Alabama

Home/Alabama Alabama State-to-state migration of people and income, 2022–2023 filing years At a glance (2023) Cost of living 89 11% below the U.S. average Median home value $195,100 national $303,400 Home prices, 5 years +49.7% over the 5 years to 2023 Monthly rent $963 national $1,348 Homeownership 70% national 65% Unemployment 2.5% national 3.6% Household income $62,027 national $78,538 Median age 39.3 yrs national 38.7 The cost of living runs about 11% below the national average. The median home is valued at $195,100 (nominal). Home prices have risen about 50% over the five years to 2023. Median rent is about $963 a month. Unemployment averaged 2.5% in 2023 (national 3.6%). Median household income is $62,027. These figures describe all residents, not just tax filers, come from separate sources than the migration data on this page, and do not indicate why anyone moved. Between the 2022 and 2023 filing years, Alabama saw a net gain of 6,124 tax-filing households and a net gain of 16,421 individuals. Against a population of about 5,108,468, that is a net inflow of about 3.2 per 1,000 residents. On net, the area gained $545.3M in associated adjusted gross income (AGI, nominal dollars). The largest inflow, about 9,224 households, came from Georgia; the largest outflow, about 8,527 households, went to Georgia. In the prior (2022) filing year, the area saw a net gain of 22,706 individuals. These figures cover federal income tax filers only and do not indicate why people moved. Net income (AGI) +$545.3M nominal dollars Net households +6,124 tax returns Net people +16,421 exemptions +3.2 net people per 1,000 residents (population 5,108,468) Income (AGI) in and out Moved in$3.7B Moved out$3.2B Net +$545.3M (nominal) HowAmericaMoves.com Alabama counties Net migration by county. Hover for figures; click a county to open it. Net outNet in(AGI $) Hover an area to trace its top 5 inbound (in) and outbound (out) moves. Net income (AGI) that moved in minus out, in nominal dollars (not adjusted for inflation).Net tax returns (filing households) that moved in minus out.Net people per 1,000 residents, so larger and smaller areas compare fairly. Hover an area to trace its top moves HowAmericaMoves.com Top origin states 1Georgia9,224$563.2M2Florida8,410$514M3Tennessee4,905$324.1M4Texas3,748$269.2M5Mississippi3,287$182.2M6California2,342$173.8M7North Carolina1,692$111.2M8Virginia1,548$140.7M9Louisiana1,375$93.4M10Illinois1,301$92.3M HowAmericaMoves.com Top destination states 1Georgia8,527$466.8M2Florida7,060$524.9M3Tennessee4,554$292.2M4Texas4,359$296.6M5Mississippi2,588$151.3M6North Carolina1,904$125.4M7California1,589$111M8Virginia1,388$106.1M9South Carolina1,189$89.5M10Colorado1,135$75.8M HowAmericaMoves.com Churn by state both directions at once The biggest two-way exchanges of filing households, 2022–2023. Moved in and moved out are gross one-way counts; net is the difference. Click a column to sort. Georgia 9,224 8,527 +697 +$96.3M Florida 8,410 7,060 +1,350 -$10.8M Tennessee 4,905 4,554 +351 +$32M Texas 3,748 4,359 -611 -$27.5M Mississippi 3,287 2,588 +699 +$31M California 2,342 1,589 +753 +$62.8M North Carolina 1,692 1,904 -212 -$14.2M Virginia 1,548 1,388 +160 +$34.5M Louisiana 1,375 1,101 +274 +$26.5M Colorado 1,261 1,135 +126 +$22.7M South Carolina 1,114 1,189 -75 -$16.1M Illinois 1,301 940 +361 +$38.7M Counts are filing households (IRS returns), matching the lists above; income is nominal AGI. A dash means the IRS published only one direction of that exchange (small flows are suppressed), so no net is computed. HowAmericaMoves.com Net migration by year Net 2012–2023: +$3.5B (+101,393 people) 20122023 HowAmericaMoves.com Net AGI and net people by year (nominal dollars) Year Net AGI Net people 2012 +$58.6M -4,198 2013 +$75.4M +1,586 2014 -$32.5M -3,881 2015 -$82.5M -1,631 2016 -$158.8M +2,257 2017 +$489.7M +11,864 2018 +$280.8M +8,385 2019 +$252.8M +8,820 2020 +$520.1M +17,532 2021 +$743.1M +21,532 2022 +$799M +22,706 2023 +$545.3M +16,421 Migration in context How big is this move, relative to the state? In the 2022–2023 filing year, about 16,421 more people moved into Alabama than left (counting tax filers and their dependents) — a net gain of about $545.3M in income (nominal) — in a state of 5,117,850 people. Population 5,117,850 Census 2023 estimate Net migration rate +3.2 net people per 1,000 residents A town of 10,000 would net about +32 people. Net income per resident +$107 nominal dollars ≈ +$545.3M total across 5,117,850 residents. The rate lets you compare Alabama with a stateof any size: it’s the net flow divided by population. The IRS counts tax filers; population counts all residents, so read the rate as a scale indicator, not a literal share of people. HowAmericaMoves.com Components of population change 2023 (Census) Where the state’s overall change came from. Census counts all residents; the IRS migration above is one slice of the domestic-migration component. Births +58,640 Deaths 60,111 Net domestic migration +29,774 Net international migration +12,621 Total change +40,982 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. Figures are people, not tax filers. HowAmericaMoves.com Income & cost of living What a dollar is worth here Prices around Alabama run about 11% below the national average. In plain terms: $100 spent here buys about what $112 buys in the average American community. The figures below apply that to income, each compared to the U.S. average of $70,002 per person. Income per person $54,612 what people here earn (BEA 2023, nominal) 22% below the U.S. average Price level 89.1 100 = U.S. average prices (BEA price parity) everyday costs about 10.9% lower than average What that income buys $61,295 local income restated at U.S.