Walnut Grove, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 896, Walnut Grove'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

Walnut Grove is a small community located in Alabama, within Etowah County. The total population is 896. It ranks as the 338th most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Walnut Grove is 45.3 years. This is 15% higher than the state median of 39.3 years. 10.9% 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 Walnut Grove is $40,089. This is 37% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 50% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 33.7%. This is 116% 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 8.2%. This is 75% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $131,100. Housing costs are 38% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 80.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Walnut Grove is White (non-Hispanic), making up 62.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 29.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (29.5% vs 5.6%).

Education

12.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 57% 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 70.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Walnut Grove, 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.