Population 49,599 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dale County
Household size in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Dale County sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.51, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.1 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 40.1, the median age in Dale County is the same as the national median, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 38.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Dale County than nationally: 13.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dale County
Renters in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.6% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.9% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.1% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Dale County than nationally: 38.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 51.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Of Alabama's 67 counties, only six have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Dale County: 14.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Dale County was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $627 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $657 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $718 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $876 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$249 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Dale County pays $876 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $249 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dale County
Bachelor's degrees in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Dale County: 19.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.1% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.9% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.1% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.2% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Dale County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dale County
| Period | Dale County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Dale County: 6.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dale County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale County | 2.58 | 40.1 | 13.7% | 38.1% | 14.6% | 1983 | $876 | 19.8% | 86.2% | 6.4% |
| Coffee County | 2.60 | 39.9 | 12.0% | 27.7% | 14.3% | 1987 | $1,078 | 22.8% | 87.3% | 4.8% |
| Houston County | 2.49 | 40.6 | 12.8% | 36.2% | 13.3% | 1986 | $1,017 | 23.1% | 88.2% | 4.8% |
| Henry County | 2.51 | 45.4 | 9.1% | 20.5% | 20.4% | 1984 | $794 | 23.0% | 84.6% | 3.9% |
| Early County | 2.53 | 42.9 | 15.1% | 33.4% | 18.0% | 1984 | $813 | 14.7% | 82.1% | 6.5% |
| Covington County | 2.55 | 44.2 | 11.8% | 23.7% | 21.1% | 1979 | $740 | 17.7% | 85.1% | 5.0% |
| Baker County | 2.47 | 51.4 | 12.4% | 23.3% | 18.2% | 1976 | $606 | 16.4% | 89.1% | 6.3% |
| Conecuh County | 2.55 | 46.7 | 10.2% | 25.7% | 30.6% | 1983 | $838 | 15.3% | 90.4% | 7.7% |
| Mitchell County | 2.56 | 40.3 | 15.4% | 34.8% | 13.4% | 1979 | $812 | 14.3% | 82.9% | 6.3% |
| Monroe County | 2.76 | 44.4 | 12.0% | 28.3% | 27.2% | 1984 | $726 | 12.4% | 85.2% | 9.3% |
| Tift County | 2.64 | 37.5 | 17.6% | 39.0% | 12.7% | 1986 | $864 | 21.3% | 86.0% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Stevens County, WA · Whitman County, WA · Bingham County, ID · Wharton County, TX · Dubois County, IN · Cortland County, NY · Campbell County, WY · Carroll County, NH · Coles County, IL · Wyoming County, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dale County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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