Fort Payne city, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Fort Payne city is a small city located in Alabama. The total population is 14,886. It ranks as the 50th most populous out of 589 cities and towns in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fort Payne city is 39.3 years. This is about average than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fort Payne city is $48,623. This is 22% lower than the state median of $62,027. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 38% lower. The poverty rate stands at 23.5%. This is 50% 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 6.0%. This is 24% higher than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $158,100. Housing costs are 19% lower than the state median of $195,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 67.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 69.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fort Payne city is White (non-Hispanic), making up 71.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 23.3%. The Black or African American population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 25.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (23.3% vs 5.4%). The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

17.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 37% lower than the state rate of 27.8%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 80.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fort Payne city, Alabama is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually, providing reliable estimates for communities of all sizes. Comparisons are made against Alabama state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 589 Census-designated places in Alabama. For official data, visit data.census.gov.