1st Advantage MortgageIn Blount County, Alabama, the typical household earns $64,190 a year and the typical rent is $776. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Alabama license first.
On this page
- Blount County by the numbers
- Renting and owning in Blount County
- Paychecks and income spread in Blount County
- Employment and commuting in Blount County
- Blount County towns compared
- How Blount County compares with nearby counties
- What a median Blount County budget can carry
- Who lives in Blount County, in numbers
- What the numbers mean for Blount County borrowers
- Steps before you apply in Blount County
- Who licenses lenders for Blount County residents
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Blount County by the numbers
Blount County is home to about 59,518 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 23rd most populous of 67 county-level areas in Alabama. It covers 645 square miles of land, or about 92 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Birmingham, AL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 16 places in the county (14 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Oneonta, with about 6,971 residents, or 12% of the county.
Renting and owning in Blount County
A typical Blount County rental runs $776 a month including utilities, which is 23% below Alabama. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 42% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $175,200, about 2.7 times the median household income. 81% of Blount County households own their home and 19% rent. The median year built is 1990.
| Blount County | Alabama | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $776/mo | $1,007/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $175,200 | $209,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 81% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 24% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 24.3% | 12.3% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Blount County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Paychecks and income spread in Blount County
Blount County households have a median income of $64,190 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 15th of 67 in Alabama.
| Income band | Share in Blount County | Difference from Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.7% | -0.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.7% | +2.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.0% | +0.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.7% | -2.1 pts |
Some 28% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 29% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 12.9%, 3 points lower than the state's 15.6%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.431 (0 is perfect equality). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Blount County median.
Employment and commuting in Blount County
The biggest employer of Blount County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 20% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). The sharpest difference from the state is in transportation, warehousing and utilities, at 9% locally and 6% for Alabama. The survey's unemployment rate for Blount County averages 5.0% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.7%). 38% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 6% work from home.
| Industry | Share of Blount County workers | vs Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.1% | -2.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.3% | +1.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.2% | +0.6 pts |
| Construction | 9.1% | +2.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.9% | +3.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.5% | -2.6 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Blount County towns compared
The table lists the 14 largest of 16 Census places in Blount County, by population. Together all 16 hold about 23,314 people, so roughly 61% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $48,182 in Blountsville to $85,882 in Smoke Rise. This guide covers each of the 16 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oneonta | city | 6,971 | $53,980 | $638 | 5 mi |
| Remlap | CDP | 2,761 | $64,677 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Blountsville | town | 1,648 | $48,182 | $924 | 7 mi |
| Smoke Rise | CDP | 1,471 | $85,882 | n/a | 16 mi |
| Locust Fork | town | 1,402 | $50,000 | $1,121 | 8 mi |
| Hayden | town | 1,389 | $80,125 | $799 | 12 mi |
| Susan Moore | town | 1,336 | $84,554 | $917 | 11 mi |
| Snead | town | 1,247 | $48,509 | $631 | 14 mi |
| Cleveland | town | 1,182 | $71,328 | $986 | 2 mi |
| Rosa | town | 777 | n/a | $775 | 4 mi |
| Allgood | town | 759 | $73,750 | $816 | 6 mi |
| Garden City | town | 557 | $48,333 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Highland Lake | town | 503 | $71,563 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Trafford | town | 493 | $23,333 | $475 | 15 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
How Blount County compares with nearby counties
Cullman County is closest, 20 miles from center to center; the sixth, Morgan County, is 37 miles off. 3 of the six report a higher median household income than Blount County; St. Clair County is highest at $77,463 and Etowah County lowest at $54,563.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blount County | - | $64,190 | $776/mo | 81% |
| Cullman County, AL | 20 mi | $62,656 | $908/mo | 77% |
| St. Clair County, AL | 23 mi | $77,463 | $1,084/mo | 83% |
| Marshall County, AL | 27 mi | $62,571 | $795/mo | 76% |
| Etowah County, AL | 31 mi | $54,563 | $847/mo | 74% |
| Jefferson County, AL | 35 mi | $66,388 | $1,193/mo | 64% |
| Morgan County, AL | 37 mi | $68,845 | $864/mo | 73% |
What a median Blount County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Blount County's medians:
- Start: $5,349 gross per month ($64,190 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $776, takes 15% of that
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $1,150 left for all other debt payments
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,524 a month
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Who lives in Blount County, in numbers
Degree holders: 16% of adults over 25. About 10% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Blount County | Alabama statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 39.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.8% | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.8% | 11.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.3% | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 15.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.0% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Blount County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 14.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 23.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 24.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 20.1% |
| 60+ min | 17.5% |
What the numbers mean for Blount County borrowers
A few patterns in the Blount County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Health costs. With 10% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Long drives. With 38% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Blount County budgets.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 24% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
Steps before you apply in Blount County
Steps that save money for Blount County residents:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Blount County.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Blount County-area credit union.
- A Alabama license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Who licenses lenders for Blount County residents
Blount County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Alabama State Banking Department. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Alabama guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Alabama guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Blount County?
$64,190 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $63,999 for Alabama. It ranks 15th of 67 in the state.
How does Blount County rent compare with Alabama?
$776 locally versus $1,007 for the state, 23% below.
I live in a small Blount County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Oneonta, Remlap, Blountsville, Smoke Rise, Locust Fork and 11 more.
Are Blount County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Is there a Blount County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Alabama it is the Alabama State Banking Department.