35988 ZIP Code — Sylvania, AL

De Kalb County, Alabama

ZIP code 35988 is located in Sylvania, Alabama, within De Kalb County. It covers approximately 12.30 square miles and serves a population of 2,028 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 256.

About ZIP code 35988

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $103,100. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 68%.

The gap between median ($41,000) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. SNAP benefit usage at 18% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 45% 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 26 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 23% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (24%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 35988 reflects a community defined by a significant Social Security-dependent population and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,028

population

12.30

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

35988 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 35988

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 35988. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Sylvania	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

35986 Rainsville (3.9 mi) 35968 Fort Payne (4.2 mi) 35978 Henagar (6.8 mi) 35744 Dutton (8 mi) 35765 Pisgah (8.7 mi) 35989 Valley Head (9.6 mi) 35971 Fyffe (11.4 mi) 35967 Fort Payne (11.5 mi) 35984 Mentone (11.9 mi) 35771 Section (12.7 mi) 35981 Ider (13.4 mi) 35752 Hollywood (15.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,028
Population density	165 / sq mi
State FIPS	01
County FIPS	049

Geography
Land area	12.30 sq mi
Water area	0.07 sq mi
Latitude	34.5590
Longitude	-85.7866
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	61.2%	57.3%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	27.8%	29.4%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	9.1%	11.1%	18.0%
Over $200k	1.9%	2.2%	4.4%

Demographics & statistics

2,028

Population

165

People per sq mi

36.6

Median age

$41,000

Median household income

$26,704

Per capita income

$103,100

Median home value

$624

Median monthly rent

68.1%

Home ownership

9.5%

Poverty rate

5.0%

Unemployment

648

Housing units

22.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

115

25–34

144

109

35–44

136

108

45–54

135

55–59

60–64

65–74

120

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	518	25.5%
18 and over	1,510	74.5%
65 and over	354	17.5%
Median age	36.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 78.6%

Hispanic or Latino 8.6%

Other race 7.9%

Two or more races 4%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%

Black or African American 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	1,746	78.6%
Hispanic or Latino	192	8.6%
Other race	176	7.9%
Two or more races	89	4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	12	0.5%
Black or African American	5	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	61.2%	57.3%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	27.8%	29.4%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	9.1%	11.1%	18.0%
Over $200k	1.9%	2.2%	4.4%

Under $10k 8.9%

$10k–$15k 2.5%

$15k–$25k 8.1%

$25k–$35k 22.3%

$35k–$50k 12.3%

$50k–$75k 12.6%

$75k–$100k 12.6%

$100k–$150k 15.1%

$150k–$200k 2.9%

$200k+ 2.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	8.9%
$10k–$15k	2.5%
$15k–$25k	8.1%
$25k–$35k	22.3%
$35k–$50k	12.3%
$50k–$75k	12.6%
$75k–$100k	12.6%
$100k–$150k	15.1%
$150k–$200k	2.9%
$200k+	2.7%
Median income	$41,000

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 17.1%

$50k–$100k 31.4%

$100k–$150k 19.7%

$150k–$200k 9.9%

$200k–$300k 11.9%

$300k–$500k 7.0%

$500k–$1M 3.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$103,100
Median rent / month	$624
Owner occupied	68.1%
Renter occupied	31.9%
Vacant	17.1%
Single-family detached	79.3%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	16.3%
Median rooms	5.9
Avg household size (owned)	2.98

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.3%
2010–2019	7.8%
2000–2009	17.4%
1990–1999	14.4%
1980–1989	10.6%
1970–1979	14.3%
1960–1969	14.6%
1950–1959	9.8%
1940–1949	2.3%
1939 or earlier	8.5%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	6.7%
2 bedrooms	23.0%
3 bedrooms	54.4%
4 bedrooms	7.0%
5+ bedrooms	8.9%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.1%
1 vehicle	41.0%
2 vehicles	22.9%
3 or more	35.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	3.2%
Electricity	71.6%
Propane / LP gas	20.0%
Fuel oil	1.6%
Wood	3.6%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	323	44.2%
Cohabiting couple	17	2.3%
Male householder, no spouse	165	22.6%
Female householder, no spouse	225	30.8%
Households with children under 18	312	42.7%
Households with seniors (65+)	274	37.5%
Average household size	2.78

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	30.9%	21.9%
Married	48.8%	40.7%
Separated	1.6%	12.8%
Widowed	9.1%	8.6%
Divorced	9.6%	15.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 9.2%

Some HS, no diploma 12.1%

HS graduate 31.0%

Some college, no degree 12.5%

Associate's degree 12.4%

Bachelor's degree 14.2%

Graduate / professional 8.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	78.7%
Bachelor's or higher	22.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	36	7.2%
Kindergarten	39	7.8%
Elementary school	204	41.0%
High school	97	19.5%
College / grad school	122	24.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 29.0%

Education & healthcare 20.3%

Professional & management 11.4%

Transportation & utilities 7.2%

Other services 7.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 5.1%

Wholesale trade 5.0%

Retail trade 4.4%

Agriculture & mining 3.3%

Construction 3.3%

Finance & real estate 2.3%

Public administration 1.4%

Information 0.3%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	27.5%
Service	9.6%
Sales & office	18.0%
Natural resources & construction	8.2%
Production & transportation	36.7%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	88.1%
Government	6.3%
Self-employed	4.9%
Unpaid family workers	0.7%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	86.6%
Carpool	12.6%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.3%
Other means	0.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	26.0

Poverty

All people 9.5%

Under 18 years 10.6%

18 and over 9.1%

Married-couple families 5.0%

Female-led households 7.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.8%
Retirement income	22.3%
Supplemental Security	3.6%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	18.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	41.9%
High blood pressure	39.0%
High cholesterol	35.6%
Diabetes	12.3%
Heart disease	7.6%
Stroke	3.7%
Asthma	10.5%
Arthritis	32.3%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	10.7%
Cancer	6.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	23.9%
Binge drinking	15.4%
No physical activity	31.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	37.0%
Depression	28.9%
Fair or poor health	22.3%
Poor mental health	18.8%
Poor physical health	14.1%
No health insurance	19.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.4%
Visited dentist	53.2%
Cholesterol screening	86.8%
Teeth loss	21.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	47	3.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	17.6%
Under 18	10.0%
18–64 years	8.7%
65 and over	57.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	64.9%
Public insurance	35.0%
No insurance	8.5%
Uninsured under 19	0.4%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,947	96.0%
Spanish	49	2.5%
Other Indo-European	49	2.5%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,926	95.0%
Born in same state	1,926	95.0%
Born in different state	1,426	70.3%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	102	5.0%
Not a US citizen	34	33.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	282	13.9%
Italian	218	10.7%
French	143	7.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	31	1.5%
Polish	11	0.5%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	36.0%
Internet access	83.3%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 35988

What city is ZIP code 35988 in?

ZIP code 35988 is primarily assigned to Sylvania, Alabama.

What county is ZIP code 35988 in?

ZIP code 35988 falls within De Kalb County, Alabama.

Does ZIP code 35988 have a large retiree population?

45% of households in ZIP code 35988 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 35988?

The median home value in ZIP code 35988 is $103,100.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 35988?

The median household income in ZIP code 35988 is $41,000, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What is the population of ZIP code 35988?

ZIP code 35988 has an estimated population of 2,028 residents, with a density of 165 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 35988 in?

ZIP code 35988 observes the CST timezone.