City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Arab, AL

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

8,573
Residents
$60,985
Median income
$196,700
Median home
$776
Median rent (state)

Arab - the verdict

Arab ranks in the 37th percentile for household income and the 9th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

37th
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
0th
percentile, median rent
9th
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: Arab, AL

Alabama's Arab is a small town, with 8,573 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Arab brings in $60,985 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.7%. Arab's housing stock carries a median value of $196,700, and the median resident age is 36.9 years. Educational attainment runs 24.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 38 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 124% from five years earlier. Arab's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3805.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Alabama scores 88.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $776 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). Workers in Arab report an average commute of 27.4 minutes, with 82.2% driving alone and 7.5% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 87.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

8,573 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$60,985 /yr

Poverty 11.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Arab compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 37% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 0% pricier than other cities
Safety 9% 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, Arab ranks #196 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Arab's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

37thIncome percentile
9thSafety percentile

37th percentile nationally for median household income · 9th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Arab's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Arab'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 42 Avg. percentile National median
Arab'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 Arab's home value compares nationally

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

$196,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Arab $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 - Arab, AL Arab, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Arab, 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 Arab, AL median $60,985/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%
Arab, 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 Arab, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.7%

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

Population
8,573
Median Income
$60,985
Median Home Value
$196,700
Median Age
36.9
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Labor force participation
58.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3805.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
256.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3549.1
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.

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 →
8,200 residents8,400 residents8,600 residents8,800 residents9,000 residents9,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,445 residents 9,061 residents ▲ +7.3%
Arab's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
38
housing units authorized
Single-Family
38
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 17
2020 23
2021 43
2022 68
2023 14
2024 38

Permit volume increased 124% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.4 minutes
Drive Alone
82.2%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
7.5%

Based on 3,768 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 Arab sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$776/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Brook Highland
8,428 people
Atmore
8,389 people
Guntersville
8,771 people
Andalusia
8,841 people
Clanton
8,862 people
Orange Beach
8,244 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Arab's 8,573 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sutherlin, OR
8,574 people
West Long Branch, NJ
8,576 people
Sonterra, TX
8,576 people
Gering, NE
8,567 people
Beebe, AR
8,580 people
Murphy, MO
8,566 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Arab's $60,985 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lake Brownwood, TX
$60,987 median income
Steeleville, IL
$60,982 median income
Coaldale borough (Schuylkill County), PA
$60,982 median income
Miami Gardens, FL
$60,979 median income
Lake Worth Beach, FL
$60,978 median income
Radcliff, KY
$60,976 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Arab, 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 Arab, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.7% White 90.8% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 1.7% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.8% Two or more races 4.3% 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 Arab 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
Arab (this city) 8,573 $60,985
Brook Highland 8,428 $87,143
Atmore 8,389 $33,104
Guntersville 8,771 $67,448
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Arab, AL?

What is the population of Arab, AL? +

The population of Arab, AL stands at 8,573 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Arab runs $60,985, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Arab? +

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

Arab has a total crime rate of 3805.8 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 Arab, AL? +

A typical home in Arab is worth $196,700, 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 Editorial

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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.