Town · Alabama
Brilliant, Alabama
Brilliant, town, in Marion County, Alabama. Brilliant had 838 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 845 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,097 (±316). GEOID 0109424.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
838
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 845 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,097 ±316
Median household income
$47,125
±$26,826 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$47,200
±$24,364 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$477
±$177 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Brilliant and what county is it in?
Brilliant is a town in Marion County, Alabama. It covers 10.6 square miles of land, 80 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 Brilliant, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 838 people lived in Brilliant on July 1, 2025, up 0.8% since 2020, slower than Alabama (+3.3%). The 2020 Census counted 845 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,097 (±316).
| Measure | Brilliant | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,097 ±316 | 29,184 | no clear change |
| Households | 529 ±133 | 10,614 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.07 ±0.35 | 2.69 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 607 ±133 | 14,220 | no clear change |
Brilliant's population since 2000
From 762 in 2000 to 838 in 2025: up 10.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Brilliant 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 Brilliant?
The median resident of Brilliant is 54.5 years old; 17.1% are under 18 and 22.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.6%.
| Measure | Brilliant | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.5 ±5.7 | 43.9 | +14.9 |
| Under 18 years | 17.1% ±7.2 pts | 21.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.2% ±8.1 pts | 21.4% | – |
| Male | 48.5% ±7.3 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.6% ±5.8 pts | 3.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.4% ±6.3 pts | 89.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.2% ±1.5 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.0% ±6.4 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 29.9% ±11.7 pts | 26.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.6% ±12.2 pts | 10.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.7% ±6.6 pts | 83.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.5% ±5.6 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.5% ±3.4 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.0% ±4.0 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
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 Brilliant earn?
Half of Brilliant's 529 households earn less than $47,125 a year (±$26,826), against $50,088 in Marion County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $30,328 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 36.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Brilliant | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,125 ±$26,826 | $50,088 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $50,100 ±$8,212 | $68,942 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,104 ±$5,888 | $27,195 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 36.2% ±12.4 pts | 16.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 51.4% ±24.4 pts | 23.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 26.8% ±12.7 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 79.4% ±12.3 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 73.7% ±13.2 pts | 79.0% | – |
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 Brilliant?
Owners occupy 67.1% of Brilliant's occupied homes and renters 32.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $47,200 by its owner (±$24,364). The median renter pays $477 a month including utilities, and 44.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Brilliant | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $47,200 ±$24,364 | $106,600 | −$101,222 |
| Median gross rent | $477 ±$177 | $630 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.0% ±26.1 pts | 32.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $596 ±$564 | $1,108 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.1% ±12.1 pts | 76.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.9% ±12.1 pts | 23.2% | – |
| Housing units | 607 ±133 | 14,220 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±19.5 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 56.3% ±12.2 pts | 63.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 24.9% ±9.8 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.3% ±2.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.6% ±3.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.3% ±12.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.3% ±5.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
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 do people in Brilliant work and get to work?
88.7% of Brilliant's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.3 minutes.
| Measure | Brilliant | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.3% ±15.7 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.1% ±8.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 88.7% ±7.6 pts | 85.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.5% ±2.5 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±10.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.5% ±2.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.1% ±4.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.3 min ±6.6 | 25.9 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 Brilliant?
No census tract lies mostly in Brilliant; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9645Marion County | 2,005 | $48,281 |
| Tract 9647.02Marion County | 3,254 | $42,794 |
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 Brilliant) · Census block assignment files
How does Brilliant compare with other places in Alabama?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Brilliant is the 11,019th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 276th-most populous of 463 in Alabama.
Brilliant is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 276th | 463 |
Brilliant's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Brilliant 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 Brilliant?
25 of the 57 figures for Brilliant 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 Brilliant 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 Brilliant.