Population 237,552 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Tuscaloosa County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Tuscaloosa County
Household size in Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Tuscaloosa County has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.61 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.8 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.0 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.1 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Tuscaloosa County is young: half of its residents are under 35.1, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.6, in line with the national trend. No other Alabama county is younger.
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 Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Tuscaloosa County as they are nationally: 11.0%, against 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in Alabama as a whole (12.2%). The single-parent share has edged up 0.9 points since 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 Tuscaloosa County
Renters in Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.6% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Tuscaloosa County than nationally: 38.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 42.6% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.9 points, as it has nationally. Of Alabama's 67 counties, only three 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 Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.1% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.7% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Tuscaloosa County: 13.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.7 points, 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 Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Tuscaloosa County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $824 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $852 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $888 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,138 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$314 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Tuscaloosa County pays $1,138 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $314 a month from 2006–10, a 38% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Tuscaloosa County
Bachelor's degrees in Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.6% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.5% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Tuscaloosa County (33.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is higher than in Alabama as a whole (29.0%). The share with a degree has risen 6.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.2% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.6% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.0% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Tuscaloosa County is a bit above the national rate: 91.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Alabama's 67 counties, only six have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Tuscaloosa County
| Period | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Tuscaloosa County: 6.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% 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).
Tuscaloosa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County | 2.53 | 35.1 | 11.0% | 38.6% | 13.5% | 1992 | $1,138 | 33.2% | 91.0% | 6.4% |
| Pickens County | 2.62 | 41.9 | 9.3% | 24.2% | 23.2% | 1983 | $636 | 13.0% | 85.8% | 4.9% |
| Shelby County | 2.67 | 40.9 | 8.5% | 18.6% | 6.6% | 1998 | $1,491 | 47.0% | 94.6% | 3.0% |
| Noxubee County | 2.56 | 39.6 | 23.8% | 27.0% | 17.0% | 1983 | $765 | 10.9% | 75.9% | 8.4% |
| Talladega County | 2.34 | 43.1 | 14.3% | 28.0% | 13.3% | 1982 | $837 | 16.5% | 85.8% | 6.8% |
| Clay County | 2.43 | 46.1 | 9.8% | 20.6% | 18.0% | 1983 | $631 | 14.4% | 82.5% | 2.4% |
| Choctaw County | 2.30 | 44.3 | 12.4% | 20.6% | 20.0% | 1979 | $674 | 20.0% | 86.6% | 10.1% |
| Randolph County | 2.41 | 42.9 | 12.9% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1984 | $689 | 17.5% | 84.1% | 3.5% |
| Heard County | 2.74 | 41.0 | 10.5% | 27.7% | 10.6% | 1985 | $972 | 12.4% | 87.5% | 4.3% |
| Coweta County | 2.76 | 40.6 | 11.9% | 21.6% | 5.8% | 1997 | $1,578 | 36.4% | 92.2% | 3.2% |
| Humphreys County | 2.58 | 40.6 | 23.1% | 38.3% | 17.5% | 1980 | $671 | 19.2% | 81.7% | 11.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Mahoning County, OH · Lafayette Parish, LA · Lake County, OH · Lancaster County, NE · Leon County, FL · Linn County, IA · Litchfield County, CT · Livingston County, MI · Lorain County, OH · Lubbock 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 Tuscaloosa 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.