Russell County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Russell County is located in Alabama with a total population of 58,811. It is the 24th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Russell County is 37.5 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Russell County is $51,197. This is 20% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.2%. This is 42% 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 6.2%. This is 33% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $165,700. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 61.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% lower than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Russell County is Black or African American, making up 45.1% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 43.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (45.1% vs 25.6%). The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

18.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 36% 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 87.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Russell 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.