Population 11,878 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sumter County
Household size in Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.80 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.04 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.76 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Sumter County is a place of small households, averaging 2.04 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.80, a much bigger shift than nationally. Sumter County has the smallest households of any Alabama county.
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 Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 38.6, the median age in Sumter County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in Alabama as a whole, where the median age is 40.2. The median age has climbed from 34.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Alabama counties are younger: only five of 67.
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 Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Sumter County: 15.5% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 5.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Sumter County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five 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 Sumter County
Renters in Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.7% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.9% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Sumter County rent their homes (33.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Alabama overall (29.8%). About six in ten owners (60.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.4 points, mirroring the country.
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 Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.2% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 23.3% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Sumter County: 22.5% 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 is down 3.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Sumter County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Alabama overall, where the median home dates to 1986. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $483 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $567 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $532 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $755 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$272 | +$375 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sumter County costs $755 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $272 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest 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 Sumter County
Bachelor's degrees in Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.0% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Sumter County: 21.0% 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 5.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the west.
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 Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.3% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.2% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.8% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.1% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.8 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Sumter County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 10.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Compared with other Alabama counties, though, Sumter County has a higher share of high school graduates than most.
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 Sumter County
| Period | Sumter County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Sumter County: 11.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of Alabama's 67 counties, only three have higher unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 4.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Sumter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter County | 2.04 | 38.6 | 15.5% | 33.2% | 22.5% | 1979 | $755 | 21.0% | 87.1% | 11.9% |
| Lauderdale County | 2.51 | 39.8 | 17.6% | 34.9% | 14.6% | 1981 | $1,049 | 24.6% | 85.8% | 6.6% |
| Perry County | 2.33 | 36.4 | 19.0% | 22.5% | 12.8% | 1985 | $607 | 16.0% | 84.3% | 17.7% |
| Newton County | 2.63 | 38.0 | 12.9% | 20.9% | 14.6% | 1982 | $734 | 19.3% | 85.9% | 5.2% |
| Dallas County | 2.36 | 41.9 | 16.7% | 36.2% | 14.7% | 1979 | $772 | 17.4% | 87.8% | 10.3% |
| Scott County | 2.93 | 38.4 | 22.9% | 28.7% | 15.3% | 1987 | $863 | 13.3% | 77.8% | 4.4% |
| Autauga County | 2.65 | 39.9 | 11.7% | 22.9% | 8.4% | 1993 | $1,221 | 30.3% | 91.6% | 2.4% |
| Madison County | 2.57 | 40.3 | 11.0% | 28.7% | 7.1% | 1996 | $1,487 | 50.5% | 92.4% | 3.8% |
| Elmore County | 2.65 | 40.4 | 13.9% | 23.0% | 11.6% | 1994 | $1,022 | 25.0% | 89.4% | 4.8% |
| Macon County | 2.30 | 39.9 | 21.6% | 38.5% | 27.4% | 1980 | $764 | 21.8% | 86.6% | 8.7% |
| Lee County | 2.63 | 36.1 | 9.4% | 33.7% | 13.5% | 1996 | $1,170 | 43.3% | 92.6% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Burt County, NE · Bracken County, KY · Bradley County, AR · Brantley County, GA · Braxton County, WV · Breathitt County, KY · Breckinridge County, KY · Brewster County, TX · Broadwater County, MT · Brooks County, TX
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 Sumter 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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