75.6%
Visited dentist	49.8%
Cholesterol screening	88.1%
Teeth loss	26.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	107	2.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	16.1%
Under 18	1.6%
18–64 years	11.5%
65 and over	51.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	62.1%
Public insurance	39.5%
No insurance	11.6%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	5,064	95.7%
Spanish	19	0.4%
Other Indo-European	19	0.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	5,245	99.1%
Born in same state	5,228	98.8%
Born in different state	4,495	85.0%
Foreign born	17	0.3%
Naturalized citizen	46	0.9%
Not a US citizen	39	84.8%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	1,234	23.3%
French	892	16.9%
Italian	394	7.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	11	0.2%
Polish	8	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	39.3%
Internet access	85.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 36251

What city is ZIP code 36251 in?

ZIP code 36251 is primarily assigned to Ashland, Alabama.

What county is ZIP code 36251 in?

ZIP code 36251 falls within Clay County, Alabama.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 36251?

24% of residents in ZIP code 36251 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 36251?

11% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 36251?

The median home value in ZIP code 36251 is $136,700.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 36251?

Health data for ZIP code 36251 shows elevated rates of diabetes (16%) and smoking (27%) compared to national benchmarks.

What timezone is ZIP code 36251 in?

ZIP code 36251 observes the CST timezone.