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MICROPOLITAN AREA

Fort Payne Micro

Fort Payne, AL · 1 counties · 74,085 residents (2025 est.) · 777.077 sq mi
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The short version

Fort Payne has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $51,204. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $152,700. The poverty rate of 22.4% is well above the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
72,269
+12%since 2000
from 64,452 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
93 / sq mi
+12%since 2000
from 83 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.5
+9%since 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:74,085 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
53K58K63K69K74K1990201020202024Fort Payne
202472K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(4,212)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(4,095)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148%(5,766)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.9%(4,952)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.2%(4,506)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412%(8,675)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412%(8,697)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.8%(9,269)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.9%(9,349)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.7%(7,728)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.4%(3,875)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(1,145)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$51,204
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,137 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$26,490
+67%since 2000
from $15,818 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
33.2%
+18.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
22.4%
+7.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.459
+1%since 2010
from 0.454 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade23.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food2.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$152,700
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$693
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $370 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
78.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 78.7% in 2000
21.7% rent
Vacancy rate
15.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
17.1%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
33.5%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 27.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+25%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
35
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Fort Payne on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.7%(58,436)
Black1.7%(1,064)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(3,578)
Asian0.2%(105)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77%(55,620)
Black1.3%(975)
Hispanic / Latino17.1%(12,382)
Asian0.2%(136)
Other4.4%(3,156)
Diversity Score
47
+46%since 2009
from 32 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
35
−2%since 2020
from 36 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican8.6%(6,221)
Central American7.6%(5,525)
Guatemalan6.5%(4,729)
Honduran0.6%(419)
Salvadoran0.5%(377)
Cuban0.2%(132)
Puerto Rican0.2%(115)
Colombian0.1%(50)
Peruvian0%(23)
Argentine0%(22)
Asian origin
Filipino0.1%(64)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(10)
Ancestry
American13.4%(9,658)
English12.8%(9,269)
Irish9%(6,526)
German5.8%(4,156)
Scottish2.2%(1,588)
French1.2%(836)
Italian1%(714)
Dutch0.7%(537)
Polish0.4%(267)
Welsh0.4%(262)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Greek0.3%(225)
Norwegian0.2%(113)
British0.1%(108)
West Indian0.1%(66)
Finnish0.1%(49)
Swedish0.1%(47)
Czech0%(33)
Russian0%(33)
Belgian0%(25)
Danish0%(21)
Swiss0%(16)
Croatian0%(12)
Latvian0%(11)
Arab0%(5)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Central American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.1%
+5.8 ptssince 2000
from 8.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
79.2%
+15.4 ptssince 2000
from 63.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.2%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.8 min
+53%since 2000
from 16.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
83.2%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 81.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.1%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.4%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.2%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.1%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 9.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.7%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 58.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.7%
−23.7 ptssince 2009
from 52.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
50.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
7.8%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.7%
−42.8 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2012
from 16.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
15.5%
−67.4 ptssince 2013
from 82.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.9%
+25.9 ptssince 2017
from 61.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
85.1%
−3.1 ptssince 2016
from 88.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
13.9%
+2.4 ptssince 2016
from 11.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.4%(8,495)
Married56.6%(16,376)
Widowed3.1%(909)
Divorced10.8%(3,132)
Women 15+
Never married22%(6,431)
Married52.6%(15,414)
Widowed12%(3,511)
Divorced13.4%(3,928)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro

Largest cities

Fort PayneCENTRAL15,189Rainsville6,020Henagar2,361Sylvania1,853Crossville1,851Fyffe986Powell946Geraldine918Ider742Valley Head597Hammondville431Mentone337Shiloh334Pine Ridge270Lakeview167
What's inside

1 component county

DeKalb CountyCENTRAL74,085
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Fort Payne

Columbus
Pop 67,144
Laurel
Pop 82,281
Forest City
Pop 65,745
Huntsville
Pop 83,842
Places similar to Fort Payne
Head to head

Compare Fort Payne side by side

FORT PAYNE VS
Columbus
Income$50,861−1%
Home value$153,272same
Population67,144−9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT PAYNE VS
Laurel
Income$51,524+1%
Home value$136,095−11%
Population82,281+11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT PAYNE VS
Forest City
Income$51,410same
Home value$201,800+32%
Population65,745−11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT PAYNE VS
Huntsville
Income$52,324+2%
Home value$226,900+49%
Population83,842+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Fort Payne, AL?

Fort Payne, AL has about 72,269 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Fort Payne, AL?

The typical household in Fort Payne, AL earns about $51,204 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Fort Payne, AL expensive?

In Fort Payne, AL, the median home is worth about $152,700, and the typical rent is about $693 a month.

How educated are people in Fort Payne, AL?

About 14.1% of adults age 25 and over in Fort Payne, AL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Fort Payne, AL?

About 22.4% of people in Fort Payne, AL live below the federal poverty line.

Has Fort Payne, AL grown since 1990?

Yes, Fort Payne, AL has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,618 residents, a change of about 32 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →