35903 ZIP Code — Gadsden, AL

Etowah County, Alabama

ZIP code 35903 is located in Gadsden, Alabama, within Etowah County. It covers approximately 68.22 square miles and serves a population of 17,717 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 256.

About ZIP code 35903

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1950s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $145,900. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 64%.

Median household income is $51,119. SNAP benefit usage at 20% 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 22 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 16% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of obesity (44%), diabetes (16%), smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 35903 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

17,717

population

68.22

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

35903 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 35903

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 35903. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Gadsden	Acceptable
Gadsden	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

35901 Gadsden (3.8 mi) 35904 Gadsden (6.5 mi) 35905 Gadsden (7.8 mi) 35983 Leesburg (11.2 mi) 35954 Attalla (11.5 mi) 36279 Wellington (11.6 mi) 35907 Gadsden (13.2 mi) 36265 Jacksonville (13.5 mi) 35906 Rainbow City (15.1 mi) 35960 Centre (16.7 mi) 36272 Piedmont (17.7 mi) 35961 Collinsville (17.7 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	17,717
Population density	260 / sq mi
State FIPS	01
County FIPS	055

Geography
Land area	68.22 sq mi
Water area	2.64 sq mi
Latitude	34.0359
Longitude	-85.8659
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	58.8%	54.6%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	27.7%	28.2%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	12.2%	15.2%	18.0%
Over $200k	1.3%	2.0%	4.4%

Demographics & statistics

17,717

Population

260

People per sq mi

41.6

Median age

$51,119

Median household income

$28,249

Per capita income

$145,900

Median home value

$787

Median monthly rent

64.2%

Home ownership

16.3%

Poverty rate

6.4%

Unemployment

5,879

Housing units

15.5%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

399

Under 5

425

259

5–9

277

435

10–14

465

577

15–19

615

805

20–24

859

1,037

25–34

1,107

1,194

35–44

1,274

1,379

45–54

1,471

468

55–59

499

599

60–64

639

869

65–74

928

454

75–84

484

85+

103

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	3,000	16.9%
18 and over	14,717	83.1%
65 and over	2,934	16.6%
Median age	41.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 61%

Black or African American 31.1%

Hispanic or Latino 2.9%

Two or more races 2.5%

Other race 1.2%

Asian 0.8%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%

Group	Count	%
White	11,122	61%
Black or African American	5,668	31.1%
Hispanic or Latino	524	2.9%
Two or more races	463	2.5%
Other race	210	1.2%
Asian	138	0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	116	0.6%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	58.8%	54.6%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	27.7%	28.2%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	12.2%	15.2%	18.0%
Over $200k	1.3%	2.0%	4.4%

Under $10k 4.5%

$10k–$15k 8.8%

$15k–$25k 12.1%

$25k–$35k 10.4%

$35k–$50k 12.9%

$50k–$75k 20.3%

$75k–$100k 11.4%

$100k–$150k 12.2%

$150k–$200k 5.9%

$200k+ 1.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.5%
$10k–$15k	8.8%
$15k–$25k	12.1%
$25k–$35k	10.4%
$35k–$50k	12.9%
$50k–$75k	20.3%
$75k–$100k	11.4%
$100k–$150k	12.2%
$150k–$200k	5.9%
$200k+	1.5%
Median income	$51,119

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 10.9%

$50k–$100k 22.2%

$100k–$150k 18.7%

$150k–$200k 22.0%

$200k–$300k 16.0%

$300k–$500k 7.7%

$500k–$1M 1.7%

$1M+ 0.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$145,900
Median rent / month	$787
Owner occupied	64.2%
Renter occupied	35.8%
Vacant	18.4%
Single-family detached	81.1%
Large apartment buildings	1.9%
Mobile homes	6.6%
Median rooms	5.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.64

