Fort Payne

Population: 14,886
Median household income: $48,623
Median home value: $158,100

Located in DeKalb County, Alabama, Fort Payne is a community with a population of 14,886. At $48,623, its median household income sits below DeKalb County's $51,149.

From 2019 to 2023, Fort Payne's population grew 5.5% from 14,115 to 14,886, while its median home value rose 26.6% from $124,900 to $158,100.

Households average 2.56 people. The median gross rent is $670.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 14,886
Median age: 39.3 yrs
Median household income: $48,623
Median home value: $158,100
Median gross rent: $670
Housing units: 6,497
Homeownership rate: 67.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 17.5%
Unemployment rate: 6.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

14,11514,886

Median household income

$40,273$48,623

Median home value

$124,900$158,100

Median gross rent

$595$670

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	14,115	$40,273	$124,900	$595
2020	14,063	$42,200	$130,400	$592
2021	14,730	$44,330	$134,700	$626
2022	14,815	$44,549	$145,600	$665
2023	14,886	$48,623	$158,100	$670

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 56.2%

5 to 1718.7%

18 to 249.9%

25 to 349.8%

35 to 4413.1%

45 to 5412.6%

55 to 6413.2%

65 to 749.1%

75 and over7.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	921	6.2%
5 to 17	2,781	18.7%
18 to 24	1,477	9.9%
25 to 34	1,452	9.8%
35 to 44	1,946	13.1%
45 to 54	1,883	12.6%
55 to 64	1,961	13.2%
65 to 74	1,352	9.1%
75 and over	1,113	7.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	10,615	71.3%
Black or African American	269	1.8%
American Indian & Alaska Native	0	0.0%
Asian	27	0.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	208	1.4%
Two or more races	302	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,465	23.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma19.9%

High school graduate28.4%

Some college or associate's34.2%

Bachelor's degree10.0%

Graduate or professional degree7.5%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,935	19.9%
High school graduate	2,760	28.4%
Some college or associate's	3,315	34.2%
Bachelor's degree	971	10.0%
Graduate or professional degree	726	7.5%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 19 min

Drove alone73.3%

Carpooled17.7%

Public transit0.0%

Walked2.3%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.9%

Other means0.8%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	4,606	73.3%
Carpooled	1,114	17.7%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	146	2.3%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	369	5.9%
Other means	50	0.8%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,710	45.8%
15 to 29 min	2,011	34.0%
30 to 44 min	461	7.8%
45 to 59 min	552	9.3%
60+ min	182	3.1%

Households

Average household size: 2.56
Poverty rate: 23.5% (3,383 of 14,418)

	Count	Share
Family households	3,562	62.9%
Nonfamily households	2,101	37.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1977

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	5,663	87.2%
Vacant	834	12.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	3,812	67.3%
Renter-occupied	1,851	32.7%

1-unit, detached75.2%

1-unit, attached1.0%

2 to 4 units7.0%

5 to 19 units6.4%

20 or more units1.5%

Mobile home & other8.8%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	4,883	75.2%
1-unit, attached	68	1.0%
2 to 4 units	458	7.0%
5 to 19 units	414	6.4%
20 or more units	100	1.5%
Mobile home & other	574	8.8%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0127616
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 56 sq mi
Water area: 0.35 sq mi
Center point: 34.4573, -85.6894