City · Alabama
Sylacauga, Alabama
Sylacauga, city, in Talladega County, Alabama. Sylacauga had 12,055 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 12,578 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 12,309 (±38). GEOID 0174352.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
12,055
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 12,578 · ACS 2020-2024: 12,309 ±38
Median household income
$50,017
±$8,519 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$161,200
±$15,370 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$773
±$80 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Sylacauga and what county is it in?
Sylacauga is a city in Talladega County, Alabama. It covers 20.3 square miles of land, 621 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sylacauga 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 Sylacauga, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 12,055 people lived in Sylacauga on July 1, 2025, down 4.1% since 2020, while Alabama grew 3.3%. The 2020 Census counted 12,578 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 12,309 (±38).
| Measure | Sylacauga | Talladega County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 12,309 ±38 | 81,021 | +83 |
| Households | 5,325 ±340 | 33,644 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.27 ±0.15 | 2.31 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 5,785 ±357 | 38,547 | no clear change |
Sylacauga's population since 2000
From 12,616 in 2000 to 12,055 in 2025: down 4.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sylacauga 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 Sylacauga?
The median resident of Sylacauga is 37.4 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 19.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.3%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 33.7%.
| Measure | Sylacauga | Talladega County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 ±6.6 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.5% ±3.6 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.8% ±2.8 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Male | 43.3% ±2.3 pts | 48.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.5% ±1.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.3% ±4.5 pts | 61.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 33.7% ±4.3 pts | 29.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.8 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.1% ±0.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.6% ±1.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±2.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| With a disability | 19.4% ±3.2 pts | 21.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.8% ±2.1 pts | 8.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.4% ±3.5 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.9% ±3.7 pts | 16.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.0% ±2.7 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.3% ±3.8 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±0.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Sylacauga earn?
Half of Sylacauga's 5,325 households earn less than $50,017 a year (±$8,519), against $57,776 in Talladega County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $44,389 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sylacauga | Talladega County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,017 ±$8,519 | $57,776 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $59,286 ±$4,328 | $72,732 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,429 ±$2,233 | $30,482 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.0% ±5.8 pts | 17.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 32.0% ±12.5 pts | 25.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.6% ±4.2 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.1% ±2.3 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.6% ±2.6 pts | 87.2% | – |
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 Sylacauga?
Owners occupy 55.1% of Sylacauga's occupied homes and renters 44.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $161,200 by its owner (±$15,370). The median renter pays $773 a month including utilities, and 28.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sylacauga | Talladega County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $161,200 ±$15,370 | $149,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $773 ±$80 | $785 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.9% ±9.3 pts | 36.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,170 ±$56 | $1,230 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.1% ±5.3 pts | 72.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 44.9% ±5.3 pts | 28.0% | – |
| Housing units | 5,785 ±357 | 38,547 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.7% ±2.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.2% ±4.4 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.6% ±3.0 pts | 24.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.9% ±1.6 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.7% ±3.3 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.3% ±3.4 pts | 6.9% | – |
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 Sylacauga building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Sylacauga 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 Sylacauga work and get to work?
86.6% of Sylacauga's workers drive alone and 3.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.7%.
| Measure | Sylacauga | Talladega County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.9% ±4.2 pts | 52.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% ±3.4 pts | 6.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 86.6% ±4.3 pts | 84.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.2% ±3.7 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.4% ±2.0 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.1 min ±4.5 | 28.0 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 Sylacauga?
4 census tracts lie mostly in Sylacauga, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $38,264 (Tract 118) to $70,694 (Tract 119).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 116Talladega County | 5,402 | $56,563 |
| Tract 118Talladega County | 2,490 | $38,264 |
| Tract 119Talladega County | 2,710 | $70,694 |
| Tract 120Talladega County | 1,822 | $48,586 |
| Tract 117Talladega County | 3,296 | $35,893 |
| Tract 111Talladega County | 4,323 | $58,968 |
| Tract 115.02Talladega County | 3,063 | $51,970 |
| Tract 114Talladega County | 2,416 | $52,846 |
| Tract 115.01Talladega County | 2,941 | $100,225 |
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 Sylacauga) · Census block assignment files
How does Sylacauga compare with other places in Alabama?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sylacauga is the 2,821st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 59th-most populous of 463 in Alabama.
Sylacauga ranks 190th 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 | 59th | 463 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 216th | 257 |
| Residents per square mile | 89th | 311 |
| Median household income | 190th | 305 |
| Per capita income | 228th | 311 |
| Median home value | 168th | 304 |
| Median gross rent | 179th | 274 |
| Poverty rate | 97th | 258 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 168th | 295 |
| Median age | 204th | 309 |
| Owner-occupied share | 270th | 310 |
| Work from home | 132nd | 138 |
| Travel time to work | 204th | 310 |
Sylacauga's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Sylacauga 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 Sylacauga?
11 of the 57 figures for Sylacauga 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 Sylacauga 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 Sylacauga.