Gadsden, Alabama Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Gadsden, AL Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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F
Health Well below average
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D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,795 | 5,083,438 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 744.9 | 97.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.84% | 0.62% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.4 | 38.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,278 | 1,996,169 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Gadsden declined by 6.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 28,795 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Gadsden is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.5% of residents. That is about the same share as Alabama.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,184 21.5% on par
- Millennials 29–44 5,617 19.5% -1.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,825 20.2% +0.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,007 17.4% -0.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Alabama, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.8% of the people living in Gadsden and men 47.2%.
- Women 52.8% Alabama 51.5%
- Men 47.2% Alabama 48.5%
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Economy
Gadsden has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,054 | $64,544 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.92% | 4.68% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Gadsden is about 38% lower than in Alabama.
Housing
| Metric | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $91,659 | $160,474 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $814 | $1,007 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 54.0% | 70.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Gadsden is about 9.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $814 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Gadsden spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 133 hours, about 5.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.0 | 22.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.9 | 44.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 133 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,125 | $5,717 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,001 | 8,636 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,866 | 1,193 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Gadsden is 16 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Alabama.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Gadsden has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 24.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.48 | 2.48 | 2.53 |
Health
Gadsden has a health index of F, which means it scores poorly in health.
| Metric | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 70.8 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 29.3% | 23.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 25.7% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Gadsden, Alabama.
How big is Gadsden, Alabama by population?
About 28,795 people live in Gadsden, Alabama, in 11,278 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 37.4, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Gadsden, Alabama mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Gadsden, Alabama has 745 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 8.6 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Gadsden, Alabama an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.3 times the median household income ($91,659 against $40,054), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $814 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Gadsden, Alabama?
Unemployment in Gadsden, Alabama is 6.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Gadsden, Alabama?
12.2% of adults in Gadsden, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 8), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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