City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Berlin, AL

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

592
Residents
$59,423
Median income
$144,100
Median home
$879
Median rent (state)

Berlin - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Berlin lands in the 34th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

34th
percentile, household income
25th
percentile, home value
3rd
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Berlin, AL

592 people live in Berlin, Alabama - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Berlin brings in $59,423 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.1%. Home values in Berlin run a median of $144,100, and the median resident age is 42.5 years. Educational attainment runs 9.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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 $879 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $245 across Alabama, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 81.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

592 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$59,423 /yr

Poverty 11.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Berlin compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 34% higher than other cities
Home value 25% pricier than other cities
Median rent 3% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Berlin 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 places Berlin toward the bottom of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Berlin ranks #414 - the 25th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Berlin only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#206 of 530
61st percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#323 of 556
40th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#253 of 517
51st percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#287 of 556
48th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#414 of 556
25th 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.

34thIncome percentile

34th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Berlin's home value compares nationally

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

$144,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 75% 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. Berlin $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 - Berlin, AL Berlin, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Berlin, 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 Berlin, AL median $59,423/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%
Berlin, 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 Berlin, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 9.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.3%

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

Population
592
Median Income
$59,423
Median Home Value
$144,100
Median Age
42.5
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Labor force participation
59.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
9.8%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
500 residents520 residents540 residents560 residents 202020212022202320242025 505 residents 541 residents ▲ +7.1%
Berlin's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
89.3%
Carpool
3.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
7.4%

Based on 244 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 Berlin sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$879/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Mulga
589 people
Perdido Beach
595 people
Our
596 people
Hollins
597 people
Newville
587 people
Garden City
572 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Berlin's 592 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Guy, AR
592 people
Brownstown, IL
592 people
Woodson, IL
592 people
Cheneyville, LA
592 people
Laddonia, MO
592 people
St. Elizabeth, MO
592 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Berlin's $59,423 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Svensen, OR
$59,423 median income
Dallastown, PA
$59,423 median income
Frankston, TX
$59,423 median income
Van Buren, AR
$59,420 median income
Pleasant Hill, PA
$59,427 median income
Avery, CA
$59,417 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Berlin, 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 Berlin, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 76.9% 8.8% 13.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.4% White 76.9% Black or African American 8.8% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 13.0% 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 Berlin 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
Berlin (this city) 592 $59,423
Mulga 589 $34,844
Perdido Beach 595 $71,429
Our 596 $63,333
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Berlin, AL?

What is the population of Berlin, AL? +

592 people live in Berlin, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Berlin runs $59,423, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Berlin? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Berlin; 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.

What is the median home value in Berlin, AL? +

Berlin's median home value sits at $144,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.