Census-designated place · Alabama

Emerald Mountain, Alabama

Emerald Mountain, census-designated place, in Elmore County, Alabama. Emerald Mountain had 3,310 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,535 (±1,060). GEOID 0123880.

Residents, 2020 Census

3,310

Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 3,535 ±1,060

Median household income

$123,347

±$49,846 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999

Median home value

$321,300

±$21,097 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900

Median gross rent

not published


Alabama: $1,007

Where is Emerald Mountain and what county is it in?

Emerald Mountain is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Elmore County, Alabama. It covers 16.1 square miles of land, 206 residents per square mile in 2020.

Emerald Mountain is in the Montgomery, AL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Emerald Mountain (marked with a dot) in Elmore County, Alabama. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Emerald Mountain, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 3,310 residents in Emerald Mountain, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 3,535 (±1,060).

The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Emerald Mountain is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.

ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Emerald MountainElmore CountyAlabama Change since 2015-2019
Total population 3,535 ±1,060 89,526 5,086,768 no clear change
Households 1,106 ±278 32,856 1,997,247 no clear change
Average household size 3.20 ±0.49 2.60 2.48 no clear change
Housing units 1,126 ±276 37,323 2,337,265 no clear change

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 Emerald Mountain?

The median resident of Emerald Mountain is 41.6 years old; 32.2% are under 18 and 10.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 18.4%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Emerald MountainElmore CountyAlabama Change since 2015-2019
Median age 41.6 ±6.5 39.5 39.3 +8.2
Under 18 years 32.2% ±5.8 pts 21.6% 22.2% –
65 years and over 10.5% ±5.2 pts 16.5% 17.8% –
Male 44.5% ±5.5 pts 48.7% 48.6% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.3% ±4.7 pts 3.4% 5.6% –
White alone, not Hispanic 76.1% ±12.8 pts 71.8% 63.4% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 18.4% ±11.8 pts 21.1% 25.6% no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.1 pts 0.5% 1.4% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.1 pts 0.1% 0.3% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.1 pts 0.0% 0.0% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 0.6% ±0.8 pts 3.0% 3.3% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.6% ±1.0 pts 0.1% 0.4% –
Born outside the United States 0.6% ±1.1 pts 2.0% 4.0% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 2.0% ±2.7 pts 2.7% 6.0% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 25.3% ±6.8 pts 9.4% 7.7% –
With a disability 15.0% ±4.6 pts 15.2% 16.5% –
No health insurance coverage 1.8% ±2.0 pts 7.7% 9.2% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 93.6% ±5.9 pts 89.7% 88.6% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 43.0% ±8.1 pts 25.4% 28.4% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 19.6% ±8.1 pts 8.9% 11.1% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 96.6% ±3.7 pts 91.3% 88.3% –
Moved from another state in the past year 0.0% ±1.1 pts 0.9% 2.4% –

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 Emerald Mountain earn?

Half of Emerald Mountain's 1,106 households earn less than $123,347 a year (±$49,846), against $78,243 in Elmore County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $107,288 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Emerald MountainElmore CountyAlabama Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $123,347 ±$49,846 $78,243 $63,999 no clear change
Mean household income $150,075 ±$35,369 $97,745 $88,898 –
Per capita income $50,031 ±$10,767 $37,457 $36,087 no clear change
People below the poverty line 2.2% ±3.2 pts 10.3% 15.6% –
Children under 18 below the poverty line 1.9% ±4.1 pts 14.8% 21.3% –
Households receiving SNAP 0.0% ±3.5 pts 10.5% 13.7% –
Households with a computer 98.9% ±1.9 pts 96.4% 93.7% –
Households with a broadband subscription 97.1% ±3.0 pts 91.7% 87.5% –

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 Emerald Mountain?

Owners occupy 96.1% of Emerald Mountain's occupied homes and renters 3.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $321,300 by its owner (±$21,097).

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Emerald MountainElmore CountyAlabama Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $321,300 ±$21,097 $223,900 $209,900 no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 0.0% ±50.2 pts 38.8% 39.9% –
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $2,168 ±$120 $1,432 $1,433 –
Owner-occupied homes 96.1% ±6.2 pts 77.0% 70.2% +13.6 pts
Renter-occupied homes 3.9% ±6.2 pts 23.0% 29.8% –
Housing units 1,126 ±276 37,323 2,337,265 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.0% ±3.6 pts 0.3% 1.1% –
Rental vacancy rate 0.0% ±50.2 pts 7.0% 7.2% –
Single-family detached homes 97.6% ±3.2 pts 75.7% 69.1% –
Mobile homes 2.4% ±3.2 pts 15.4% 12.3% –
Built 2020 or later 2.0% ±2.5 pts 3.1% 2.3% –
Built 2010 to 2019 15.6% ±9.2 pts 16.9% 10.9% –
Built 1939 or earlier 0.0% ±3.5 pts 2.2% 4.9% –
Households with no vehicle 1.1% ±1.9 pts 3.4% 5.4% –

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 Emerald Mountain work and get to work?

76.0% of Emerald Mountain's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.6 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Emerald MountainElmore CountyAlabama Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 67.1% ±7.2 pts 59.8% 58.3% –
Unemployment rate 1.8% ±2.7 pts 4.6% 4.7% –
Drove alone to work 76.0% ±10.3 pts 84.0% 80.6% –
Carpooled 4.6% ±5.5 pts 6.9% 8.0% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±2.3 pts 0.1% 0.3% –
Walked 11.6% ±11.4 pts 0.9% 1.1% –
Worked from home 5.8% ±4.9 pts 7.3% 8.8% –
Mean travel time to work 24.6 min ±2.0 27.9 min 25.5 min −9.0 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 Emerald Mountain?

No census tract lies mostly in Emerald Mountain; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Emerald Mountain, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Emerald Mountain
Tract 307.01Elmore County8,494 $125,054 $320,70034%
Tract 304.01Elmore County3,928 $69,297 $201,7005%

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 Emerald Mountain) · Census block assignment files

How does Emerald Mountain compare with other places in Alabama?

Emerald Mountain ranks 12th of 305 places in Alabama with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Emerald Mountain's rank in Alabama (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population (ACS 2020-2024)153rd311
Residents per square mile248th311
Median household income12th305
Per capita income23rd311
Median home value27th304
Bachelor's degree or higher26th295
Median age111th309
Owner-occupied share6th310
Travel time to work191st310

Emerald Mountain's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)

Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Emerald Mountain 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 Emerald Mountain?

26 of the 56 figures for Emerald Mountain 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 Emerald Mountain 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' school search.