County · Alabama

Dale County, Alabama

Dale County, Alabama. Dale County had 49,912 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.2% since 2020, slower than Alabama (+3.3%). It holds 13 places (12 cities, villages and boroughs and 1 census-designated) and 14 census tracts. GEOID 01045.

Dale County is the county of the Ozark, AL micropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

49,912

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 49,326 · ACS 2020-2024: 49,599

Median household income

$54,963

±$3,147 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999

Median home value

$143,500

±$11,393 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900

Median gross rent

$889

±$35 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007

How many people live in Dale County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 49,326 residents in Dale County. The Census Bureau estimates 49,912 for July 1, 2025, up 1.2% since 2020, slower than Alabama (+3.3%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 49,599 over 561 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +82 (49,348)
2021→2022 +125 (49,473)
2022→2023 +353 (49,826)
2023→2024 +198 (50,024)
2024→2025 −112 (49,912)

Dale County in Alabama. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Dale County	Alabama	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	49,599	5,086,768	+322
Households	19,727±413	1,997,247	+921
Average household size	2.47±0.05	2.48	−0.08
Housing units	22,968±61	2,337,265	no clear change

Dale County's population since 2000

From 49,129 in 2000 to 49,912 in 2025: up 1.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 49,129
2005 (estimate) 49,050
2010 Census 50,251
2015 (estimate) 49,428
2020 Census 49,326
2025 (estimate) 49,912

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Dale County?

Dale County holds 13 places: 12 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 1 census-designated place. The largest is Ozark with 14,269 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Dale County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Ozark	city	14,368	14,327±60	$48,944	$148,900	28.1%	100%
Daleville	city	4,866	4,919±33	$45,324	$126,000	16.4%	100%
Fort RuckerGEOID 0127640	CDP	4,464	4,705±482	$74,541	not published	11.3%	100%
Midland City	city	2,239	1,603±352	$28,438	$150,400	30.6%	100%
Level Plains	town	1,825	1,667±377	$77,000	$137,500	12.1%	100%
Newton	town	1,607	1,329±254	$60,030	$89,500	15.0%	100%
Dothan	city	71,072	71,514±472	$55,792	$194,000	19.3%	2%
Ariton	town	662	614±205	$50,000	$206,600	23.3%	100%
Enterprise	city	28,711	29,505±196	$73,125	$202,900	16.5%	2%
Pinckard	town	582	672±166	$58,162	$158,900	13.7%	100%
Grimes	town	573	582±171	$33,958	$105,100	32.8%	100%
Clayhatchee	town	466	414±115	$48,646	$99,200	8.9%	100%
Napier Field	town	409	422±116	$41,875	$82,100	19.2%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Dale County?

The median resident of Dale County is 37.7 years old; 23.3% are under 18 and 18.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 20.3%. 3.5% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Dale County	Alabama	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	37.7±0.3	39.3	no clear change
Under 18 years	23.3%	22.2%	–
65 years and over	18.1%±0.2 pts	17.8%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	7.1%	5.6%	+0.6 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	66.1%±0.3 pts	63.4%	−2.5 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	20.3%±0.6 pts	25.6%	no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic	1.2%±0.2 pts	1.4%	no clear change
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.2%±0.1 pts	0.3%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	4.8%±0.8 pts	3.3%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.3%±0.2 pts	0.4%	–
Born outside the United States	3.5%±0.6 pts	4.0%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	5.7%±0.8 pts	6.0%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	14.1%±1.0 pts	7.7%	–
With a disability	20.0%±1.3 pts	16.5%	–
No health insurance coverage	10.1%±1.2 pts	9.2%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	86.6%±1.8 pts	88.6%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	20.4%±1.8 pts	28.4%	no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	6.8%±1.1 pts	11.1%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	7.0%±1.2 pts	2.4%	–

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 Dale County earn?

Half of Dale County's 19,727 households earn less than $54,963 a year (±$3,147), against $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $58,106 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.7% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Dale County	Alabama	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$54,963±$3,147	$63,999	no clear change
Mean household income	$74,266±$4,468	$88,898	–
Per capita income	$30,913±$1,637	$36,087	no clear change
People below the poverty line	18.7%±1.6 pts	15.6%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	27.2%±4.1 pts	21.3%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	18.4%±1.8 pts	13.7%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	86.0%±2.0 pts	87.5%	–

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 Dale County?

