Emelle, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 48, Emelle'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

Emelle is a small community located in Alabama, within Sumter County. The total population is 48. It ranks as the 578th most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Emelle is 84.1 years. This is 114% higher than the state median of 39.3 years. 60.4% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Emelle is $11,786. This is 82% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 85% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 70.8%. This is 353% 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 Emelle, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $73,300. Housing costs are 65% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 85.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Emelle was recorded as Black or African American. A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

14.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% 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 93.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Emelle, 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.