Tuscaloosa ZIP Code

ZIP Code 35404: Tuscaloosa Neighborhoods, Schools and Landmarks

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by

Wesley Jackson
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The 35404 ZIP code is a standard-delivery Tuscaloosa ZIP on the east side of the city. It takes in Alberta along University Boulevard East, the McFarland Boulevard East corridor around University Mall, the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, and the Holt area farther east. It is one of Tuscaloosa’s four standard street-delivery ZIP codes, alongside 35401, 35405 and 35406.

This guide explains what 35404 covers, which roads organize it, how it splits between two school districts, and where a 35404 address can mislead you. Detailed school and landmark tables are on separate pages, linked below.

35404 ZIP code at a glance

Postal and census reference figures for 35404
Item35404Note
Postal cityTuscaloosa, ALStandard ZIP (street and box delivery)
CountyTuscaloosa CountyArea codes 205 and 659
ZCTA population estimate22,445Census ACS 2024 5-year, ZCTA 35404
ZCTA land area16.8 sq mi2010 Census ZCTA
Neighboring ZCTAs35401 (west), 35405 (south), 35406 (north, across the river), 35453 Cottondale (east)Approximate, from Census outlines

A ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) is the Census Bureau’s generalized outline of where addresses using a ZIP code are concentrated. USPS ZIP codes are really sets of delivery routes, so the population and land area above are statistical approximations, not official USPS figures. By those estimates, 35404 is one of the more compact residential ZIPs in the area: roughly 22,000 residents on under 17 square miles, compared with about 18,900 people spread across nearly 85 square miles in 35406.

Where 35404 sits in Tuscaloosa

On the Census ZCTA map, 35404 is a compact area on Tuscaloosa’s east side. Downtown and the University of Alabama area (35401) lie to the west, 35405 lies to the south, and the Black Warrior River separates it from 35406 to the north. To the east it meets the Cottondale ZIP, 35453. The Tuscaloosa and Northport ZIP code map guide shows the full outline and explains how to read it.

Main roads and orientation

  • University Boulevard East is the spine of Alberta. The Alberta School of Performing Arts sits at 2700 University Boulevard East and Alberta Park at 2710, both 35404. Closer to campus, addresses on the same road can be 35401: DCH Regional Medical Center is at 809 University Boulevard East, Tuscaloosa 35401.
  • McFarland Boulevard East (U.S. 82) runs along the west side of Alberta. The Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools campus (315 McFarland Boulevard East) and Tuscaloosa Veterans Memorial Park (1701 McFarland Boulevard East, in front of University Mall) both use 35404.
  • Veterans Memorial Parkway carries the address of American Christian Academy (2300 Veterans Memorial Parkway, 35404).
  • Loop Road East serves the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center at 3701 Loop Road East.
  • Old Birmingham Highway reaches Hurricane Creek Park at 7005 Old Birmingham Highway, toward the eastern edge of the ZIP.

Neighborhoods and communities in the 35404 zip code

Alberta (often called Alberta City) is the best-known community in 35404. It developed along what was then called Huntsville Road, now University Boulevard, and was annexed into Tuscaloosa in 1948, according to Bhamwiki’s summary of Tuscaloosa News coverage. The National Weather Service’s survey of the April 27, 2011 EF-4 tornado names the Alberta City community among the areas it struck. History, schools and community places are covered in the Alberta ZIP code and area guide.

Holt lies east of Alberta. Its county-system schools use addresses ending in “NE,” such as Holt High at 301 44th Court NE. A separate community name can make Holt sound like it sits outside Tuscaloosa, but Tuscaloosa County’s unified 911 address data places the Holt Elementary, Holt High and TCSS Academy address points inside Tuscaloosa city limits. That shows why the name of a community is not a reliable guide to which government serves a particular street.

City limits: what a 35404 address does and does not tell you

Every 35404 address uses “Tuscaloosa, AL” as its postal city, but the mailing city is not the same as the municipal boundary. For the points checked for this guide, Tuscaloosa County’s unified address points layer lists each of these addresses as inside the City of Tuscaloosa:

  • 3740 Arcadia Drive, 2700 and 2710 University Boulevard East, and 315 McFarland Boulevard East
  • 1001 Crescent Ridge Road NE, 301 44th Court NE and 3801 Alabama Avenue NE (Holt-area county schools)
  • 3701 Loop Road East, 4801 Arboretum Way and 7005 Old Birmingham Highway

Those results apply only to the specific points. A home elsewhere in 35404, especially toward the eastern edge, still needs its own check in the City of Tuscaloosa Zone Lookup. The broader explanation is in the guide to Tuscaloosa mailing addresses vs. city limits.

