AreaScoop
Anniston, AL

Photo: Wikipedia

Anniston, AL

Find The Best Places To Live
in Anniston

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.

Demographics

DiverseSimpson's Diversity Index: 57
Population21,377
Foreign Born0.7%
Population Density466people per mi²
Median Age43.5 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

60/100

40% below national average

A+

The Real Cost of Living in Anniston, Alabama

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $12k$23k
Comfortable $28k$40k
Luxury $81k+$125k+
Elite (Top 5%) $118k+$183k+
Affordability Ratio

111%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean97%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
40
Poor
3
Negative
0

Groceries

5 within 10 miles

3.5mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

0.5mi

Airport

Anniston Regional Airport

4.8mi

Post Office

USPS — Anniston, AL

0.3mi

Critical Amenities

Golf4Nearest 1.2 mi
Camping20Nearest 10.8 mi
Marina1Nearest 9.4 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink0Nearest 96.8 mi
Gun Range3Nearest 3.3 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
F
Distressed

A low-income area with significant economic hardship. Household wealth and educational attainment are well below national averages.

Median HHI
$45k-1.8%
40% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$200k
69% below US avg
College Educated
21.5%
39% below US avg
WFH
4.5%
69% below US avg
Homeownership
59.1%
10% below US avg
Median Home
$142k
50% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
F
High Risk

Significantly higher crime rates than 83% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
43.4
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−20.0%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−8.4%
Homicide
0.10 / 1k Residents12% above state avg
Robbery
1.47 / 1k Residents388% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
4.95 / 1k Residents78% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−31.7%
Burglary
7.80 / 1k Residents264% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
24.06 / 1k Residents122% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
4.18 / 1k Residents162% above state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+23Solidly Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Anniston, Alabama
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%200020042008

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B-
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C+
Weak9.8% of income
Property Rights
D
WeakIJ Grade D
Firearm Rights
A-
GreatFPC Grade A-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (45% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
F
ProhibitedIllegal
Gambling Laws
F
ProhibitedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
C+
LimitedMedical only

Homesteading

Growing Season242 days334 frost-free
Annual Rainfall59.2"
Elevation712 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C+
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
B+
Good812 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
B-
Fair466/sq mi
Fallout Danger
D
Poor4 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 672 mi · coast 229 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$53.8M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityAtlanta499k people are 83 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital93 miMontgomery, AL
Nearest Prison24 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T18:42:14.000Z

What your realtor won't tell you!

Find the best place to live

Go beyond the listing to get the inside scoop on any home in the US.

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.