City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Hartselle, AL

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

15,586
Residents
$67,863
Median income
$192,200
Median home
$961
Median rent (state)

Hartselle - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Hartselle places in the 47th percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
40th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
17th
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: Hartselle, AL

Hartselle is a small town in Alabama, home to 15,586 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Hartselle brings in $67,863 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.1%. Hartselle's housing stock carries a median value of $192,200, and the median resident age is 38.6 years. About 29.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 60 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 100% from five years earlier. Hartselle's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2910.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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 $961 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). Workers in Hartselle report an average commute of 24.0 minutes, with 86.4% driving alone and 4.9% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 88.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

15,586 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$67,863 /yr

Poverty 9.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Hartselle compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 40% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Alabama and the picture shifts: Hartselle ranks #161 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Hartselle's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

47thIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hartselle's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hartselle'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 46 Avg. percentile National median
Hartselle'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 Hartselle's home value compares nationally

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

$192,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 60% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Hartselle $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 - Hartselle, AL Hartselle, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hartselle, 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 Hartselle, AL median $67,863/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%
Hartselle, 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 Hartselle, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.7%

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

Population
15,586
Median Income
$67,863
Median Home Value
$192,200
Median Age
38.6
Poverty Rate
9.1%
Labor force participation
58.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2910.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
224.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2685.7
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.

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,500 residents16,000 residents16,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,584 residents 16,312 residents ▲ +4.7%
Hartselle's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
60
housing units authorized
Single-Family
60
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 30
2020 56
2021 61
2022 98
2023 92
2024 60

Permit volume increased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.0 minutes
Drive Alone
86.4%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
4.9%
Other
1.6%

Based on 7,103 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 Hartselle sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$961/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Scottsboro
15,641 people
Chelsea
15,731 people
Gulf Shores
15,785 people
Gardendale
16,110 people
Center Point
16,125 people
Talladega
15,041 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hartselle's 15,586 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sayville, NY
15,593 people
Mount Clemens, MI
15,567 people
Williamsburg, VA
15,564 people
Hudson, MA
15,610 people
West Lealman, FL
15,560 people
Berea, KY
15,557 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hartselle's $67,863 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cedar Rapids, IA
$67,859 median income
Hauser, ID
$67,868 median income
Coulee Dam, WA
$67,868 median income
Ada, MN
$67,857 median income
Beardsley, MN
$67,857 median income
Halstad, MN
$67,857 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hartselle, 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 Hartselle, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.9% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.0% White 84.9% Black or African American 7.6% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 5.8% 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 Hartselle 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
Hartselle (this city) 15,586 $67,863
Scottsboro 15,641 $52,949
Chelsea 15,731 $110,056
Gulf Shores 15,785 $73,873
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hartselle, AL?

What is the population of Hartselle, AL? +

Hartselle, AL has a population of 15,586 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Hartselle runs $67,863, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hartselle? +

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

Hartselle has a total crime rate of 2910.5 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Hartselle, AL? +

Homes in Hartselle carry a median value of $192,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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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.