Dale County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Dale County, Alabama has a population of 49,599, the 28th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $54,963 and the median home value is $143,500. The poverty rate is 18.7%.

Dale County Quick Facts

Population 49,599

Median Household Income $54,96390% MOE ±$3,147

Median Home Value $143,50090% MOE ±$11,393

Poverty Rate 18.7%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Unemployment Rate 6.6%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Median Age 37.7 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 61.9%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.4%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 86.6%

Cities/Places 11

Population 49,599 28th of 67

Median Income $54,963 14% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.7%

Unemployment 6.6%

How Dale County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	49,277	49,599	+0.7%
Median household income	$58,107	$54,963	No clear change (-5.4%)
Median home value¹	$137,839	$143,500	No clear change (+4.1%)
Median gross rent	$898	$889	No clear change (-1.0%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Dale

$54,963

$63,999

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Dale

$143,500

$209,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 24.1%

$25K-$50K 22.3%

$50K-$100K 31.2%

$100K+ 22.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.4%

$10K-$15K

5.5%

$15K-$20K

5.5%

$20K-$25K

5.7%

$25K-$30K

4.5%

$30K-$35K

4.8%

$35K-$40K

5.7%

$40K-$45K

3.3%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

6.7%

$60K-$75K

9.9%

$75K-$100K

14.5%

$100K-$125K

8.5%

$125K-$150K

4.2%

$150K-$200K

5.2%

$200K+

4.5%

Employment

6.6% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

53.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.9%

Renter 38.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $889/mo 19.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.3%

18-34

22.4%

35-54

23.5%

55-74

23.6%

75+

7.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 53 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Dale County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Ozark	14,327	$48,944	28.1%	$148,900
Daleville	4,919	$45,324	16.4%	$126,000
Fort Rucker	4,705	$74,541	11.3%	N/A
Level Plains	1,667	$77,000	12.1%	$137,500
Midland City	1,603	$28,438	30.6%	$150,400
Newton	1,329	$60,030	15.0%	$89,500
Pinckard	672	$58,162	13.7%	$158,900
Ariton	614	$50,000	23.3%	$206,600
Grimes	582	$33,958	32.8%	$105,100
Napier Field	422	$41,875	19.2%	$82,100
Clayhatchee	414	$48,646	8.9%	$99,200

Explore Alabama Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Dale County is located in Alabama with a total population of 49,599. It is the 28th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dale County is 37.7 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dale County is $54,963. This is 14% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.7%. This is 20% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The unemployment rate is 6.6%. This is 40% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $143,500. Housing costs are 32% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Dale County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 61.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% lower than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dale County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 66.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 20.3%.

Education

20.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 86.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dale County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Alabama and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Dale County, Alabama?

Dale County has a population of 49,599, making it the 28th most populous county in Alabama.

What is the median income in Dale County?

The median household income in Dale County is $54,963 with a poverty rate of 18.7%.

How many cities are in Dale County, Alabama?

Dale County contains 11 Census-designated places.