City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Sheffield, AL

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

9,334
Residents
$42,097
Median income
$127,100
Median home
$1,000
Median rent (state)

Sheffield - the verdict

Sheffield ranks in the 10th percentile for household income and the 24th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

10th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
24th
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: Sheffield, AL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 9,334 residents in Sheffield, a small town within Alabama. Sheffield households earn a median of $42,097 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.1%. Home values in Sheffield run a median of $127,100, and the median resident age is 40.1 years. About 15.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 51.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 5 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity). Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2413.8 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).

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,000 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Alabama run around $245, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 80.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

9,334 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$42,097 /yr

Poverty 21.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Sheffield compare to other US cities?

Sheffield measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 24% 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, Sheffield ranks #140 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

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 Sheffield'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.

10thIncome percentile
24thSafety percentile

10th percentile nationally for median household income · 24th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sheffield's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sheffield'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 38 Avg. percentile National median
Sheffield'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 Sheffield's home value compares nationally

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

$127,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Sheffield $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 - Sheffield, AL Sheffield, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sheffield, 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 Sheffield, AL median $42,097/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%
Sheffield, 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 Sheffield, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.8%

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

Population
9,334
Median Income
$42,097
Median Home Value
$127,100
Median Age
40.1
Poverty Rate
21.1%
Labor force participation
51.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2413.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
517.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1896.6
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.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,300 residents9,350 residents9,400 residents9,450 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,385 residents 9,416 residents ▲ +0.3%
Sheffield's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 2
2021 2
2022 0
2023 5
2024 5

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.6%
Carpool
12.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
5.8%
Other
1.0%

Based on 3,909 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 Sheffield sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,000/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Southside
9,407 people
Pleasant Grove
9,502 people
Forestdale
9,149 people
Tuscumbia
9,084 people
Tuskegee
9,070 people
Meadowbrook
8,939 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sheffield's 9,334 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Havre, MT
9,333 people
Diamondhead, MS
9,338 people
Lago Vista, TX
9,341 people
Groton, CT
9,343 people
St. Francis, WI
9,318 people
San Sebastián zona urbana, PR
9,309 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sheffield's $42,097 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alma, GA
$42,097 median income
Farina, IL
$42,098 median income
Grace, MS
$42,098 median income
Farber, MO
$42,094 median income
Mountain Home, AR
$42,103 median income
St. Helen, MI
$42,091 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sheffield, 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 Sheffield, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 67.7% 26.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.0% White 67.7% Black or African American 26.4% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 3.8% 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 Sheffield 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
Sheffield (this city) 9,334 $42,097
Southside 9,407 $73,695
Pleasant Grove 9,502 $68,344
Forestdale 9,149 $57,145
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sheffield, AL?

What is the population of Sheffield, AL? +

9,334 people live in Sheffield, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Sheffield runs $42,097, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sheffield? +

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

Sheffield has a total crime rate of 2413.8 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 Sheffield, AL? +

Homes in Sheffield carry a median value of $127,100, 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.