AreaScoop
Gadsden, AL

Photo: Wikipedia

Gadsden, AL

Find The Best Places To Live
in Gadsden

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

Demographics

DiverseSimpson's Diversity Index: 61
Population33,617
Foreign Born2.7%
Population Density898people per mi²
Median Age39.6 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

55/100

45% below national average

A+

The Real Cost of Living in Gadsden, Alabama

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $13k$24k
Comfortable $21k$31k
Luxury $70k+$108k+
Elite (Top 5%) $94k+$145k+
Affordability Ratio

125%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean87%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
25
Positive
40
Poor
7
Negative
0

Groceries

2 within 10 miles

1.1mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

0.7mi

Airport

Gadsden Regional Medical Center Heliport

2.4mi

Post Office

USPS — Gadsden, AL

0.2mi

Critical Amenities

Golf1Nearest 5 mi
Camping20Nearest 28.2 mi
Marina2Nearest 0.6 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink0Nearest 123 mi
Gun Range1Nearest 9.5 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
$39k-2.5%
49% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$167k
75% below US avg
College Educated
14.8%
58% below US avg
WFH
3.4%
76% below US avg
Homeownership
54.4%
17% below US avg
Median Home
$102k
64% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
D+
Elevated

Higher crime rates than 63% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
25.5
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−46.8%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−48.0%
Homicide
0.15 / 1k Residents79% above state avg
Robbery
0.55 / 1k Residents81% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
3.10 / 1k Residents11% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−45.6%
Burglary
2.92 / 1k Residents36% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
16.66 / 1k Residents54% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
1.73 / 1k Residents9% 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 Gadsden, 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 Season243 days331 frost-free
Annual Rainfall60.7"
Elevation564 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
B-
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
B+
Good804 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak898/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B
Fair7 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 651 mi · coast 252 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$50.3M/yrfor the county

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T18:52:08.000Z

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.