City · Alabama
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston, city, in Calhoun County, Alabama. Anniston had 20,930 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 21,564 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 21,271 (±35). GEOID 0101852.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
20,930
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 21,564 · ACS 2020-2024: 21,271 ±35
Median household income
$46,668
±$4,690 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$158,800
±$15,933 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$799
±$65 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Anniston and what county is it in?
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County, Alabama. It covers 45.9 square miles of land, 470 residents per square mile in 2020.
Anniston is in the Anniston-Oxford, AL metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Anniston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 20,930 people lived in Anniston on July 1, 2025, down 2.9% since 2020, while Alabama grew 3.3%. The 2020 Census counted 21,564 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 21,271 (±35).
| Measure | Anniston | Calhoun County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 21,271 ±35 | 116,090 | −417 |
| Households | 8,881 ±481 | 45,015 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.26 ±0.12 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 11,420 ±426 | 53,361 | no clear change |
Anniston's population since 2000
From 24,276 in 2000 to 20,930 in 2025: down 13.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Anniston as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Anniston?
The median resident of Anniston is 42.8 years old; 20.8% are under 18 and 22.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 50.5%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 41.5%. 2.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Anniston | Calhoun County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 ±2.4 | 39.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.8% ±2.1 pts | 21.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.4% ±2.1 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±2.2 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.2% ±1.9 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 41.5% ±2.9 pts | 69.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 50.5% ±3.0 pts | 21.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±1.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.7% ±1.1 pts | 2.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.0% ±1.5 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.3% ±1.8 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 24.5% ±2.6 pts | 20.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.7% ±2.4 pts | 10.2% | +2.9 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.7% ±2.4 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.5% ±3.1 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.7% ±2.0 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.7% ±2.2 pts | 88.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Anniston earn?
Half of Anniston's 8,881 households earn less than $46,668 a year (±$4,690), against $55,029 in Calhoun County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $44,368 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Anniston | Calhoun County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,668 ±$4,690 | $55,029 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $67,939 ±$6,378 | $73,223 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,565 ±$2,849 | $30,275 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.6% ±3.6 pts | 17.9% | −6.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 28.3% ±8.2 pts | 23.9% | −15.3 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.4% ±4.1 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.2% ±2.5 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.2% ±3.4 pts | 87.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Anniston?
Owners occupy 58.5% of Anniston's occupied homes and renters 41.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,800 by its owner (±$15,933). The median renter pays $799 a month including utilities, and 48.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Anniston | Calhoun County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $158,800 ±$15,933 | $156,600 | +$38,684 |
| Median gross rent | $799 ±$65 | $826 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.1% ±8.7 pts | 36.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,158 ±$91 | $1,210 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 58.5% ±3.6 pts | 70.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 41.5% ±3.6 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Housing units | 11,420 ±426 | 53,361 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.0% ±3.1 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.0% ±3.1 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.7% ±0.5 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±1.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.6% ±2.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.4% ±3.0 pts | 6.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Anniston building?
Builders took permits for 11 new housing units in Anniston in 2025 (11 in single-family houses), 0.5 per 1,000 residents against 3.7 across Alabama.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Anniston work and get to work?
80.4% of Anniston's workers drive alone and 7.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.4%.
| Measure | Anniston | Calhoun County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 50.9% ±3.1 pts | 56.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% ±2.3 pts | 6.0% | −3.7 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 80.4% ±4.2 pts | 85.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.9% ±2.9 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±1.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.7% ±3.0 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.8 min ±2.9 | 25.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Anniston?
9 census tracts lie mostly in Anniston, and 9 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $14,962 (Tract 6) to $74,194 (Tract 10).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 10Calhoun County | 5,775 | $74,194 |
| Tract 9Calhoun County | 3,477 | $73,649 |
| Tract 7Calhoun County | 3,180 | $36,991 |
| Tract 2Calhoun County | 2,615 | $38,799 |
| Tract 3Calhoun County | 2,011 | $31,797 |
| Tract 8Calhoun County | 1,529 | $29,500 |
| Tract 6Calhoun County | 1,595 | $14,962 |
| Tract 4Calhoun County | 2,602 | $38,109 |
| Tract 5Calhoun County | 1,042 | $20,000 |
| Tract 16Calhoun County | 3,761 | $46,733 |
| Tract 17Calhoun County | 6,325 | $59,636 |
| Tract 15.01Calhoun County | 3,198 | $67,917 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Anniston) · Census block assignment files
How does Anniston compare with other places in Alabama?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Anniston is the 1,865th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 32nd-most populous of 463 in Alabama.
Anniston ranks 219th of 305 places in Alabama with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 32nd | 463 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 196th | 257 |
| Residents per square mile | 134th | 311 |
| Median household income | 219th | 305 |
| Per capita income | 159th | 311 |
| Median home value | 171st | 304 |
| Median gross rent | 167th | 274 |
| Poverty rate | 101st | 258 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 139th | 295 |
| Median age | 88th | 309 |
| Owner-occupied share | 251st | 310 |
| Work from home | 80th | 138 |
| Travel time to work | 210th | 310 |
Anniston's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Anniston with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Anniston?
8 of the 57 figures for Anniston on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Anniston are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Anniston.