Town · Alabama
Ashland, Alabama
Ashland, town, in Clay County, Alabama. Ashland had 1,952 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,984 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,797 (±311). GEOID 0102860.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,952
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,984 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,797 ±311
Median household income
$42,308
±$20,429 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$159,300
±$88,943 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$366
±$46 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Ashland and what county is it in?
Ashland is a town in Clay County, Alabama. It covers 7.3 square miles of land, 270 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ashland, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,952 people lived in Ashland on July 1, 2025, down 1.8% since 2020, while Alabama grew 3.3%. The 2020 Census counted 1,984 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,797 (±311).
| Measure | Ashland | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,797 ±311 | 14,192 | no clear change |
| Households | 828 ±171 | 5,820 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.02 ±0.34 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 950 ±162 | 7,106 | no clear change |
Ashland's population since 2000
From 1,965 in 2000 to 1,952 in 2025: down 0.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ashland 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 Ashland?
The median resident of Ashland is 44.8 years old; 20.4% are under 18 and 20.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 70.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 20.3%.
| Measure | Ashland | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 ±13.0 | 44.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.4% ±6.8 pts | 21.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.9% ±5.1 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Male | 42.0% ±5.0 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.6 pts | 3.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 70.7% ±10.6 pts | 78.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 20.3% ±8.2 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.3% ±8.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.1% ±1.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.4% ±1.5 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.0% ±1.3 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 24.0% ±8.4 pts | 21.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 7.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.6% ±7.8 pts | 83.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.8% ±7.0 pts | 14.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.8% ±3.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.4% ±12.2 pts | 93.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 9.8% ±11.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
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 Ashland earn?
Half of Ashland's 828 households earn less than $42,308 a year (±$20,429), against $55,250 in Clay County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $23,573 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ashland | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,308 ±$20,429 | $55,250 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $64,605 ±$17,717 | $70,518 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,996 ±$8,376 | $28,812 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.0% ±12.6 pts | 17.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 39.0% ±29.9 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 29.8% ±9.2 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 82.6% ±9.8 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 72.1% ±9.6 pts | 80.4% | – |
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 Ashland?
Owners occupy 60.6% of Ashland's occupied homes and renters 39.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $159,300 by its owner (±$88,943). The median renter pays $366 a month including utilities, and 26.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ashland | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $159,300 ±$88,943 | $156,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $366 ±$46 | $619 | −$83 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.9% ±12.7 pts | 29.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,484 ±$529 | $1,166 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.6% ±10.8 pts | 79.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 39.4% ±10.8 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Housing units | 950 ±162 | 7,106 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.7% ±7.9 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.3% ±12.1 pts | 66.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.2% ±6.4 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5% ±1.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.8% ±1.8 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.9% ±7.6 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 17.4% ±11.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
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 Ashland building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Ashland in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 1.0 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 Ashland work and get to work?
84.2% of Ashland's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.5 minutes.
| Measure | Ashland | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.8% ±8.7 pts | 47.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 84.2% ±7.9 pts | 77.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.9% ±6.3 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.8% ±2.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.1% ±4.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.5 min ±5.3 | 28.5 min | +7.1 min |
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 Ashland?
No census tract lies mostly in Ashland; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9590Clay County | 2,987 | $40,577 |
| Tract 9591Clay County | 3,085 | $66,490 |
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 Ashland) · Census block assignment files
How does Ashland compare with other places in Alabama?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ashland is the 7,781st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 195th-most populous of 463 in Alabama.
Ashland ranks 240th 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 | 195th | 463 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 177th | 257 |
| Residents per square mile | 217th | 311 |
| Median household income | 240th | 305 |
| Per capita income | 181st | 311 |
| Median home value | 170th | 304 |
| Median gross rent | 273rd | 274 |
| Poverty rate | 70th | 258 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 184th | 295 |
| Median age | 63rd | 309 |
| Owner-occupied share | 238th | 310 |
| Travel time to work | 232nd | 310 |
Ashland's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Ashland 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 Ashland?
21 of the 57 figures for Ashland 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 Ashland 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 Ashland.