Cardiff, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 125, Cardiff's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cardiff is a small community located in Alabama, within Jefferson County. The total population is 125. It ranks as the 549th most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cardiff is 29.7 years. This is 24% lower than the state median of 39.3 years. Only 3.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cardiff is $11,533. This is 82% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 86% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 64.0%. This is 310% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Cardiff, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $80,000. Housing costs are 62% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.9x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 20.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 70% lower than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cardiff is Black or African American, making up 58.4% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 41.6%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (58.4% vs 25.6%).

Education

1.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 94% lower than the state rate of 28.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cardiff, Alabama is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Alabama state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 592 Census-designated places in Alabama. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.