City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Alexander City, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Alexander City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

14,686
Residents
$42,367
Median income
$135,900
Median home
$857
Median rent (state)

Alexander City - the verdict

Nationally, Alexander City sits in the 10th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

10th
percentile, household income
23rd
percentile, home value
1st
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Alexander City, AL

Alexander City is a small town in Alabama, home to 14,686 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Alexander City households earn a median of $42,367 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.2%. Typical homes in Alexander City are valued around $135,900, and the median resident age is 42.8 years. About 17.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 48.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 76 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 347% from five years earlier. Alexander City's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4612.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.8°F with 57.0 inches of precipitation per year and 0.7 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Alabama at 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $857 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $245 across Alabama, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 67.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

14,686 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$42,367 /yr

Poverty 19.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Alexander City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Alexander City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 23% pricier than other cities
Median rent 1% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Alabama, Alexander City ranks #211 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Alexander City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Alexander City toward the top of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Alexander City ranks #135 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Alexander City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#383 of 530
28th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#344 of 556
37th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#277 of 517
46th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#135 of 556
76th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#235 of 556
58th percentile in Alabama

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alabama only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

10thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

10th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Alexander City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Alexander City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 34 Avg. percentile National median
Alexander City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Alexander City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$135,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 77% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Alexander City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Alexander City, AL Alexander City, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Alexander City, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Alexander City, AL median $42,367/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Alexander City, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Alexander City, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
14,686
Median Income
$42,367
Median Home Value
$135,900
Median Age
42.8
Poverty Rate
19.2%
Labor force participation
48.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4612.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1024.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3588.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.8°F
Annual Precipitation
57.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.7"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,400 residents14,600 residents14,800 residents15,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 14,833 residents 14,515 residents ▼ -2.1%
Alexander City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
76
housing units authorized
Single-Family
76
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 17
2020 28
2021 98
2022 33
2023 54
2024 76

Permit volume increased 347% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
85.7%
Carpool
9.0%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
3.9%

Based on 5,540 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Alexander City sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$857/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
67.5 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Fort Payne
14,886 people
Jasper
14,480 people
Ozark
14,348 people
Jacksonville
14,345 people
Talladega
15,041 people
McCalla
13,939 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Alexander City's 14,686 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cedar Lake, IN
14,686 people
Glens Falls, NY
14,678 people
Broadlands, VA
14,673 people
Sterling, IL
14,670 people
Lockhart, TX
14,708 people
Lakeland North, WA
14,664 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Alexander City's $42,367 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Murphysboro, IL
$42,367 median income
Springfield, CO
$42,368 median income
Harvey, ND
$42,368 median income
Crescent, LA
$42,371 median income
Myrtle Point, OR
$42,357 median income
Millfield, OH
$42,356 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Alexander City, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Alexander City, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 56.0% 31.6% 8.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.4% White 56.0% Black or African American 31.6% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.2% Two or more races 8.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Alexander City compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Alexander City (this city) 14,686 $42,367
Fort Payne 14,886 $48,623
Jasper 14,480 $66,250
Ozark 14,348 $46,951
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Alexander City, AL?

What is the population of Alexander City, AL? +

Alexander City, AL counts 14,686 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Alexander City, AL? +

Alexander City households earn a median of $42,367 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Alexander City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Alexander City; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Alexander City, AL safe? +

Alexander City has a total crime rate of 4612.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Alexander City, AL? +

The median home value in Alexander City is $135,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Alexander City? +

Alexander City has an average annual temperature of 62.8°F, 57.0 inches of precipitation, and 0.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.