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CITY · 2020 ACS

Muscle Shoals

Alabama · 16,275 residents · 16.9 sq mi
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The short version

Muscle Shoals is home to 16,275 people in Alabama. Growth has run 36% since 2000, or 4,351 more people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $151,300, having risen by half since 2000. The poverty rate is 5.1%, under the national 12.8%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

16,275
+36%since 2000
from 11,924 in 2000
1990 – 2025
39.7
+7%since 2000
from 37.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
16.9 sq mi
Population, 19902024
9K11K13K15K18K19902000201020202024Muscle Shoals
202417K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56%(972)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(1,025)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.8%(1,109)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.6%(1,071)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(974)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.6%(2,048)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.4%(2,015)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.3%(1,997)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.2%(2,153)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410%(1,625)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.9%(968)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2%(318)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$54,620
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,216 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$27,908
+32%since 2000
from $21,113 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
33.0%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
5.1%
−2.2 ptssince 2000
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade17.2%
US avg: 10%
Information14.4%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade5.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Other services3.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration3.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Education & health services2.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Professional, scientific, technical2.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$151,300
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$809
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $485 in 2000
US average: $1,124
70.4%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
29.6% rent
2.58 people
+6%since 2009
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.8
+11%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.3%(9,927)
Black14%(1,674)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(138)
Asian0.6%(67)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic72.4%(11,788)
Black17.2%(2,802)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(602)
Asian1.7%(284)
Other1.3%(218)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.4%(490)
Puerto Rican0.4%(52)
Honduran0.2%(35)
Guatemalan0.2%(23)
Salvadoran0.1%(18)
Colombian0.1%(15)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.6%(80)
Filipino0.2%(31)
Korean0.1%(17)
Japanese0.1%(8)
Ancestry
American26.1%(3,759)
English4.8%(688)
Irish4.6%(660)
German4.5%(648)
Welsh1.5%(209)
Italian1%(142)
Scottish0.8%(117)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(112)
Dutch0.4%(63)
British0.3%(46)
French0.3%(43)
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.1%(14)
Austrian0.1%(11)
Czech0.1%(11)
Norwegian0.1%(9)
Swiss0%(7)
Greek0%(3)
Section 05

Education

20.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 20.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
89.8%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 84.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
6.2%
−1.3 ptssince 2000
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

19.2 min
+49%since 2000
from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
88.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 87.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
3.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

2.6%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 6.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
60.8%
Unchangedsince 2011
from 60.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.5%
US average: 73.3%
36.7%
+4.6 ptssince 2009
from 32.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 46.9% in 2009
51.5%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 53.1% in 2009
2.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
3.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
88.6%
US average: 91.9%
91.3%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married21.5%(1,322)
Married53.6%(3,290)
Widowed3.5%(215)
Divorced21.4%(1,315)
Women 15+
Never married30%(2,301)
Married42.6%(3,272)
Widowed11.7%(897)
Divorced15.7%(1,204)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

3.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
67.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.1%
US average: 13.7%
20.3%
US average: 17.6%
12.2%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
81.4%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
29.9%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)17.8%(163)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)21.3%(195)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era25.2%(230)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War5.6%(51)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.9%(17)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 914 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Muscle Shoals, Alabama?

Muscle Shoals, Alabama has about 16,275 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Muscle Shoals, Alabama?

The typical household in Muscle Shoals, Alabama earns about $54,620 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Muscle Shoals, Alabama expensive?

In Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the median home is worth about $151,300, and the typical rent is about $809 a month.

How educated are people in Muscle Shoals, Alabama?

About 20.8% of adults age 25 and over in Muscle Shoals, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Muscle Shoals, Alabama?

About 5.1% of people in Muscle Shoals, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.

Has Muscle Shoals, Alabama grown since 1990?

Yes, Muscle Shoals, Alabama has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,664 residents, a change of about 69 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →