Lee County, Alabama Demographics 2026
Lee County, Alabama has a population of 181,134, the 8th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $65,824 and the median home value is $262,200. The poverty rate is 18.9%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Lee County Quick Facts
How Lee County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 177,663 | 181,134 | +2.0% |
| Median household income | $61,123 | $65,824 | +7.7% |
| Median home value | $238,700 | $262,200 | +9.8% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
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 Lee County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | 80,594 | $63,668 | 25.4% | $364,800 |
| Phenix City | 38,499 | $50,053 | 24.5% | $170,300 |
| Opelika | 32,820 | $65,004 | 16.0% | $241,800 |
| Smiths Station | 5,496 | $64,669 | 14.1% | $203,300 |
| Notasulga | 1,050 | $42,411 | 37.3% | $137,500 |
| Waverly | 315 | $81,953 | 0.6% | $377,800 |
| Loachapoka | 223 | $41,985 | 21.5% | $220,200 |
Explore Alabama Rankings
Population Overview
Lee County is located in Alabama with a total population of 181,134. It is the 8th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Lee County is 34.0 years. This is 13% lower than the state median of 39.3 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Lee County is $65,824. This is 3% higher than the state median of $63,999. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.9%. This is 21% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $262,200. Housing costs are 25% higher than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% lower than the state average of 70.2%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Lee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 65.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 21.6%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (4.3% vs 1.4%).
Education
42.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Lee County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 49% 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 92.2%. Notably, 19.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Lee 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 Lee County, Alabama?
Lee County has a population of 181,134, making it the 8th most populous county in Alabama.
What is the median income in Lee County?
The median household income in Lee County is $65,824 with a poverty rate of 18.9%.
How many cities are in Lee County, Alabama?
Lee County contains 7 Census-designated places.