City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Cullman, AL

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

18,894
Residents
$63,704
Median income
$215,200
Median home
$879
Median rent (state)

Cullman - the verdict

Cullman ranks in the 41st percentile for household income and the 20th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

41st
percentile, household income
47th
percentile, home value
3rd
percentile, median rent
20th
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: Cullman, AL

Cullman is a small town in Alabama, home to 18,894 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Cullman brings in $63,704 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.5%. Home values in Cullman run a median of $215,200, and the median resident age is 41.1 years. About 31.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 158 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Slowing), down 24% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2681.9 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 59.9°F with 58.7 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Alabama at 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $879 monthly. 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

18,894 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$63,704 /yr

Poverty 9.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Cullman compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 41% higher than other cities
Home value 47% pricier than other cities
Median rent 3% pricier than other cities
Safety 20% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Alabama alone, Cullman ranks #152 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Cullman 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 Cullman toward the top of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Cullman ranks #78 - the 86th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Cullman only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#172 of 530
68th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#323 of 556
40th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#88 of 517
83rd percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#330 of 556
40th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#78 of 556
86th 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.

41stIncome percentile
20thSafety percentile

41st percentile nationally for median household income · 20th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Cullman's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Cullman'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 45 Avg. percentile National median
Cullman'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 Cullman's home value compares nationally

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

$215,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 53% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Cullman $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 - Cullman, AL Cullman, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cullman, 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 Cullman, AL median $63,704/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%
Cullman, 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 Cullman, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.8%

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

Population
18,894
Median Income
$63,704
Median Home Value
$215,200
Median Age
41.1
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Labor force participation
57.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2681.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
215.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2466.6
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.9°F
Annual Precipitation
58.7"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,000 residents19,000 residents20,000 residents21,000 residents22,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,469 residents 20,799 residents ▲ +12.6%
Cullman's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
158
housing units authorized
Single-Family
146
detached homes
Multifamily
12
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 209
2020 127
2021 192
2022 277
2023 181
2024 158

Permit volume decreased 24% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
88.7%
Carpool
5.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
3.9%

Based on 8,735 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 Cullman 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

Prichard
19,121 people
Troy
17,733 people
Tillmans Corner
17,678 people
Selma
17,442 people
Calera
17,188 people
Millbrook
16,923 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cullman's 18,894 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mebane, NC
18,899 people
Palestine, TX
18,888 people
Onalaska, WI
18,909 people
Chowchilla, CA
18,876 people
Ellensburg, WA
18,913 people
Knik-Fairview, AK
18,921 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cullman's $63,704 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Walthill, NE
$63,702 median income
Velarde, NM
$63,707 median income
Damariscotta, ME
$63,696 median income
Los Lunas, NM
$63,696 median income
Clifton, TX
$63,696 median income
Aberdeen, SD
$63,715 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cullman, 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 Cullman, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.5% White 92.5% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 5.2% 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 Cullman 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
Cullman (this city) 18,894 $63,704
Prichard 19,121 $35,331
Troy 17,733 $47,595
Tillmans Corner 17,678 $52,249
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cullman, AL?

What is the population of Cullman, AL? +

18,894 people live in Cullman, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Cullman is $63,704 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Cullman? +

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

Cullman has a total crime rate of 2681.9 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Cullman, AL? +

Cullman's median home value sits at $215,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Cullman? +

Climate normals put Cullman's yearly average temperature at 59.9°F, 58.7 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

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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.