Population 29,184 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Marion County
Household size in Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.39 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Marion County average 2.75 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.36, even as the national average fell. Only five of Alabama's 67 counties have larger households.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.5 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.3 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.5 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Marion County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 42.7, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Marion County than nationally: 9.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Marion County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Alabama counties.
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 Marion County
Renters in Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.6% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Marion County is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About six in ten owners (60.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.9% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Marion County: 24.1% 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. Vacancy has risen 10.0 points since 2006–10, 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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Marion County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Alabama overall, where the median home dates to 1986. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southeast. Only five of Alabama's 67 counties have older homes.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $415 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $480 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $527 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $661 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$246 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in Marion County runs $661 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $246 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the southeast.
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 Marion County
Bachelor's degrees in Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Marion County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 13.7%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.5 points, mirroring the country. Marion County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Alabama counties.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 75.0% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.8% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.4% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.6 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Marion County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 12.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Marion County has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Alabama counties.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Marion County is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Marion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 2.75 | 43.5 | 9.7% | 23.2% | 24.1% | 1979 | $661 | 13.7% | 83.4% | 5.5% |
| Winston County | 2.53 | 43.1 | 9.9% | 24.2% | 24.5% | 1986 | $828 | 14.1% | 77.7% | 3.8% |
| Itawamba County | 2.42 | 39.5 | 10.1% | 21.0% | 10.3% | 1985 | $829 | 16.3% | 87.6% | 4.9% |
| Lee County | 2.57 | 38.2 | 12.2% | 29.2% | 13.3% | 1987 | $960 | 27.7% | 87.0% | 5.2% |
| Cullman County | 2.58 | 40.9 | 11.2% | 23.4% | 10.9% | 1988 | $993 | 19.7% | 86.4% | 4.2% |
| Pontotoc County | 2.65 | 36.4 | 11.3% | 30.2% | 16.1% | 1989 | $880 | 18.6% | 78.9% | 3.1% |
| Yalobusha County | 2.48 | 42.6 | 14.7% | 30.7% | 20.1% | 1980 | $718 | 16.5% | 82.8% | 5.8% |
| Etowah County | 2.62 | 42.4 | 12.3% | 26.1% | 16.5% | 1977 | $928 | 18.0% | 85.4% | 6.3% |
| Cherokee County | 2.57 | 47.6 | 7.8% | 18.9% | 28.9% | 1984 | $851 | 17.1% | 82.5% | 4.4% |
| Quitman County | 2.17 | 40.4 | 19.3% | 35.3% | 12.4% | 1972 | $668 | 17.1% | 81.2% | 11.7% |
| Coahoma County | 2.38 | 37.9 | 25.1% | 47.9% | 17.0% | 1970 | $757 | 19.2% | 80.6% | 10.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Bee County, TX · Wells County, IN · Bolivar County, MS · Bladen County, NC · Bibb County, AL · Benton County, MO · Benton County, IA · Bennington County, VT · Bell County, KY · Waynesboro City, VA
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 Marion 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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