-average prices 12% below the U.S. average Cheaper than U.S. avgU.S. average (100)Pricier Price parity shown at the state level (BEA does not publish a single figure below the metro level). HowAmericaMoves.com Where the cost comes from price parity by category Index where 100 = U.S. average for that category. Housing is usually what separates one place from another. Housing & rents61.6 Goods94.6 Utilities89.9 Other services98.2 Housing is measured from rents (including an estimated rental value for owner-occupied homes), so a run-up in purchase prices shows here only as it reaches rents. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer income above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who lives here The people of Alabama American Community Survey, 2019–2023 (a 5-year average of all residents, not just tax filers). Median age 39.3 years Median household income $62,027 per household (ACS 2019–2023, nominal) 21% below the U.S. median College degree 28% adults 25+ with a bachelor's or higher Poverty rate 15.6% residents below the poverty line Average commute 25 min mean travel time to work Broadband at home 86% households with any broadband Race and ethnicity (share of residents) White 64%Hispanic 5%Black 26%Asian 1%Other 3% White, Black, and Asian counts are people who are not Hispanic or Latino; Hispanic or Latino can be of any race. Shares are rounded and may not total 100. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer data. A 5-year estimate is an average over 2019–2023; compare years at least five apart, since consecutive windows overlap. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Housing what it costs to live here (ACS 2019–2023) Median home value $195,100 owner-occupied homes 36% below the U.S. median Median rent $963 gross rent per month 29% below the U.S. median Homeownership 70% of occupied homes are owner-occupied Home-price appreciation FHFA index, 2023 Past year +7.1% price change, 2022 to 2023 Past 5 years +50% price change, 2018 to 2023 A repeat-sales index (how much the same homes changed in price), so it tracks the market over time rather than the current level. Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual all-transactions HPI; the county series is FHFA’s developmental index. New home construction building permits, 2023 20,337new housing units authorized in 2023 Single-family 80%Multifamily 20% Units authorized by residential building permits (new supply), summed from counties for the state and U.S. Permits are authorizations, not completions. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, not recent sale prices. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023), nominal dollars. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Local economy & risk Jobs and natural hazards Unemployment rate 2.5% BLS 2023 annual average Labor force 2,315,001 2,257,847 employed Disaster declarations 2 major federal, 2023 most common: Severe Storm Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and FEMA. A disaster declaration marks federal assistance eligibility, not damage severity, and says nothing about why anyone moved. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Unemployment now 3.4% May 2026 ▲ 0.9 points vs May 2025 January 2024May 2026 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). Monthly unemployment for this state, not seasonally adjusted. Updated every month, so it moves faster than the annual average above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who’s moving by income Net migration by income bracket Tax-filing households that moved into Alabama minus those that left, by the adjusted gross income they reported, 2022–2023. Positive means more arrived than left at that income level. $1–$10k +688 In 5,295Out 4,607+$3.7M AGI $10k–$25k +703 In 12,212Out 11,509+$9.9M AGI $25k–$50k +1,017 In 14,226Out 13,209+$35.8M AGI $50k–$75k +648 In 8,169Out 7,521+$41.4M AGI $75k–$100k +747 In 4,973Out 4,226+$65.5M AGI $100k–$200k +1,637 In 7,792Out 6,155+$224.6M AGI $200k+ +578 In 2,782Out 2,204+$167.1M AGI Among the highest earners ($200k+), Alabama ranks #15 of 51 states for net household migration (+578). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, state-level gross migration file (returns with negative AGI are excluded, so this won’t exactly match the totals above). Income is what filers reported, not a reason anyone moved. Compare all states by income bracket. