Census place 0127616

Fort Payne

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Fort Payne city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Fort Payne.

According to the 2025 estimate, Fort Payne has a population of 15,189 and 269 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 66 covered Alabama places are: population density is 269/sq mi, below the comparison median of 813/sq mi; median gross rent is $679, below the comparison median of $1,059; and median household income is $47,479, below the comparison median of $65,621. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
269/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 813/sq mi
median gross rent
$679
Below the comparison median of $1,059
median household income
$47,479
Below the comparison median of $65,621

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Fort Payne's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
15,189
2025 estimate
Annual change
+0.6%
Population estimate
Density
269/sq mi
56.4 sq mi land area
Median age
37.4 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$47,479
Median home value
$157,000
Median gross rent
$679
Bachelor’s degree or higher
17.3%
Typical commute
17.3 min
Drive-alone commute
78.3%
Public transit commute
0%
Walked to work
1.4%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
30.7%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
44.8%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
54.6%
Unemployed residents 16+
2.9%
Working from home
7.2%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
87.3%
Homes built 2020+
0.2%
Households without a vehicle
5.1%
Households with children
32.7%
Residents with a disability
15.5%
Residents without insurance
16.3%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for DeKalb County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
19
Severe Storm declarations
13
Hurricane declarations
6

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: VALLEY HEAD 1 SSW (9 mi from place center)
Average high
70°F
Average low
47.6°F
Annual rainfall
56.2"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Fort Payne.

Typical high and low °F
20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Alexander City, AL

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
14,515
Median home
$155,000

Scottsboro, AL

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
16,123
Median home
$190,400

El Reno, OK

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
20,730
Median home
$165,900

Keep exploring

Compare Fort Payne with Alexander City