Schools in ZIP code 35404: a summary

35404 is the clearest case in the area of one ZIP code holding campuses from both public districts:

  • Tuscaloosa City Schools (4): Arcadia Elementary, The Alberta School of Performing Arts, Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools–Elementary and Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools–Middle (the two magnet schools share one campus).
  • Tuscaloosa County School System (3): Holt Elementary, Holt High and TCSS Academy.
  • Private (1): American Christian Academy.

A school being located in 35404 does not mean it serves every 35404 household. The full table with grade spans, magnet admission rules and both districts’ lookup tools is in the directory of schools located in 35404.

Notable places in 35404

The ZIP holds several places that draw visitors from across the county: Tuscaloosa Veterans Memorial Park with the mast of the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa, the 60-acre University of Alabama Arboretum, Hurricane Creek Park’s sandstone bluffs, Alberta Park with its April 27 memorial plaque, and the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, which began admitting patients in 1932. Addresses, history and “within vs. nearby” notes are on the page covering landmarks in 35404.

The Snow Hinton Park question

Snow Hinton Park, home of the Kentuck Festival of the Arts since 2024, is a known exception. The City and Kentuck list 35404 (Kentuck gives a 21st Street East entrance), but the county 911 point for 1000 Hargrove Road East shows 35405. Treat the park’s ZIP as unsettled and use the festival’s own directions on event days.

Address exceptions to watch in 35404

  • UA Arboretum mail. The arboretum’s street address is 4801 Arboretum Way, Tuscaloosa 35404, but its mailing address is a University box in 35487. Use the street address for GPS and the box for letters. The guide to UA’s 35487 ZIP code explains the pattern.
  • University Boulevard East crosses ZIPs. Low numbers near campus can be 35401 (DCH Regional is one example), while Alberta addresses are 35404. Don’t assume the street name sets the ZIP.
  • VA ZIP+4. The VA publishes 35404-5099 for the medical center. The first five digits are what matter for most uses.
  • Old Alberta address listings. A 2021 news story gave Alberta Park as 2614 University Boulevard East, 35401; the City’s venue page uses 2710 University Boulevard East, 35404. Use the City’s listing.

Getting around 35404

U.S. 82 (McFarland Boulevard) connects 35404 south to I-20/59 and north across the Woolsey Finnell Bridge toward Northport. University Boulevard East links Alberta west to campus and downtown. Tuscaloosa Transit Authority lists Holt and V.A. among its fixed routes; check current route information before relying on a bus. Bridges and cross-river routes are covered in the Tuscaloosa and Northport commute guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is 35404 inside Tuscaloosa city limits?

Much of it is, and every address checked for this guide was inside the city in county 911 data. A ZIP code is not a municipal boundary, though, so check any single address in the City’s Zone Lookup.

What is the zip code for Alberta in Tuscaloosa?

Alberta addresses along University Boulevard East, such as the Alberta School of Performing Arts (2700) and Alberta Park (2710), use 35404.

Is Holt in the 35404 ZIP code?

The Holt-area schools all have Tuscaloosa 35404 addresses. Homes at the eastern edge may use a different ZIP, so confirm a specific address with the USPS ZIP Code Lookup.

Does a 35404 address mean Tuscaloosa City Schools?

No. Both Tuscaloosa City Schools and the Tuscaloosa County School System operate schools in 35404. Check the address in each district’s zoning tool.

Facts in this guide were checked against the sources below on October 10, 2026. Addresses, programs and boundaries can change; confirm with the official source before relying on them.

Sources

Comments

One response to “ZIP Code 35404: Tuscaloosa Neighborhoods, Schools and Landmarks”

  1. Landmarks in 35404: East Tuscaloosa Parks and Memorials

    […] Every operator listed above publishes a 35404 address except where noted. For Veterans Memorial Park, Alberta Park, the arboretum, Hurricane Creek Park and the VA campus, Tuscaloosa County’s unified 911 address data also shows 35404 and places the point inside Tuscaloosa city limits; Evans-Roshell Park’s address was not matched in that layer, so its ZIP rests on PARA’s listing. For the neighborhoods and roads around them, see the 35404 ZIP code guide. […]

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