City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Anniston, AL

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

21,377
Residents
$44,806
Median income
$141,600
Median home
$962
Median rent (state)

Anniston - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Anniston places in the 12th percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

12th
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
3rd
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: Anniston, AL

Alabama's Anniston is a small city, with 21,377 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Anniston households earn a median of $44,806 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.2%. Anniston's housing stock carries a median value of $141,600, and the median resident age is 43.5 years. About 21.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 11 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 450% from five years earlier. Anniston's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 5210.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $962 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Alabama run around $245, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Anniston workers runs 22.2 minutes, with 80.1% driving alone and 4.5% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 88.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

21,377 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$44,806 /yr

Poverty 13.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Anniston compare to other US cities?

Where Anniston sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 12% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% 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, Anniston ranks #216 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 Anniston against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of Alabama's city distribution

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Anniston ranks #168 - the 70th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Anniston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#354 of 530
33rd percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#240 of 556
55th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#264 of 517
49th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#245 of 556
56th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#168 of 556
70th 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.

12thIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

12th percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Anniston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Anniston'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 32 Avg. percentile National median
Anniston'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 Anniston's home value compares nationally

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

$141,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% 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. Anniston $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 - Anniston, AL Anniston, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Anniston, 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 Anniston, AL median $44,806/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%
Anniston, 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 Anniston, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.9%

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

Population
21,377
Median Income
$44,806
Median Home Value
$141,600
Median Age
43.5
Poverty Rate
13.2%
Labor force participation
45.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5210.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
845.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4365.4
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.

Schools

Total Schools
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,800 residents21,000 residents21,200 residents21,400 residents21,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 21,504 residents 20,930 residents ▼ -2.7%
Anniston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
11
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 3
2021 3
2022 5
2023 11
2024 11

Permit volume increased 450% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.2 minutes
Drive Alone
80.1%
Carpool
11.4%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.1%
Work from Home
4.5%
Other
1.4%

Based on 8,182 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 Anniston sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$962/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Helena
21,452 people
Oxford
22,063 people
Mountain Brook
22,160 people
Foley
22,330 people
Albertville
22,584 people
Fairhope
23,360 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Anniston's 21,377 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Granite Bay, CA
21,378 people
East Patchogue, NY
21,364 people
Otsego, MN
21,358 people
New Hope, MN
21,402 people
Ashland, KY
21,405 people
Stephenville, TX
21,345 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Anniston's $44,806 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Vowinckel, PA
$44,808 median income
Lake, AR
$44,803 median income
Tamaqua, PA
$44,803 median income
Morristown, TN
$44,811 median income
Breckenridge Hills, MO
$44,800 median income
Camdenton, MO
$44,800 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Anniston, 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 Anniston, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 44.1% 49.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.5% White 44.1% Black or African American 49.8% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 3.4% 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 Anniston 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
Anniston (this city) 21,377 $44,806
Helena 21,452 $109,590
Oxford 22,063 $70,065
Mountain Brook 22,160 $191,128
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Anniston, AL?

What is the population of Anniston, AL? +

The population of Anniston, AL stands at 21,377 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Anniston, AL? +

The median household income in Anniston is $44,806 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Anniston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Anniston; 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 Anniston, AL safe? +

Anniston has a total crime rate of 5210.9 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 Anniston, AL? +

Homes in Anniston carry a median value of $141,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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.