Alabama · GEOID 01055

Etowah County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 103,105 · 47,603 housing units

Median household income

$54,563

State $65,481

Median home value

$167,100

State $213,194

Median gross rent

$847

State $1,018

Homeownership rate

73.9%

State 70.2%

Renter cost-burden rate

48.4%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

18.7%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

1.6%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

6.3%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

17.2%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

3.06

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Etowah County	Alabama
Population	103,105	5,086,768
Population density (per sq. mi.)	192.67	—
Median household income	$54,563	$65,481
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$78,600	—
Households	39,411	—
Average household size	2.58 people	—
Owner-occupied	73.9%	70.2%
Renter-occupied	26.1%	29.8%
Race	77.0% White · 14.8% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Etowah County compared with Alabama.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

18.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 28.4%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	20.1%	$43,194	$1,080	$129,763
1 earner	35.1%	$54,722	$1,368	$172,674
2 earners	36.9%	$100,230	$2,506	$342,071
3+ earners	7.9%	$125,668	$3,142	$436,759

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

39,411

Average size: 2.58 people

Households with children

9,324

23.7% of households

Per-capita income

$29,604

Poverty rate: 16.3%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

73.9% owner-occupied vs. state average 70.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 79.4% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 8.9%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

55.4% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,975.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $167,100.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $847.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 8,192 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 5.7% · For rent 8.5% · Seasonal 5.6% · Other 69.9%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

24.6% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 75.4% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

1.0%

456 units of 47,603 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

12.0%

5,724 units of 47,603 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$43,650

100% MHI$54,563

120% MHI$65,476

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Etowah County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$44,050	$50,350	$62,900
100% AMI	$55,020	$62,880	$78,600
120% AMI	$66,000	$75,450	$94,300

HUD FMR Area: Gadsden, AL MSA. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

48.4% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (26.4% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

18.7% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Etowah County.

Covered employment

30,433

Across 18 sectors

Establishments

2,429

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$46,332

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	7,051	$56,317	$178,611	+$11,511	$1,408
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	4,828	$32,685	$90,645	−$76,455	$817
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	4,344	$50,882	$158,381	−$8,719	$1,272
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	3,577	$20,519	$45,359	−$121,741	$513
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	1,838	$47,693	$146,510	−$20,590	$1,192
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	1,824	$41,284	$122,654	−$44,446	$1,032
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	1,078	$58,648	$187,288	+$20,188	$1,466
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	992	$61,331	$197,275	+$30,175	$1,533
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	950	$63,959	$207,058	+$39,958	$1,599
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	935	$68,098	$222,464	+$55,364	$1,702
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	737	$49,137	$151,885	−$15,215	$1,228
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	696	$41,594	$123,807	−$43,293	$1,040
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	603	$56,831	$180,525	+$13,425	$1,421
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	361	$18,004	$35,998	−$131,102	$450
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	251	$42,814	$128,349	−$38,751	$1,070
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	153	$53,734	$168,997	+$1,897	$1,343
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	126	$117,899	$407,841	+$240,741	$2,947
NAICS 55 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 55	89	$106,558	$365,626	+$198,526	$2,664

