United States › Alabama › Pickens County COUNTY
Pickens County Alabama · 18,221 residents (2025 est.) · 881 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 18,721 people, Pickens County is a county in Alabama. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $123,900. Density works out to 21 people per square mile. 3% of locals were born outside the United States. Renters pay $648 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,949 in 2000
18,221 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 22 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
18K 19K 20K 21K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Pickens County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $46,274
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,254 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,746 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 24.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.453 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.9%
Public administration 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Education & health services 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$123,900
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$648
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $245 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.3% in 2000
24.2% rent
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 55.7%(11,676)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(147)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 52.8%(9,888)
Hispanic / Latino 3.6%(666)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 31 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 69.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 22.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 47.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 24.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 80.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 39.1%(3,094)
Women 15+
Never married 32.1%(2,527)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 17.1%(182)
Gulf War (1990s) 10.6%(113)
Share of the 1,066 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Pickens County Head to head
Compare Pickens County to nearby counties PICKENS COUNTY VS
Lowndes County
Income $53,812 +16%
Home value $164,100 +32%
Population 57,346 +215%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PICKENS COUNTY VS
Noxubee County
Income $33,833 −27%
Home value $90,800 −27%
Population 9,798 −46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PICKENS COUNTY VS
Greene County
Income $29,200 −37%
Home value $81,200 −34%
Population 7,067 −61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PICKENS COUNTY VS
Tuscaloosa County
Income $66,231 +43%
Home value $248,700 +101%
Population 241,368 +1225%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Pickens County, Alabama? Pickens County, Alabama has about 18,721 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Pickens County, Alabama? The typical household in Pickens County, Alabama earns about $46,274 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Pickens County, Alabama expensive? In Pickens County, Alabama, the median home is worth about $123,900, and the typical rent is about $648 a month.
How educated are people in Pickens County, Alabama? About 13.1% of adults age 25 and over in Pickens County, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Pickens County, Alabama? About 20.0% of people in Pickens County, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.
Has Pickens County, Alabama grown since 1990? Yes, Pickens County, Alabama has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,978 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 