West Jefferson, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 581, West Jefferson'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

West Jefferson is a small community located in Alabama, within Jefferson County. The total population is 581. It ranks as the 403rd most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Jefferson is 39.1 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.3 years. 13.9% 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 West Jefferson is $41,406. This is 35% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 49% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.4%. This is 14% lower than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The survey records no unemployed residents in West Jefferson, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $156,200. Housing costs are 26% lower than the state median of $209,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 90.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 29% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Jefferson has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.3% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (97.3% vs 63.4%). The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 25.6%.

Education

8.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 70% 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 92.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Jefferson, 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.