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	3,410	$20,313	$44,592	−$122,508	$508
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	3,000	$70,343	$230,821	+$63,721	$1,759
NAICS 622 Hospitals NAICS 622	2,197	$56,994	$181,132	+$14,032	$1,425
NAICS 311 Food manufacturing NAICS 311	1,812	$46,707	$142,840	−$24,260	$1,168
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	1,698	$40,000	$117,874	−$49,226	$1,000
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	1,228	$36,257	$103,941	−$63,159	$906
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	1,204	$26,162	$66,364	−$100,736	$654
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	870	$28,305	$74,341	−$92,759	$708
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	791	$51,823	$161,883	−$5,217	$1,296
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	763	$52,619	$164,846	−$2,254	$1,315
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	742	$52,409	$164,065	−$3,035	$1,310
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	696	$41,594	$123,807	−$43,293	$1,040
NAICS 336 Transportation equipment manufacturing NAICS 336	695	$49,550	$153,422	−$13,678	$1,239
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	625	$26,112	$66,178	−$100,922	$653
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	609	$58,767	$187,731	+$20,631	$1,469
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	603	$56,831	$180,525	+$13,425	$1,421
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	511	$68,029	$222,208	+$55,108	$1,701
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	473	$25,034	$62,166	−$104,934	$626
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	436	$60,029	$192,429	+$25,329	$1,501
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	390	$59,100	$188,971	+$21,871	$1,478
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	379	$55,644	$176,106	+$9,006	$1,391
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	373	$38,212	$111,219	−$55,881	$955
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	354	$25,969	$65,646	−$101,454	$649
NAICS 456 Health and personal care retailers NAICS 456	339	$38,807	$113,433	−$53,667	$970
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	334	$16,282	$29,588	−$137,512	$407
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	286	$44,887	$136,065	−$31,035	$1,122
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	270	$74,983	$248,093	+$80,993	$1,875
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	259	$17,524	$34,211	−$132,889	$438
NAICS 333 Machinery manufacturing NAICS 333	200	$72,142	$237,517	+$70,417	$1,804
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	197	$58,778	$187,772	+$20,672	$1,469
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	192	$44,528	$134,729	−$32,371	$1,113
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	184	$47,010	$143,968	−$23,132	$1,175
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	167	$71,375	$234,662	+$67,562	$1,784
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	167	$24,734	$61,049	−$106,051	$618
NAICS 493 Warehousing and storage NAICS 493	161	$54,920	$173,411	+$6,311	$1,373
NAICS 331 Primary metal manufacturing NAICS 331	159	$65,865	$214,152	+$47,052	$1,647
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	142	$38,236	$111,308	−$55,792	$956
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	126	$117,899	$407,841	+$240,741	$2,947
NAICS 562 Waste management and remediation services NAICS 562	126	$58,587	$187,061	+$19,961	$1,465
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	102	$133,144	$464,588	+$297,488	$3,329
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	98	$66,696	$217,246	+$50,146	$1,667
NAICS 551 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 551	89	$106,558	$365,626	+$198,526	$2,664
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	87	$68,762	$224,936	+$57,836	$1,719
NAICS 517 Telecommunications NAICS 517	63	$78,175	$259,974	+$92,874	$1,954
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	61	$33,626	$94,148	−$72,952	$841
NAICS 523 Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities NAICS 523	57	$133,985	$467,718	+$300,618	$3,350
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	55	$63,554	$205,550	+$38,450	$1,589
NAICS 425 Wholesale trade agents and brokers NAICS 425	49	$60,192	$193,036	+$25,936	$1,505
NAICS 337 Furniture and related product manufacturing NAICS 337	42	$37,611	$108,981	−$58,119	$940
NAICS 327 Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing NAICS 327	26	$57,624	$183,477	+$16,377	$1,441
NAICS 323 Printing and related support activities NAICS 323	24	$22,712	$53,522	−$113,578	$568
NAICS 513 Publishing industries NAICS 513	17	$95,881	$325,882	+$158,782	$2,397
NAICS 516 Broadcasting and content providers NAICS 516	15	$40,412	$119,408	−$47,692	$1,010
NAICS 928 National security and international affairs NAICS 928	14	$50,281	$156,143	−$10,957	$1,257
NAICS 814 Private households NAICS 814	11	$21,485	$48,955	−$118,145	$537
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	10	$64,674	$209,719	+$42,619	$1,617
NAICS 113 Forestry and logging NAICS 113	7	$51,377	$160,223	−$6,877	$1,284

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	60	(160)	(73%)	$10.60	$22,040	$51,021	$551
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	810	(390)	(33%)	$11.49	$23,900	$57,944	$598
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	560	(50)	(8%)	$11.88	$24,710	$60,960	$618
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	910	(490)	(35%)	$12.18	$25,340	$63,305	$634
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	220	(420)	(66%)	$14.15	$29,430	$78,529	$736
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	320	(120)	(27%)	$14.39	$29,930	$80,390	$748
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	1,130	(190)	(14%)	$15.22	$31,650	$86,793	$791
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	540	(180)	(25%)	$15.52	$32,280	$89,138	$807
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	280	130	87%	$16.07	$33,420	$93,381	$836
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	180	10	6%	$16.70	$34,740	$98,295	$869
Tellers SOC 43-3071	120	(110)	(48%)	$16.75	$34,840	$98,667	$871
Electricians SOC 47-2111	140	(60)	(30%)	$21.25	$44,210	$133,545	$1,105
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	280	110	65%	$21.46	$44,630	$135,109	$1,116
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	30	(10)	(25%)	$21.61	$44,950	$136,300	$1,124
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	240	(20)	(8%)	$22.78	$47,380	$145,345	$1,185
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	100	—	—	$23.70	$49,290	$152,455	$1,232
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	540	(20)	(4%)	$26.49	$55,100	$174,081	$1,378
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	1,210	80	7%	$36.14	$75,180	$248,826	$1,880

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 01055 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.