Pickens County, Alabama
Among the top 15% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 85% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 56% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 9% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
- top 3% for property tax rate
- top 5% for monthly rent
- bottom 2% for commute time
Pickens County is a county in Alabama with about 19,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and F for getting around. Standout strengths include property tax rate, monthly rent, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on walkability and commute time.
Official websitepickensalabama.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cool
comf.
warm
hot
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cool
82%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.6 in3.9 in
oppressive 92%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$45k12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 78% of US counties
Home Value$120k25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$578better than 95% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 83% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.31%better than 97% of US counties
Income Tax5.00%better than 46% of US counties
Sales Tax9.29%better than 10% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.89%better than 64% of US counties
Unemployment5.3%better than 39% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)45°F80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation58.1 in93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.2 inbetter than 87% of US counties
Sunny Days264 daysbetter than 84% of US counties
Summer Humidity71°Fbetter than 14% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk44.7better than 54% of US counties
School Quality46.0better than 30% of US counties
Violent Crime709/100kbetter than 55% of US counties
Property Crime441/100kbetter than 76% of US counties
Community
Population18,92540th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.964th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5181st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9410th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1628th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)53.6%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)39.2%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.2%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.0%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time37 minbetter than 2% of US counties
Walkability4.4/20better than 8% of US counties
Airport Distance80 mibetter than 61% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access74.8%better than 14% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.11better than 48% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 34% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pickens County an affordable place to live?
- Pickens County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 78% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Pickens County?
- The median home value in Pickens County is $120k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Pickens County?
- Median household income in Pickens County is $45k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Pickens County?
- Median gross rent in Pickens County is $578 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Pickens County safe?
- Pickens County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 709/100k (better than 55%). Property crime is 441/100k.
- What is the weather like in Pickens County?
- Pickens County averages 82°F in July and 45°F in January, with 58.1 in of annual precipitation and about 264 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Pickens County?
- Public-school quality in Pickens County is below average, scoring better than 30% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Pickens County?
- The average one-way commute in Pickens County is 37 min.
Other counties in Alabama
Explore Alabama
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)