United States › Fort Payne MICROPOLITAN AREA
Fort Payne Micro Fort Payne, AL · 1 counties · 74,085 residents (2025 est.) · 777 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 72,269 people, Fort Payne is a metro area. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $152,700. The poverty rate is 22.4%, above the 12.5% national rate. Renters pay $693 a month at the median.
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 from 64,452 in 2000
74,085 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 83 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
53K 58K 63K 69K 74K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Fort Payne Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $51,204
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,137 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,818 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.454 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.1%
Public administration 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Education & health services 0.9%
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$152,700
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$693
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $370 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.7% in 2000
21.7% rent
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.65 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 27.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 90.7%(58,436)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(3,578)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 77%(55,620)
Hispanic / Latino 17.1%(12,382)
from 32 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
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 Ancestry
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 8.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 63.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 61.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 61.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 88.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 11.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.4%(8,495)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 47.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.7% 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) 25.5%(791)
Share of the 3,103 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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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Fort Payne Head to head
Compare Fort Payne side by side FORT PAYNE VS
Columbus
Income $50,861 −1%
Home value $153,272 same
Population 67,144 −9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT PAYNE VS
Laurel
Income $51,524 +1%
Home value $136,095 −11%
Population 82,281 +11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT PAYNE VS
Forest City
Income $51,410 same
Home value $201,800 +32%
Population 65,745 −11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT PAYNE VS
Huntsville
Income $52,324 +2%
Home value $226,900 +49%
Population 83,842 +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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