Owners occupy 61.9% of Dale County's occupied homes and renters 38.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $143,500 by its owner (±$11,393). The median renter pays $889 a month including utilities, and 31.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Dale County	Alabama	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$143,500±$11,393	$209,900	no clear change
Median gross rent	$889±$35	$1,007	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	31.0%±3.8 pts	39.9%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,154±$38	$1,433	–
Owner-occupied homes	61.9%±2.1 pts	70.2%	no clear change
Housing units	22,968±61	2,337,265	no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.5%±0.7 pts	1.1%	–
Rental vacancy rate	8.2%±2.9 pts	7.2%	–
Single-family detached homes	63.7%±2.3 pts	69.1%	–
Mobile homes	19.5%±1.9 pts	12.3%	–
Built 2020 or later	1.4%±0.6 pts	2.3%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	4.0%±0.8 pts	4.9%	–

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 Dale County building?

Builders took permits for 29 new housing units across Dale County in 2025 (29 single-family), 0.6 per 1,000 residents.

2019 34 units
2020 39 units
2021 40 units
2022 30 units
2023 49 units
2024 39 units
2025 29 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Dale County get to work?

81.0% of Dale County's workers drive alone and 5.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.6%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Dale County	Alabama	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	53.9%±1.4 pts	58.3%	–
Unemployment rate	6.6%±1.6 pts	4.7%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	81.0%±2.3 pts	80.6%	–
Carpooled	9.7%±1.4 pts	8.0%	–
Public transportation	0.3%±0.3 pts	0.3%	–
Walked	1.9%±0.6 pts	1.1%	–
Worked from home	5.0%±1.4 pts	8.8%	+2.8 pts
Mean travel time to work	22.5 min±1.0	25.5 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 are Dale County's census tracts?

Dale County is divided into 14 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $22,466 (Tract 207) to $78,984 (Tract 211.01).

Census tracts of Dale County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 20001045020000	Fort Rucker (63%)	4,474	4,720±483	$74,604	not published	$1,441	11.3%
Tract 20101045020100	Ariton (11%)	3,911	3,902±543	$66,897	$155,000	$804	15.0%
Tract 20201045020200	–	2,186	2,505±334	$71,481	$156,300	$823	10.6%
Tract 20301045020300	Newton (26%)	2,375	2,224±461	$54,141	$175,000	$646	9.6%
Tract 20401045020400	Ozark (73%)	2,423	2,470±304	$60,771	$189,000	$917	7.8%
Tract 20501045020500	Ozark (96%)	1,934	1,740±248	$51,071	$205,100	$675	26.5%
Tract 20701045020700	Ozark (97%)	3,358	3,319±360	$22,466	$121,200	$656	50.0%
Tract 208.0101045020801	Ozark (88%)	3,163	3,009±463	$71,215	$118,700	$959	30.1%
Tract 208.0201045020802	Ozark (85%)	4,328	4,306±460	$49,413	$153,700	$639	20.6%
Tract 211.0101045021101	Level Plains (44%)	4,770	4,649±636	$78,984	$134,700	$1,116	11.7%
Tract 211.0201045021102	Daleville (95%)	4,153	4,195±309	$45,076	$122,800	$864	18.2%
Tract 21201045021200	Clayhatchee (29%)	2,391	2,353±434	$57,367	$157,400	$633	5.7%
Tract 21301045021300	Newton (30%)	4,231	4,736±413	$59,096	$145,000	$745	9.7%
Tract 21401045021400	Midland City (25%)	5,629	5,471±486	$43,908	$113,700	$794	30.1%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Dale County compare with Alabama's other counties?

Dale County's rank among Alabama's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	28th of 67
Growth 2020-2025	29th of 67
Residents per square mile	25th of 67
Median household income	33rd of 67
Median home value	39th of 67
Median gross rent	17th of 67
Poverty rate	29th of 67
Bachelor's degree or higher	23rd of 67
Median age	59th of 67

Every county in Alabama

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Dale County 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' school search.