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Goods trade What Alabama ships and receives Physical goods shipped between Alabama and other states, 2022. This is freight, not the migration of people or income shown above. $193.3B Ships to other states +38% since 2017 $167.4B Receives from states +37% since 2017 +$25.9B Net balance Top goods shipped out Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $57.6B Pharmaceutical products $40.7B Base metal in primary or semi-finished forms and in finished basic shapes $34.1B Machinery $17.3B Mixed freight $16.9B Plastics and rubber $13.4B Top goods received Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $22.8B Mixed freight $17.6B Base metal in primary or semi-finished forms and in finished basic shapes $17.4B Machinery $15.1B Pharmaceutical products $13.7B Electronic and other electrical equipment and components, and office equipment $13.7B Biggest trading partners (both ways) Goods trade runs in both directions: states swap different goods, so a partner is often near the top of both columns. Net is ships minus receives (positive means Alabama ships more to that partner than it gets back). Partner Ships to Receives Net Total Georgia $37.3B $22.1B +$15.2B $59.4B California $17.8B $14.8B +$3.0B $32.6B Florida $17.7B $12.0B +$5.7B $29.7B Tennessee $15.9B $12.6B +$3.3B $28.5B Texas $14.6B $12.4B +$2.2B $27.0B Mississippi $11.1B $9.8B +$1.3B $20.9B Ohio $6.6B $7.4B -$795M $14.0B Illinois $7.0B $6.0B +$956M $13.0B Goods shipped every five years by the Census Commodity Flow Survey (a sample, so figures are estimates and the smallest flows are withheld). Value is nominal. The totals and partner table above count trade between Alabama and other states; the goods lists count everything the state ships or receives, including within-state shipments. Compare all states. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Taxes the state collects What Alabama collects in taxes Total state taxes $16.5B FY 2023, nominal Per resident $3,223 total state taxes ÷ population Largest categories (share of total) Individual income tax$5.1B 31% General sales & gross receipts$4.6B 28% Corporation net income tax$2.2B 13% Motor fuels sales tax$941.4M 6% Public utilities sales tax$757.2M 5% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections. This is what the state government collected (not local taxes), not a measure of any individual’s tax burden. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Elections National maps → How Alabama has voted. Certified returns, popular vote only. This is a separate dataset from the migration figures on this page. President, 1976–2024 Year Democratic Republican Other Margin Total 2024 772,412 1,462,616 29,944 R +30.5 2,264,972 2020 849,624 1,441,170 32,488 R +25.5 2,323,282 2016 729,547 1,318,250 75,570 R +27.7 2,123,367 2012 795,696 1,255,925 18,732 R +22.2 2,070,353 2008 813,479 1,266,546 19,794 R +21.6 2,099,819 2004 693,933 1,176,394 13,088 R +25.6 1,883,415 2000 695,602 944,409 32,540 R +14.9 1,672,551 1996 662,165 769,044 103,140 R +7.0 1,534,349 1992 690,080 804,283 193,697 R +6.8 1,688,060 1988 549,506 815,576 13,394 R +19.3 1,378,476 1984 551,899 872,849 16,965 R +22.3 1,441,713 1980 636,730 654,192 51,007 R +1.3 1,341,929 1976 659,170 504,070 19,610 D +13.1 1,182,850 U.S. Senate races all states → Year Winner Democratic Republican Other Margin 2022 Katie Britt 436,746 942,154 35,338 R +35.7 2020 Tommy Tuberville 920,478 1,392,076 — R +20.4 2016 Richard C. Shelby 748,709 1,335,104 — R +28.1 2014 Jeff Sessions — 795,606 — — 2010 Richard C. Shelby 515,619 968,181 — R +30.5 2008 Jeff Sessions 752,391 1,305,383 — R +26.8 2004 Richard C. Shelby 595,018 1,242,200 — R +35.2 2002 Jeff Sessions 538,878 792,561 20,234 R +18.7 U.S. House seats won district maps → 2024 D 2 R 5 2022 D 1 R 6 2020 D 1 R 6 2018 D 1 R 6 2016 D 1 R 6 2014 D 1 R 6 2012 D 1 R 6 2010 D 1 R 6 2008 D 3 R 4 2006 D 2 R 5 2004 D 2 R 5 2002 D 2 R 5 2000 D 2 R 5 2024 results by county Republican wonDemocratic wonIndependent / other Which party received the most votes, as a solid color.Winning margin as a share of all votes cast.Change in margin since 2020, in percentage points.Total votes cast, all candidates. HowAmericaMoves.com Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab county returns (CC0). Margins are the popular-vote gap as a share of all votes cast. Counties in Alabama (67) Autauga CountyBaldwin CountyBarbour CountyBibb CountyBlount CountyBullock CountyButler CountyCalhoun CountyChambers CountyCherokee CountyChilton CountyChoctaw CountyClarke CountyClay CountyCleburne CountyCoffee CountyColbert CountyConecuh CountyCoosa CountyCovington CountyCrenshaw CountyCullman CountyDale CountyDallas CountyDeKalb CountyElmore CountyEscambia CountyEtowah CountyFayette CountyFranklin CountyGeneva CountyGreene CountyHale CountyHenry CountyHouston CountyJackson CountyJefferson CountyLamar CountyLauderdale CountyLawrence CountyLee CountyLimestone CountyLowndes CountyMacon CountyMadison CountyMarengo CountyMarion CountyMarshall CountyMobile CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMorgan CountyPerry CountyPickens CountyPike CountyRandolph CountyRussell CountyShelby CountySt. Clair CountySumter CountyTalladega CountyTallapoosa CountyTuscaloosa CountyWalker CountyWashington CountyWilcox CountyWinston County Get the next update for Alabama The IRS releases new migration data once a year. 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