City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Valley Head, AL

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

825
Residents
$44,396
Median income
$59,800
Median home
$776
Median rent (state)

Valley Head - the verdict

Nationally, Valley Head sits in the 12th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

12th
percentile, household income
1st
percentile, home value
0th
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: Valley Head, AL

825 people live in Valley Head, Alabama - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Valley Head brings in $44,396 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.0%. Valley Head's housing stock carries a median value of $59,800, and the median resident age is 35.5 years. About 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 49.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Valley Head (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. NOAA puts Valley Head's yearly average temperature at 58.8°F with 56.2 inches of precipitation per year.

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 $776 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 80.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

825 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$44,396 /yr

Poverty 4.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Valley Head compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 12% higher than other cities
Home value 1% pricier than other cities
Median rent 0% 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 Valley Head against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Valley Head near the bottom of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Valley Head ranks #416 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Valley Head only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#356 of 530
33rd percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#416 of 556
0th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#493 of 517
5th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#445 of 556
19th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#359 of 556
35th 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.

12thIncome percentile

12th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Valley Head's home value compares nationally

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

$59,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 99% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Valley Head $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 - Valley Head, AL Valley Head, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Valley Head, 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 Valley Head, AL median $44,396/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%
Valley Head, 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 Valley Head, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.6%

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

Population
825
Median Income
$44,396
Median Home Value
$59,800
Median Age
35.5
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Labor force participation
49.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.1%

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.8°F
Annual Precipitation
56.2"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
570 residents580 residents590 residents600 residents 202020212022202320242025 578 residents 597 residents ▲ +3.3%
Valley Head's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 0
2022 1
2023 0
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.7%
Carpool
34.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
0.7%

Based on 281 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 Valley Head sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$776/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Lynn
821 people
Mignon
820 people
Holly Pond
816 people
Phil Campbell
834 people
Sand Rock
815 people
Leesburg
813 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Head's 825 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Funston, GA
825 people
Meigs, GA
825 people
Keystone, IA
825 people
McBain, MI
825 people
Merrill, MI
825 people
Cashiers, NC
825 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Head's $44,396 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sautee-Nacoochee, GA
$44,396 median income
Tok, AK
$44,405 median income
Freedom Plains, NY
$44,405 median income
Odin, IL
$44,415 median income
Larsen Bay, AK
$44,375 median income
Horatio, AR
$44,417 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Valley Head, 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 Valley Head, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 93.6% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 5.9% 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 Valley Head 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
Valley Head (this city) 825 $44,396
Lynn 821 $41,811
Mignon 820 $33,217
Holly Pond 816 $45,221
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Valley Head, AL?

What is the population of Valley Head, AL? +

Valley Head, AL has a population of 825 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Valley Head, AL? +

Median annual household income in Valley Head runs $44,396, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Valley Head? +

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

Homes in Valley Head carry a median value of $59,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Valley Head? +

Climate normals put Valley Head's yearly average temperature at 58.8°F, 56.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

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

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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.