Perry County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Perry County is located in Alabama with a total population of 8,031. It is the 66th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Perry County is 41.1 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Perry County is $37,654. This is 41% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 53% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 31.4%. This is 101% 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 16.5%. This is 250% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $86,400. Housing costs are 59% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Perry County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Perry County is Black or African American, making up 71.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 27.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (27.8%) is well below the state average of 63.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (71.2% vs 25.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 5.6%.

Education

15.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 44% 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 83.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Perry 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.