35543 ZIP Code — Bear Creek, AL

Marion County, Alabama

ZIP code 35543 is located in Bear Creek, Alabama, within Marion County. It covers approximately 36.99 square miles and serves a population of 1,264 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 205.

About ZIP code 35543

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1960s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $102,400. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 72%.

Median household income is $26,250. Poverty affects 20% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 27% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 62% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 20 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 9% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (26%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 25%.

Overall, ZIP code 35543 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

1,264

population

36.99

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

35543 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 35543

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 35543. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Bear Creek	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

35564 Hackleburg (7 mi) 35565 Haleyville (7.4 mi) 35581 Phil Campbell (10.7 mi) 35548 Brilliant (11.3 mi) 35570 Hamilton (13.6 mi) 35585 Spruce Pine (15 mi) 35571 Hodges (15.3 mi) 35575 Lynn (16.1 mi) 35563 Guin (18.4 mi) 35594 Winfield (18.5 mi) 35654 Russellville (19.8 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,264
Population density	34 / sq mi
State FIPS	01
County FIPS	093

Geography
Land area	36.99 sq mi
Water area	0.11 sq mi
Latitude	34.2133
Longitude	-87.7419
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	205

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	77.6%	59.7%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	11.8%	29.1%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	10.6%	9.8%	18.0%
Over $200k	0.0%	1.5%	4.4%

Demographics & statistics

1,264

Population

People per sq mi

40.8

Median age

$26,250

Median household income

$18,055

Per capita income

$102,400

Median home value

$609

Median monthly rent

71.8%

Home ownership

20.3%

Poverty rate

16.3%

Unemployment

466

Housing units

9.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

116

45–54

55–59

60–64

120

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	293	23.2%
18 and over	971	76.8%
65 and over	245	19.4%
Median age	40.8 years

Race & ethnicity

White 97.8%

Two or more races 1.3%

Hispanic or Latino 0.5%

Other race 0.5%

Group	Count	%
White	1,242	97.8%
Two or more races	16	1.3%
Hispanic or Latino	6	0.5%
Other race	6	0.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	77.6%	59.7%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	11.8%	29.1%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	10.6%	9.8%	18.0%
Over $200k	0.0%	1.5%	4.4%

Under $10k 9.4%

$10k–$15k 11.6%

$15k–$25k 27.1%

$25k–$35k 7.3%

$35k–$50k 6.1%

$50k–$75k 15.9%

$75k–$100k 11.8%

$100k–$150k 10.2%

$150k–$200k 0.4%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.4%
$10k–$15k	11.6%
$15k–$25k	27.1%
$25k–$35k	7.3%
$35k–$50k	6.1%
$50k–$75k	15.9%
$75k–$100k	11.8%
$100k–$150k	10.2%
$150k–$200k	0.4%
Median income	$26,250

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 19.3%

$50k–$100k 29.0%

$100k–$150k 19.0%

$150k–$200k 10.8%

$200k–$300k 18.5%

$300k–$500k 3.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$102,400
Median rent / month	$609
Owner occupied	71.8%
Renter occupied	28.2%
Vacant	18.9%
Single-family detached	57.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	38.4%
Median rooms	5.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.63

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	6.5%
2000–2009	1.7%
1990–1999	25.3%
1980–1989	13.2%
1970–1979	15.2%
1960–1969	32.1%
1950–1959	6.0%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	0.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.7%
1 bedroom	1.3%
2 bedrooms	17.9%
3 bedrooms	63.2%
4 bedrooms	13.6%
5+ bedrooms	2.3%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	2.4%
1 vehicle	27.6%
2 vehicles	34.7%
3 or more	35.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	34.3%
Electricity	61.2%
Propane / LP gas	4.5%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	220	44.9%
Cohabiting couple	36	7.3%
Male householder, no spouse	139	28.4%
Female householder, no spouse	95	19.4%
Households with children under 18	113	23.1%
Households with seniors (65+)	214	43.7%
Average household size	2.58

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	35.8%	15.0%
Married	32.7%	56.1%
Separated	7.8%	0.0%
Widowed	8.6%	16.8%
Divorced	15.1%	12.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 7.2%

Some HS, no diploma 34.7%

HS graduate 30.3%

Some college, no degree 16.7%

Associate's degree 1.7%

Bachelor's degree 7.2%

Graduate / professional 2.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	58.1%
Bachelor's or higher	9.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	53	28.5%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	107	57.5%
High school	18	9.7%
College / grad school	8	4.3%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 40.0%

Professional & management 13.2%

Finance & real estate 10.4%

Retail trade 8.5%

Transportation & utilities 7.3%

Education & healthcare 5.9%

Wholesale trade 3.7%

Construction 3.4%

Other services 3.4%

Public administration 2.8%

Information 1.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	34.4%
Service	2.3%
Sales & office	18.9%
Natural resources & construction	7.9%
Production & transportation	36.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	87.0%
Government	11.3%
Self-employed	1.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	91.0%
Carpool	2.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	2.9%
Other means	3.2%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.5

Poverty

All people 20.3%

Under 18 years 19.5%

18 and over 20.6%

Married-couple families 23.6%

Female-led households 44.2%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	62.0%
Retirement income	6.3%
Supplemental Security	23.9%
Cash public assistance	0.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	26.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	39.0%
High blood pressure	42.8%
High cholesterol	38.1%
Diabetes	13.8%
Heart disease	8.8%
Stroke	4.3%
Asthma	10.5%
Arthritis	35.3%
Kidney disease	3.7%
Pulmonary disease	12.3%
Cancer	7.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	25.8%
Binge drinking	14.6%
No physical activity	33.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	37.7%
Depression	29.1%
Fair or poor health	24.3%
Poor mental health	18.5%
Poor physical health	15.3%
No health insurance	18.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.3%
Visited dentist	51.8%
Cholesterol screening	87.7%
Teeth loss	21.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	21	2.2%

Disability	%
Any disability	25.1%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	27.4%
65 and over	48.2%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	42.3%
Public insurance	57.0%
No insurance	7.8%
Uninsured under 19	9.3%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,124	88.9%
Spanish	8	0.7%
Other Indo-European	8	0.7%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,258	99.5%
Born in same state	1,258	99.5%
Born in different state	940	74.4%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	6	0.5%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	347	27.5%
Arab	149	11.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	62	4.9%
Dutch	6	0.5%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	38.8%
Internet access	81.6%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 35543

What city is ZIP code 35543 in?

ZIP code 35543 is primarily assigned to Bear Creek, Alabama.

What county is ZIP code 35543 in?

ZIP code 35543 falls within Marion County, Alabama.

Does ZIP code 35543 have a large retiree population?

62% of households in ZIP code 35543 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 35543?

9% 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 poverty rate in ZIP code 35543?

20% of residents in ZIP code 35543 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 35543?

The median household income in ZIP code 35543 is $26,250, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 35543 in?

ZIP code 35543 observes the CST timezone.