Sumter County, Alabama Demographics 2026

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

Sumter County, Alabama has a population of 11,878, the 60th most populous county in Alabama. The median household income is $33,310 and the median home value is $82,600. The poverty rate is 26.5%.

Sumter County Quick Facts

Population 11,878

Median Household Income $33,31090% MOE ±$6,329

Median Home Value $82,60090% MOE ±$9,814

Poverty Rate 26.5%90% MOE ±4.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 12.1%90% MOE ±4.0 pts

Median Age 35.7 years90% MOE ±1.6 years

Homeownership Rate 66.8%90% MOE ±3.3 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.0%90% MOE ±3.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 86.3%

Cities/Places 9

Population 11,878 60th of 67

Median Income $33,310 48% lower than state

Poverty Rate 26.5%

Unemployment 12.1%

How Sumter 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	12,797	11,878	-7.2%
Median household income	$29,931	$33,310	No clear change (+11.3%)
Median home value¹	$91,565	$82,600	No clear change (-9.8%)
Median gross rent	$638	$775	No clear change (+21.6%)

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

Median Household Income

Sumter

$33,310

$63,999

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Sumter

$82,600

$209,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 41.4%

$25K-$50K 21.5%

$50K-$100K 22.8%

$100K+ 14.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

9.9%

$10K-$15K

10.0%

$15K-$20K

10.3%

$20K-$25K

11.2%

$25K-$30K

5.0%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

4.9%

$40K-$45K

5.2%

$45K-$50K

2.1%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

8.6%

$75K-$100K

7.3%

$100K-$125K

5.8%

$125K-$150K

4.1%

$150K-$200K

2.0%

$200K+

2.5%

Employment

12.1% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

45.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.8%

Renter 33.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $775/mo 27.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.3%

18-34

30.0%

35-54

18.7%

55-74

24.0%

75+

8.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 53 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Sumter County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Livingston	4,672	$24,236	27.8%	$156,100
York	2,056	$30,489	39.5%	$80,100
Cuba	368	$91,250	7.9%	$197,900
Epes	354	N/A	49.1%	$56,700
Gainesville	236	N/A	43.6%	N/A
Geiger	174	$38,750	5.8%	N/A
Bellamy	158	$53,011	0.0%	$105,000
Panola	69	N/A	100.0%	N/A
Emelle	48	$11,786	70.8%	$73,300

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

Sumter County is located in Alabama with a total population of 11,878. It is the 60th most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sumter County is 35.7 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Sumter County is $33,310. This is 48% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 59% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 26.5%. This is 69% 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 12.1%. This is 158% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $82,600. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Sumter County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% lower than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Sumter County is Black or African American, making up 68.1% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 25.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (25.7%) is well below the state average of 63.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (68.1% vs 25.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 5.6%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

19.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% 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 86.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Sumter 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 Sumter County, Alabama?

Sumter County has a population of 11,878, making it the 60th most populous county in Alabama.

What is the median income in Sumter County?

The median household income in Sumter County is $33,310 with a poverty rate of 26.5%.

How many cities are in Sumter County, Alabama?

Sumter County contains 9 Census-designated places.