Shorter, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 404, Shorter's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Shorter is a small community located in Alabama, within Macon County. The total population is 404. It ranks as the 443rd most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Shorter is 60.6 years. This is 54% higher than the state median of 39.3 years. 15.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Shorter is $48,125. This is 25% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 40% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 28.0%. This is 79% 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 1.4%. This is 70% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $98,600. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Shorter is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Shorter is Black or African American, making up 73.8% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 15.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (15.8%) is well below the state average of 63.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (73.8% vs 25.6%). The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

14.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 48% 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 78.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Shorter, Alabama is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Alabama state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 592 Census-designated places in Alabama. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.