Town · Alabama
Goodwater, Alabama
Goodwater, town, in Coosa County, Alabama. Goodwater had 1,256 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,291 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,445 (±334). GEOID 0130640.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,256
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,291 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,445 ±334
Median household income
$39,511
±$13,886 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$58,900
±$45,143 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$650
±$228 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Goodwater and what county is it in?
Goodwater is a town in Coosa County, Alabama. It covers 6.5 square miles of land, 199 residents per square mile in 2020.
Goodwater is in the Talladega-Sylacauga, AL micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Goodwater, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,256 people lived in Goodwater on July 1, 2025, down 3.0% since 2020, while Alabama grew 3.3%. The 2020 Census counted 1,291 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,445 (±334).
| Measure | Goodwater | Coosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,445 ±334 | 10,300 | no clear change |
| Households | 633 ±163 | 4,418 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.18 ±0.40 | 2.26 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 846 ±174 | 6,058 | no clear change |
Goodwater's population since 2000
From 1,633 in 2000 to 1,256 in 2025: down 23.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Goodwater 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 Goodwater?
The median resident of Goodwater is 45.8 years old; 25.8% are under 18 and 28.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 85.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 10.7%.
| Measure | Goodwater | Coosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 ±14.7 | 50.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.8% ±7.2 pts | 17.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.2% ±8.2 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Male | 46.3% ±8.6 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 10.7% ±5.1 pts | 65.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 85.1% ±6.0 pts | 29.2% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±1.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.7% ±4.7 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 28.3% ±10.4 pts | 25.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.6% ±3.9 pts | 7.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.6% ±10.3 pts | 83.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 4.9% ±5.3 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.5% ±2.2 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.8% ±12.5 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 12.2% ±12.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
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 Goodwater earn?
Half of Goodwater's 633 households earn less than $39,511 a year (±$13,886), against $57,355 in Coosa County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $30,767 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 36.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Goodwater | Coosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $39,511 ±$13,886 | $57,355 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $38,984 ±$6,098 | $68,037 | – |
| Per capita income | $16,459 ±$2,738 | $30,360 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 36.4% ±10.5 pts | 13.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 86.9% ±13.4 pts | 27.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 28.3% ±14.6 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.6% ±7.8 pts | 88.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.9% ±9.3 pts | 80.7% | – |
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 Goodwater?
Owners occupy 56.6% of Goodwater's occupied homes and renters 43.4%. The median renter pays $650 a month including utilities, and 79.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Goodwater | Coosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $58,900 ±$45,143 | $115,500 | – |
| Median gross rent | $650 ±$228 | $665 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 79.5% ±15.0 pts | 59.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $998 ±$702 | $1,098 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.6% ±11.6 pts | 81.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.4% ±11.6 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Housing units | 846 ±174 | 6,058 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±13.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 57.9% ±11.4 pts | 62.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 19.1% ±10.6 pts | 31.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.2% ±7.3 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.6% ±2.0 pts | 6.0% | – |
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 Goodwater building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Goodwater in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Goodwater work and get to work?
90.4% of Goodwater's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.7 minutes.
| Measure | Goodwater | Coosa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 34.1% ±8.0 pts | 47.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% ±6.0 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 90.4% ±8.5 pts | 81.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.6% ±1.4 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±11.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 6.3% ±9.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±11.3 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.7 min ±8.2 | 31.5 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 Goodwater?
No census tract lies mostly in Goodwater; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9610Coosa County | 3,366 | $40,721 |
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 Goodwater) · Census block assignment files
How does Goodwater compare with other places in Alabama?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Goodwater is the 9,422nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 237th-most populous of 463 in Alabama.
Goodwater ranks 255th 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 | 237th | 463 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 199th | 257 |
| Residents per square mile | 253rd | 311 |
| Median household income | 255th | 305 |
| Per capita income | 305th | 311 |
| Median gross rent | 230th | 274 |
| Poverty rate | 19th | 258 |
| Median age | 50th | 309 |
| Owner-occupied share | 265th | 310 |
| Travel time to work | 130th | 310 |
Goodwater's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Goodwater 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 Goodwater?
25 of the 57 figures for Goodwater 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 Goodwater 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 Goodwater.