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.2%
2010–2019	6.6%
2000–2009	7.5%
1990–1999	12.3%
1980–1989	10.0%
1970–1979	15.7%
1960–1969	10.0%
1950–1959	20.2%
1940–1949	12.6%
1939 or earlier	5.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.0%
1 bedroom	5.9%
2 bedrooms	30.5%
3 bedrooms	50.9%
4 bedrooms	9.3%
5+ bedrooms	2.3%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.4%
1 vehicle	28.6%
2 vehicles	36.4%
3 or more	30.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	32.5%
Electricity	60.9%
Propane / LP gas	4.6%
Fuel oil	0.4%
Wood	1.0%
No fuel used	0.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	2,615	38.6%
Cohabiting couple	253	3.7%
Male householder, no spouse	1,446	21.3%
Female householder, no spouse	2,463	36.3%
Households with children under 18	1,628	24.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	2,188	32.3%
Average household size	2.58

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	41.0%	36.0%
Married	40.4%	37.1%
Separated	2.8%	2.4%
Widowed	2.0%	9.8%
Divorced	13.8%	14.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.0%

Some HS, no diploma 12.8%

HS graduate 29.0%

Some college, no degree 29.0%

Associate's degree 10.7%

Bachelor's degree 9.7%

Graduate / professional 5.8%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	84.2%
Bachelor's or higher	15.5%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	172	4.5%
Kindergarten	101	2.7%
Elementary school	1,181	31.0%
High school	875	23.0%
College / grad school	1,478	38.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 24.3%

Education & healthcare 23.3%

Retail trade 12.5%

Arts, food & hospitality 11.7%

Construction 6.1%

Public administration 5.6%

Professional & management 4.9%

Other services 4.7%

Transportation & utilities 2.9%

Finance & real estate 1.7%

Wholesale trade 1.3%

Information 0.8%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	24.7%
Service	19.3%
Sales & office	16.6%
Natural resources & construction	10.1%
Production & transportation	29.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	82.6%
Government	15.0%
Self-employed	2.3%
Unpaid family workers	0.1%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	87.1%
Carpool	8.2%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	2.2%
Work from home	2.1%
Other means	0.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	21.6

Poverty

All people 16.3%

Under 18 years 22.3%

18 and over 15.2%

Married-couple families 3.9%

Female-led households 36.3%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	35.8%
Retirement income	25.6%
Supplemental Security	6.6%
Cash public assistance	4.2%
Food stamps / SNAP	19.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	44.2%
High blood pressure	44.2%
High cholesterol	36.9%
Diabetes	15.5%
Heart disease	7.9%
Stroke	4.4%
Asthma	10.8%
Arthritis	32.1%
Kidney disease	3.7%
Pulmonary disease	9.9%
Cancer	6.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.8%
Binge drinking	12.4%
No physical activity	33.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	42.2%
Depression	26.4%
Fair or poor health	23.5%
Poor mental health	17.4%
Poor physical health	13.7%
No health insurance	19.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.9%
Visited dentist	56.2%
Cholesterol screening	89.6%
Teeth loss	20.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	877	6.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	17.7%
Under 18	6.5%
18–64 years	15.9%
65 and over	36.6%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	64.7%
Public insurance	35.6%
No insurance	14.9%
Uninsured under 19	8.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	16,893	95.3%
Spanish	464	2.7%
Other Indo-European	433	2.6%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	31	0.2%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	17,378	98.1%
Born in same state	17,276	97.5%
Born in different state	14,709	83.0%
Foreign born	102	0.6%
Naturalized citizen	339	1.9%
Not a US citizen	59	17.4%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	2,339	13.2%
French	1,117	6.3%
Italian	879	5%

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	97	0.5%
English	22	0.1%
Dutch	12	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	38.3%
Internet access	92.7%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 35903

What city is ZIP code 35903 in?

ZIP code 35903 is primarily assigned to Gadsden, Alabama.

What county is ZIP code 35903 in?

ZIP code 35903 falls within Etowah County, Alabama.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35903?

16% of residents in ZIP code 35903 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 35903?

Health data for ZIP code 35903 shows elevated rates of obesity (44%) and diabetes (16%) and smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

Does ZIP code 35903 have a large retiree population?

36% of households in ZIP code 35903 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 35903?

The median home value in ZIP code 35903 is $145,900.

What timezone is ZIP code 35903 in?

ZIP code 35903 observes the CST timezone.