Macon County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Macon County, Alabama has a population of 18,691, the 49th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $43,707 and the median home value is $102,000. The poverty rate is 24.3%.

Macon County Quick Facts

Population 18,691

Median Household Income $43,70790% MOE ±$4,041

Median Home Value $102,00090% MOE ±$9,025

Poverty Rate 24.3%90% MOE ±4.3 pts

Unemployment Rate 8.3%90% MOE ±2.8 pts

Median Age 37.4 years90% MOE ±0.9 years

Homeownership Rate 61.5%90% MOE ±2.9 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.1%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 84.6%

Cities/Places 3

Population 18,691 49th of 67

Median Income $43,707 32% lower than state

Poverty Rate 24.3%

Unemployment 8.3%

How Macon County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	18,708	18,691	-0.1%
Median household income	$41,069	$43,707	No clear change (+6.4%)
Median home value¹	$99,441	$102,000	No clear change (+2.6%)
Median gross rent	$789	$734	No clear change (-7.0%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Macon

$43,707

$63,999

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Macon

$102,000

$209,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 31.2%

$25K-$50K 23.8%

$50K-$100K 26.9%

$100K+ 18.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

11.4%

$10K-$15K

6.7%

$15K-$20K

8.2%

$20K-$25K

4.9%

$25K-$30K

5.8%

$30K-$35K

5.1%

$35K-$40K

3.1%

$40K-$45K

5.8%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

10.5%

$100K-$125K

6.1%

$125K-$150K

3.2%

$150K-$200K

5.5%

$200K+

3.2%

Employment

8.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

51.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.5%

Renter 38.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $734/mo 20.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

15.4%

18-34

33.3%

35-54

16.9%

55-74

25.7%

75+

8.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 53 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Macon County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Tuskegee	8,938	$38,000	29.0%	$104,800
Franklin	981	$85,817	17.3%	$77,900
Shorter	404	$48,125	28.0%	$98,600

Explore Alabama Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Macon County is located in Alabama with a total population of 18,691. It is the 49th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Macon County is 37.4 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Macon County is $43,707. This is 32% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.3%. This is 56% 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 8.3%. This is 76% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $102,000. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Macon County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 61.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% lower than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Macon County is Black or African American, making up 77.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 16.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (16.8%) is well below the state average of 63.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (77.5% vs 25.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 5.6%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

21.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 26% 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 84.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Macon 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 Macon County, Alabama?

Macon County has a population of 18,691, making it the 49th most populous county in Alabama.

What is the median income in Macon County?

The median household income in Macon County is $43,707 with a poverty rate of 24.3%.

How many cities are in Macon County, Alabama?

Macon County contains 3 Census-designated places.