Lowest-earning counties in Alabama
Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation's real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn't been seen since the Great Depression. Since then the GDP has recovered, the first quarter of 2022 was 11% above the fourth quarter of 2019.
While GDP has recovered since the height of the pandemic, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation. In 2021 average hourly wages increased 4.7% while there was 7% inflation, meaning the worker's purchasing power dropped by 2.4%.
Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. The highest earning county in the U.S. earns $147,111, while the lowest earns $22,292. Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning counties in Alabama using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the Census' 2020 5-year estimate median household income.
#50. Calhoun County
--- 3.7% below state average, 22.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.8%
--- #1,821 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.1%
--- #1,223 highest among all counties nationwide
#49. Mobile County
--- 4.6% below state average, 23.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.0%
--- #1,607 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.2%
--- #1,166 highest among all counties nationwide
#48. Houston County
--- 5.7% below state average, 24.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.9%
--- #1,466 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.9%
--- #1,108 highest among all counties nationwide
#47. Blount County
--- 6.0% below state average, 24.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.0%
--- #1,607 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.7%
--- #1,090 highest among all counties nationwide
#46. Lauderdale County
--- 6.9% below state average, 25.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.6%
--- #1,855 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.8%
--- #1,043 highest among all counties nationwide
#45. Cullman County
--- 7.0% below state average, 25.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.0%
--- #2,143 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.4%
--- #1,039 highest among all counties nationwide
#44. Tallapoosa County
--- 7.4% below state average, 25.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.7%
--- #2,389 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.3%
--- #1,016 highest among all counties nationwide
#43. Colbert County
--- 7.8% below state average, 26.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.2%
--- #2,294 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.8%
--- #995 highest among all counties nationwide
#42. Lawrence County
--- 9.4% below state average, 27.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.6%
--- #1,855 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.9%
--- #926 highest among all counties nationwide
#41. Cleburne County
--- 11.0% below state average, 28.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.4%
--- #2,457 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.9%
--- #845 highest among all counties nationwide
#40. Walker County
--- 11.9% below state average, 29.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.0%
--- #2,330 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.1%
--- #802 highest among all counties nationwide
#39. Dale County
--- 12.3% below state average, 29.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.9%
--- #2,358 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.1%
--- #785 highest among all counties nationwide
#38. Randolph County
--- 13.2% below state average, 30.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.4%
--- #2,072 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.7%
--- #746 highest among all counties nationwide
#37. Etowah County
--- 13.6% below state average, 30.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.0%
--- #2,143 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.2%
--- #725 highest among all counties nationwide
#36. Butler County
--- 13.8% below state average, 31.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.6%
--- #1,674 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.7%
--- #718 highest among all counties nationwide
#35. Talladega County
--- 15.5% below state average, 32.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.9%
--- #2,347 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.1%
--- #646 highest among all counties nationwide
#34. Chambers County
--- 15.7% below state average, 32.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.5%
--- #2,715 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.5%
--- #638 highest among all counties nationwide
#33. Coosa County
--- 16.3% below state average, 33.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.5%
--- #2,443 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.6%
--- #613 highest among all counties nationwide
#32. Lamar County
--- 18.0% below state average, 34.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.8%
--- #2,179 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 19.4%
--- #548 highest among all counties nationwide
#31. Clay County
--- 18.0% below state average, 34.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.7%
--- #2,200 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.3%
--- #547 highest among all counties nationwide
#30. Crenshaw County
--- 18.1% below state average, 34.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.8%
--- #2,179 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.6%
--- #541 highest among all counties nationwide
#29. Jackson County
--- 18.2% below state average, 34.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.7%
--- #2,395 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.1%
--- #538 highest among all counties nationwide
#28. Covington County
--- 18.2% below state average, 34.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.5%
--- #2,430 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.3%
--- #537 highest among all counties nationwide
#27. Cherokee County
--- 18.3% below state average, 34.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.3%
--- #2,267 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.7%
--- #533 highest among all counties nationwide
#26. Washington County
--- 18.6% below state average, 34.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.0%
--- #1,126 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 20.0%
--- #523 highest among all counties nationwide
#25. DeKalb County
--- 18.8% below state average, 35.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.8%
--- #2,670 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.6%
--- #515 highest among all counties nationwide
#24. Russell County
--- 18.9% below state average, 35.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.6%
--- #2,565 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.4%
--- #509 highest among all counties nationwide
#23. Geneva County
--- 20.1% below state average, 36.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.0%
--- #2,504 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.6%
--- #455 highest among all counties nationwide
#22. Fayette County
--- 20.3% below state average, 36.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.5%
--- #2,922 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.0%
--- #445 highest among all counties nationwide
#21. Franklin County
--- 20.9% below state average, 36.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.3%
--- #2,829 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.6%
--- #431 highest among all counties nationwide
#20. Winston County
--- 21.2% below state average, 36.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.2%
--- #2,733 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.2%
--- #416 highest among all counties nationwide
#19. Marion County
--- 21.2% below state average, 37.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.9%
--- #2,887 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.6%
--- #415 highest among all counties nationwide
#18. Pickens County
--- 22.4% below state average, 37.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.7%
--- #2,200 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 19.0%
--- #375 highest among all counties nationwide
#17. Pike County
--- 24.6% below state average, 39.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.6%
--- #1,855 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 19.6%
--- #313 highest among all counties nationwide
#16. Clarke County
--- 28.2% below state average, 42.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.9%
--- #2,165 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 22.1%
--- #228 highest among all counties nationwide
#15. Choctaw County
--- 29.6% below state average, 43.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.7%
--- #2,389 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.7%
--- #196 highest among all counties nationwide
#14. Escambia County
--- 31.7% below state average, 45.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 10.7%
--- #2,981 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 22.7%
--- #162 highest among all counties nationwide
#13. Macon County
--- 31.9% below state average, 45.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.9%
--- #2,775 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 20.9%
--- #158 highest among all counties nationwide
#12. Conecuh County
--- 31.9% below state average, 45.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 10.7%
--- #2,983 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.5%
--- #157 highest among all counties nationwide
#11. Wilcox County
--- 32.6% below state average, 46.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.2%
--- #2,956 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 26.0%
--- #144 highest among all counties nationwide
#10. Barbour County
--- 32.8% below state average, 46.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.9%
--- #2,658 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 22.2%
--- #139 highest among all counties nationwide
#9. Bullock County
--- 34.9% below state average, 47.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.5%
--- #2,226 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 28.0%
--- #114 highest among all counties nationwide
#8. Lowndes County
--- 35.4% below state average, 48.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.5%
--- #2,807 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 22.7%
--- #108 highest among all counties nationwide
#7. Dallas County
--- 36.0% below state average, 48.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.2%
--- #2,956 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 23.9%
--- #101 highest among all counties nationwide
#6. Marengo County
--- 36.5% below state average, 49.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.2%
--- #2,294 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 24.3%
--- #96 highest among all counties nationwide
#5. Monroe County
--- 38.6% below state average, 50.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.2%
--- #2,733 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 27.3%
--- #70 highest among all counties nationwide
#4. Hale County
--- 40.8% below state average, 52.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.0%
--- #2,643 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 27.3%
--- #51 highest among all counties nationwide
#3. Greene County
--- 48.7% below state average, 58.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 6.8%
--- #3,118 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 28.7%
--- #16 highest among all counties nationwide
#2. Sumter County
--- 49.7% below state average, 59.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 8.1%
--- #3,088 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 26.5%
--- #15 highest among all counties nationwide
#1. Perry County
--- 54.1% below state average, 63.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 7.1%
--- #3,114 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 31.4%
--- #3 highest among all counties nationwide