City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Highland Lakes, AL

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

5,673
Residents
$169,833
Median income
$562,600
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Highland Lakes - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Highland Lakes places in the 96th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

96th
percentile, household income
87th
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Highland Lakes, AL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,673 residents in Highland Lakes, a small town within Alabama. Median household income here is $169,833 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.7%. Home values in Highland Lakes run a median of $562,600, and the median resident age is 45.5 years. 72.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,266 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $245 across Alabama, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

5,673 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$169,833 /yr

Poverty 3.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Highland Lakes compare to other US cities?

Here's how Highland Lakes stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 96% higher than other cities
Home value 87% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Highland Lakes against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Highland Lakes's strongest outlier among Alabama cities

Among the 517 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Highland Lakes ranks #4 - the 99th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Highland Lakes only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#2 of 530
100th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#39 of 556
76th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#4 of 517
99th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#454 of 556
18th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#3 of 556
99th 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.

96thIncome percentile

96th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Highland Lakes's home value compares nationally

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

$562,600 13th percentile more affordable than 13% 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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Highland Lakes $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 - Highland Lakes, AL Highland Lakes, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Highland Lakes, 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 Highland Lakes, AL median $169,833/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%
Highland Lakes, 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 Highland Lakes, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 72.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.8%

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

Population
5,673
Median Income
$169,833
Median Home Value
$562,600
Median Age
45.5
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Labor force participation
64.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
72.4%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.6%
Carpool
3.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
21.2%
Other
0.6%

Based on 2,952 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 Highland Lakes sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,266/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Holtville
5,700 people
Rainsville
5,613 people
Margaret
5,538 people
Attalla
5,829 people
Monroeville
5,875 people
Grayson Valley
5,882 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland Lakes's 5,673 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sandersville, GA
5,673 people
Nashville, NC
5,672 people
Fruitridge Pocket, CA
5,675 people
Covington, VA
5,671 people
East Harwich, MA
5,670 people
Dowagiac, MI
5,677 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland Lakes's $169,833 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hillsdale, NJ
$169,862 median income
Nolensville, TN
$170,068 median income
Buckhall, VA
$169,591 median income
Wayne, IL
$169,583 median income
Mount Sinai, NY
$170,188 median income
Marshallville, NJ
$170,197 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Highland Lakes, 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 Highland Lakes, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.5% 8.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.9% White 83.5% Black or African American 8.7% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 5.7% 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 Highland Lakes 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
Highland Lakes (this city) 5,673 $169,833
Holtville 5,700 $73,250
Rainsville 5,613 $64,140
Margaret 5,538 $97,075
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Highland Lakes, AL?

What is the population of Highland Lakes, AL? +

Highland Lakes, AL counts 5,673 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Highland Lakes, AL? +

Highland Lakes households earn a median of $169,833 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Highland Lakes? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Highland Lakes; 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.

What is the median home value in Highland Lakes, AL? +

A typical home in Highland Lakes is worth $562,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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