Pickens County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Name: Pickens County, Alabama Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Pickens County, Alabama has a population of 18,721, the 48th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $46,274 and the median home value is $123,900. The poverty rate is 20.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Pickens County Quick Facts

Population 18,721

Median Household Income $46,274

Median Home Value $123,900

Poverty Rate 20.0%

Unemployment Rate 4.7%

Median Age 42.2 years

Homeownership Rate 75.8%

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 13.1%

High School Graduation 85.3%

Cities/Places 9

Population 18,721 48th of 67

Median Income $46,274 28% lower than state

Poverty Rate 20.0%

Unemployment 4.7%

How Pickens 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	18,843	18,721	-0.6%
Median household income	$47,014	$46,274	-1.6%
Median home value	$123,300	$123,900	+0.5%

Median Household Income

Pickens

$46,274

$63,999

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Pickens

$123,900

$209,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 27.6%

$25K-$50K 26.0%

$50K-$100K 23.8%

$100K+ 22.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.8%

$10K-$15K

7.8%

$15K-$20K

6.3%

$20K-$25K

7.6%

$25K-$30K

2.8%

$30K-$35K

7.3%

$35K-$40K

6.2%

$40K-$45K

4.2%

$45K-$50K

5.5%

$50K-$60K

6.2%

$60K-$75K

7.3%

$75K-$100K

10.2%

$100K-$125K

7.4%

$125K-$150K

4.0%

$150K-$200K

8.6%

$200K+

2.7%

Employment

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

45.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.8%

Renter 24.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $648/mo 16.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.1%

18-34

21.5%

35-54

25.2%

55-74

25.9%

75+

8.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 53 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Pickens County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Aliceville	2,211	$39,167	36.9%	$124,300
Gordo	1,723	$47,569	14.9%	$118,900
Reform	1,597	$33,578	43.8%	$102,700
Pickensville	803	$34,250	33.8%	$159,800
Carrollton	781	$31,000	22.6%	$145,800
Macedonia	441	$31,453	23.1%	$110,800
Memphis	56	$2,499	28.6%	$57,200
Ethelsville	51	$48,750	0.0%	$166,700
McMullen	14	N/A	85.7%	N/A

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

Pickens County is located in Alabama with a total population of 18,721. It is the 48th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pickens County is 42.2 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pickens County is $46,274. This is 28% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 43% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.0%. This is 28% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The unemployment rate is 4.7%. The median home value is $123,900. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Pickens County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Pickens County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 52.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 40.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (40.9% vs 25.6%). The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

13.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 54% 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 85.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Pickens 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 Pickens County, Alabama?

Pickens County has a population of 18,721, making it the 48th most populous county in Alabama.

What is the median income in Pickens County?

The median household income in Pickens County is $46,274 with a poverty rate of 20.0%.

How many cities are in Pickens County, Alabama?

Pickens County contains 9 Census-designated places.