35616 ZIP Code — Cherokee, AL

Colbert County, Alabama

ZIP code 35616 is located in Cherokee, Alabama, within Colbert County. It covers approximately 216.03 square miles and serves a population of 3,599 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 256.

About ZIP code 35616

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1960s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $92,300. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 71%.

Median household income is $46,992. Poverty affects 28% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 27% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 36% 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 29 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 12% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 35616 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.

3,599

population

216.03

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

35616 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 35616

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 35616. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Cherokee	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

35677 Waterloo (12.8 mi) 35633 Florence (13.6 mi) 38852 Iuka (14.3 mi) 35674 Tuscumbia (14.8 mi) 35653 Russellville (15.3 mi) 38873 Tishomingo (15.5 mi) 35660 Sheffield (15.7 mi) 35632 Florence (18.3 mi) 38827 Belmont (19 mi) 38838 Dennis (19.2 mi) 35630 Florence (19.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	3,599
Population density	17 / sq mi
State FIPS	01
County FIPS	033

Geography
Land area	216.03 sq mi
Water area	16.17 sq mi
Latitude	34.7410
Longitude	-87.9925
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	256

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	63.4%	51.6%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	22.5%	32.1%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	13.8%	14.9%	18.0%
Over $200k	0.2%	1.5%	4.4%

Demographics & statistics

3,599

Population

People per sq mi

43.9

Median age

$46,992

Median household income

$27,964

Per capita income

$92,300

Median home value

$771

Median monthly rent

70.9%

Home ownership

27.7%

Poverty rate

7.8%

Unemployment

1,548

Housing units

12.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

123

Under 5

121

5–9

171

10–14

167

127

15–19

124

20–24

156

25–34

154

233

35–44

229

341

45–54

334

55–59

111

60–64

109

243

65–74

238

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	800	22.2%
18 and over	2,799	77.8%
65 and over	699	19.4%
Median age	43.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 82.6%

Black or African American 12.2%

Hispanic or Latino 2%

Two or more races 1.7%

Other race 1.3%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	3,033	82.6%
Black or African American	449	12.2%
Hispanic or Latino	73	2%
Two or more races	63	1.7%
Other race	46	1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	8	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	63.4%	51.6%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	22.5%	32.1%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	13.8%	14.9%	18.0%
Over $200k	0.2%	1.5%	4.4%

Under $10k 8.1%

$10k–$15k 10.1%

$15k–$25k 13.7%

$25k–$35k 7.8%

$35k–$50k 13.0%

$50k–$75k 13.5%

$75k–$100k 9.6%

$100k–$150k 17.8%

$150k–$200k 5.6%

$200k+ 0.8%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	8.1%
$10k–$15k	10.1%
$15k–$25k	13.7%
$25k–$35k	7.8%
$35k–$50k	13.0%
$50k–$75k	13.5%
$75k–$100k	9.6%
$100k–$150k	17.8%
$150k–$200k	5.6%
$200k+	0.8%
Median income	$46,992

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 14.4%

$50k–$100k 42.4%

$100k–$150k 17.6%

$150k–$200k 11.0%

$200k–$300k 8.5%

$300k–$500k 5.2%

$1M+ 1.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$92,300
Median rent / month	$771
Owner occupied	70.9%
Renter occupied	29.1%
Vacant	26.5%
Single-family detached	84.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	11.9%
Median rooms	6.6
Avg household size (owned)	2.30

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	7.3%
2000–2009	12.7%
1990–1999	4.4%
1980–1989	12.7%
1970–1979	12.5%
1960–1969	14.3%
1950–1959	12.8%
1940–1949	9.7%
1939 or earlier	13.7%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.5%
1 bedroom	1.2%
2 bedrooms	18.9%
3 bedrooms	56.4%
4 bedrooms	17.3%
5+ bedrooms	5.6%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.2%
1 vehicle	30.4%
2 vehicles	26.9%
3 or more	38.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	17.3%
Electricity	61.8%
Propane / LP gas	13.7%
Fuel oil	0.7%
Wood	2.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	656	45.3%
Cohabiting couple	93	6.4%
Male householder, no spouse	180	12.4%
Female householder, no spouse	519	35.8%
Households with children under 18	430	29.7%
Households with seniors (65+)	508	35.1%
Average household size	2.49

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	21.1%	23.0%
Married	62.0%	43.8%
Separated	0.6%	7.3%
Widowed	1.2%	15.8%
Divorced	15.1%	10.1%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.5%

Some HS, no diploma 14.1%

HS graduate 40.3%

Some college, no degree 25.0%

Associate's degree 6.7%

Bachelor's degree 7.7%

Graduate / professional 4.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	84.4%
Bachelor's or higher	12.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	168	19.9%
Kindergarten	29	3.4%
Elementary school	374	44.3%
High school	216	25.6%
College / grad school	57	6.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 23.4%

Education & healthcare 17.2%

Construction 11.8%

Transportation & utilities 10.0%

Agriculture & mining 7.6%

Retail trade 6.8%

Other services 6.5%

Finance & real estate 4.9%

Wholesale trade 3.5%

Public administration 2.8%

Information 2.6%

Arts, food & hospitality 1.8%

Professional & management 1.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	20.7%
Service	13.0%
Sales & office	22.5%
Natural resources & construction	8.5%
Production & transportation	35.3%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	72.6%
Government	18.3%
Self-employed	9.1%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	90.7%
Carpool	5.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	3.4%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	28.7

Poverty

All people 27.7%

Under 18 years 57.3%

18 and over 19.2%

Married-couple families 4.0%

Female-led households 61.8%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	36.2%
Retirement income	26.9%
Supplemental Security	11.9%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	26.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.2%
High blood pressure	45.4%
High cholesterol	37.5%
Diabetes	14.2%
Heart disease	8.9%
Stroke	4.3%
Asthma	9.9%
Arthritis	36.0%
Kidney disease	3.7%
Pulmonary disease	10.5%
Cancer	7.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.3%
Binge drinking	13.2%
No physical activity	31.6%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	36.1%
Depression	25.1%
Fair or poor health	21.5%
Poor mental health	16.1%
Poor physical health	13.5%
No health insurance	16.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.7%
Visited dentist	57.4%
Cholesterol screening	90.8%
Teeth loss	17.7%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	182	6.5%

Disability	%
Any disability	14.6%
Under 18	5.6%
18–64 years	12.8%
65 and over	30.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	61.0%
Public insurance	41.9%
No insurance	7.6%
Uninsured under 19	0.8%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	3,355	93.2%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	3,575	99.3%
Born in same state	3,543	98.4%
Born in different state	2,815	78.2%
Foreign born	32	0.9%
Naturalized citizen	24	0.7%
Not a US citizen	24	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	1,528	42.5%
French	310	8.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	165	4.6%
English	9	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	40.2%
Internet access	81.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 35616

What city is ZIP code 35616 in?

ZIP code 35616 is primarily assigned to Cherokee, Alabama.

What county is ZIP code 35616 in?

ZIP code 35616 falls within Colbert County, Alabama.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35616?

28% of residents in ZIP code 35616 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 35616?

12% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 35616 have a large retiree population?

36% of households in ZIP code 35616 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 35616?

The median home value in ZIP code 35616 is $92,300.

What timezone is ZIP code 35616 in?

ZIP code 35616 observes the CST timezone.