ZIP Code · AL

ZIP 35203

Part of Birmingham, AL

Pop. 3,506·Jefferson County·58th most expensive ZIP in Alabama

Median rent (all units)

$1,384/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

-0.4%

vs US Median

-$548

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 35203 · $1,384

More affordable than 81% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$820

1 BR

$930

2 BR

$1,020

3 BR

$1,280

4 BR+

$1,450

Research median

$1,020/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($47,434) is $1,186 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,020); a 3-bedroom is $1,280.

Rank in Birmingham

7th cheapest of 11 ZIP codes in Birmingham.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 35205, 2 miles away, rents for 23% less ($1,067/mo), about $3,800 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 35203. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$16,608/yr

At $1,384/mo median

Location

CityBirmingham

StateAL

CountyJefferson County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, -0.4% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 35203 (Birmingham, AL) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 36.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

3,506

Median income

$47,434

Median age

37.9

Renters

70.3%

Age distribution

37.8%

30.1%

13.3%

Under 188%

18–3437.8%

35–5430.1%

55–6413.3%

65+10.8%

Gender

62.9%

37.1%

Male62.9%

Female37.1%

Race & ethnicity

45%

49.4%

White45%

Black49.4%

Hispanic6.3%

Education (25+)

17.2%

28.1%

18.2%

36.5%

No HS diploma17.2%

HS diploma28.1%

Some college18.2%

Bachelor's+36.5%

Housing tenure

29.7%

70.3%

Owner29.7%

Renter70.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 35203 in Birmingham, AL has changed in 5 years

Income

$36,847 → $47,434

up 28.7%

Population

3,160 → 3,506

up 10.9%

Renter share

74.1% → 70.3%

-3.8 pts

Bachelor's+

31.8% → 36.5%

+4.7 pts

Median age

41.5 → 37.9

-3.6 yrs

Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $36,847 in 2021 to $47,434 more recently. Headcount in the area went from 3,160 to 3,506 between 2021 and 2024, a 10.9% change. About 70.3% of households rent today, against 74.1% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 31.8% to 36.5%.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 35203

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 35203 covers Birmingham, AL. The median rent here is $1,384/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $930/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,020/mo.

At 35% of local median household income ($47,434/yr), ZIP 35203 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 35203?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $55,000/year (about $26/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,384/mo in ZIP 35203. The local median household income is $47,434/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.