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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Pickens County

Alabama · 19,123 residents · 881 sq mi
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The short version

With 19,123 people, Pickens County is a county in Alabama. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $100,000. 24.7% of locals live below the federal poverty line. At a median age of 43.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Renters pay $468 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.5
US median: 38.8
Less educated
14% 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

19,123
−9%since 2000
from 20,949 in 2000
1990 – 2025
43.5
+18%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
881 sq mi
Population, 19902024
18K19K20K21K21K19902000201020202024Pickens County
202419K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.9%(941)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(970)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.7%(1,096)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.9%(1,120)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.3%(1,015)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.7%(2,235)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.4%(2,562)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.4%(2,557)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.7%(2,814)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.8%(2,263)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.1%(1,173)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2%(377)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$40,362
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,254 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$23,476
+71%since 2000
from $13,746 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
26.4%
+11.4 ptssince 2009
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
24.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2000
from 24.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade19.7%
US avg: 10%
Information11.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade9.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance9%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical7.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services2.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction2.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Public administration1.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$100,000
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$468
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $245 in 2000
US average: $1,124
74.5%
−4.9 ptssince 2000
from 79.3% in 2000
25.5% rent
2.37 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.5
−9%since 2009
from 2.7 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-Hispanic55.7%(11,676)
Black42.7%(8,940)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(147)
Asian0.1%(22)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic52.6%(10,066)
Black38.9%(7,448)
Hispanic / Latino5.5%(1,053)
Asian0.4%(78)
Other1.5%(281)
31
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.9%(583)
Guatemalan0.5%(91)
Puerto Rican0.3%(55)
Honduran0.2%(44)
Cuban0.2%(36)
Ancestry
American17%(3,401)
Irish6%(1,205)
English4.1%(813)
German2.9%(572)
Scotch-Irish2.6%(515)
Scottish1%(194)
French0.8%(153)
Italian0.6%(127)
Dutch0.3%(66)
British0.3%(52)
Welsh0.2%(41)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.2%(36)
Polish0.1%(21)
Hungarian0.1%(20)
Jamaican0.1%(20)
Portuguese0.1%(18)
Swiss0.1%(15)
Norwegian0.1%(14)
Haitian0%(8)
Russian0%(6)
Section 05

Education

14.4%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
82.9%
+13.2 ptssince 2000
from 69.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
4.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

35.9 min
+62%since 2000
from 22.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
84.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 81.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
8.9%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

8.5%
−5.5 ptssince 2011
from 14.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
45.2%
−7.2 ptssince 2011
from 52.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
47.0%
US average: 73.3%
29.9%
+10.3 ptssince 2009
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

47.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
52.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 53.0% in 2009
3.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
9.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2013
from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
80.3%
US average: 91.9%
88.7%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married39.1%(3,094)
Married47.2%(3,736)
Widowed3%(234)
Divorced10.7%(849)
Women 15+
Never married32.1%(2,527)
Married40.5%(3,189)
Widowed11.7%(923)
Divorced15.7%(1,238)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

9.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2013
from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
46.5%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
13.2%
US average: 13.7%
27.4%
US average: 17.6%
29.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
59.1%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
48.7%
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)14.5%(174)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)22.8%(274)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era37.9%(455)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.8%(118)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.2%(14)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,202 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.

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Frequently asked

How many people live in Pickens County, Alabama?

Pickens County, Alabama has about 19,123 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Pickens County, Alabama?

The typical household in Pickens County, Alabama earns about $40,362 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 $100,000, and the typical rent is about $468 a month.

How educated are people in Pickens County, Alabama?

About 14.4% 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 24.7% 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 1,576 residents, a change of about -8 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 →