Escambia County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Escambia County is located in Alabama with a total population of 36,629. It is the 33rd most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Escambia County is 40.6 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Escambia County is $48,225. This is 25% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 40% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.0%. This is 28% 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 unemployment rate is 10.1%. This is 114% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $136,500. Housing costs are 35% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Escambia County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Escambia County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 29.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 5.6%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

13.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% 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 84.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Escambia 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.