Highland Lake, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 503, Highland Lake'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

Highland Lake is a small community located in Alabama, within Blount County. The total population is 503. It ranks as the 419th most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Highland Lake is 62.1 years. This is 58% higher than the state median of 39.3 years. Only 12.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 14.9% 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 Highland Lake is $71,563. This is 12% higher than the state median of $63,999. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.5%. This is 33% lower than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $285,500. Housing costs are 36% higher than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 91.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Highland Lake was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 99.2% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

29.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 5% higher 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 92.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Highland Lake, 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.