1st Advantage MortgageThe median Houston County household earns $58,626, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Who lives in Houston County
- How much Houston County households make
- How Houston County residents earn a living
- Houston County housing compared with Alabama
- How Houston County compares with nearby counties
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Houston County
- A Houston County household budget, worked through
- Houston County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Houston County borrowers
- Four steps for Houston County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Houston County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Houston County
Houston County is home to about 108,140 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 12th most populous of 67 county-level areas in Alabama. It covers 580 square miles of land, or about 187 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Dothan, AL metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 12 places in the county (12 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Dothan, with about 71,514 residents, or 66% of the county.
How much Houston County households make
Half of Houston County households take in less than $58,626 a year and half take in more, 8% below the Alabama median of $63,999. In the state ranking that is 25th of 67.
| Income band | Share in Houston County | Difference from Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.2% | +1.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.1% | +1.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.5% | -2.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.2% | -1.5 pts |
Some 30% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 27% have six-figure incomes. 17.5% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 15.6%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.476 here. For a borrower in Houston County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Houston County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 25% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 13%. Transportation, warehousing and utilities stands out: 9% of workers here, versus 6% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Houston County averages 4.5% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.7%). Long commutes are the exception here: 10% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 6.8% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Top industries | Houston County share | +/- vs Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.1% | +2.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.9% | +1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.1% | -4.0 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.6% | +2.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.0% | -2.1 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Houston County housing compared with Alabama
Renters in Houston County pay a median of $945 a month, 6% below the Alabama figure of $1,007. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 46% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $183,300, about 3.1 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 64%. Median construction year: 1985.
| Housing | Houston County | Alabama statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $945/mo | $1,007/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $183,300 | $209,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 64% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 24% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 12.7% | 12.3% | n/a |
How Houston County compares with nearby counties
Distances run center to center, from Henry County at 25 miles out to Geneva County at 31. 1 of the six report a higher median household income than Houston County; Henry County is highest at $59,931 and Jackson County lowest at $49,149. The list crosses into Florida, Georgia, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston County | - | $58,626 | $945/mo | 64% |
| Henry County, AL | 25 mi | $59,931 | $769/mo | 79% |
| Early County, GA | 26 mi | $54,083 | $791/mo | 67% |
| Jackson County, FL | 26 mi | $49,149 | $865/mo | 76% |
| Dale County, AL | 26 mi | $54,963 | $889/mo | 62% |
| Seminole County, GA | 30 mi | $49,495 | $879/mo | 80% |
| Geneva County, AL | 31 mi | $52,771 | $784/mo | 78% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Houston County
The table lists the 12 largest of 12 Census places in Houston County, by population. Together all 12 hold about 87,462 people, so roughly 19% of residents live outside any named place. Rehobeth has the highest median household income on the list ($80,972) and Cottonwood the lowest ($34,468), counting places with at least 500 residents. This guide covers each of the 12 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan | city | 71,514 | $55,792 | $960 | 8 mi |
| Taylor | city | 3,063 | $67,464 | $1,046 | 11 mi |
| Ashford | city | 2,447 | $65,341 | $994 | 4 mi |
| Cowarts | town | 2,204 | $64,118 | $902 | 3 mi |
| Kinsey | city | 2,195 | $55,500 | $1,053 | 10 mi |
| Rehobeth | town | 1,887 | $80,972 | $976 | 9 mi |
| Webb | town | 1,475 | $54,792 | $780 | 7 mi |
| Cottonwood | town | 971 | $34,468 | $339 | 7 mi |
| Columbia | town | 785 | $62,000 | $760 | 15 mi |
| Avon | town | 378 | $39,375 | $666 | 2 mi |
| Gordon | town | 323 | n/a | $925 | 12 mi |
| Madrid | town | 220 | $39,750 | $1,000 | 10 mi |
A Houston County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Houston County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Houston County: $4,886
- Housing at the median rent of $945 uses 19%
- Under a 40% cap, $1,954 total minus rent leaves $1,009
If your rent is above $945, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Houston County households compared
College graduates make up 23% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 11.2%, against 9.2% for Alabama.
| Houston County | Alabama | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 39.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 23.0% | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.1% | 11.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 11.2% | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 15.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.5% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Houston County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 43.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.1% |
| 60+ min | 4.8% |
What the numbers mean for Houston County borrowers
Based on the Houston County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Health costs. With 11% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- 13% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- 46% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Four steps for Houston County borrowers
Before you apply, wherever you live in Houston County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Verify the Alabama license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Lender oversight for Houston County
Consumer lenders serving Houston County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Alabama that is the Alabama State Banking Department. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Alabama guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Alabama guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Houston County household make?
About $58,626 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 8% below the Alabama median.
Is Houston County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $945 against $1,007 statewide, and 46% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small Houston County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Dothan, Taylor, Ashford, Cowarts, Kinsey and 7 more.
Is the fit check different in Houston County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Where can someone in Houston County check a lender's license?
With the Alabama State Banking Department. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.