1st Advantage MortgageIn Macon County, Alabama, the typical household earns $43,707 a year and the typical rent is $734. 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 Macon County
- Income in Macon County compared with Alabama
- Employment and commuting in Macon County
- What it costs to live in Macon County
- How Macon County compares with nearby counties
- The communities that make up Macon County
- Macon County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Macon County borrowers
- A Macon County household budget, worked through
- Checking a lender's license in Alabama
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Macon County
With an estimated 18,691 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Macon County ranks 49th of 67 in Alabama for population. It covers 609 square miles of land, or about 31 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Auburn-Opelika, AL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 4 places in the county (4 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Tuskegee, with about 8,938 residents, or 48% of the county.
Income in Macon County compared with Alabama
The median household income in Macon County is $43,707; statewide it is $63,999, so Macon County runs 32% below Alabama as a whole. Only 56 Alabama counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Macon County | Gap to Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 42.2% | +13.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.7% | -1.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 14.9% | -8.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.2% | -4.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 18% of Macon County households make $100,000 or more, and 42% make less than $35,000. Census counts 24.3% of Macon County residents in poverty, against 15.6% across Alabama. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Employment and commuting in Macon County
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; arts, lodging and food service is next with 14%. Compared with Alabama, the county leans toward arts, lodging and food service (14% against 8%). Averaged over the five survey years, 8.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 70% drive to work alone and 13% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 9.5% of households have no vehicle.
| Where residents work | Macon County | Difference from Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.2% | +3.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 13.9% | +5.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.8% | -2.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.8% | +0.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.9% | -1.7 pts |
| Public administration | 6.8% | +1.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
What it costs to live in Macon County
A typical Macon County rental runs $734 a month including utilities, which is 27% below Alabama. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 52% of renter households here. With a median value of $102,000, a typical Macon County house costs 2.3 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 62% of homes. The median home was built in 1979, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Macon County | Alabama | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $734/mo | $1,007/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $102,000 | $209,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 62% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 36% | 24% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
How Macon County compares with nearby counties
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (20 to 33 miles). Income ranges from $31,310 in Bullock County to $78,243 in Elmore County; 5 of these neighbors top Macon County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County | - | $43,707 | $734/mo | 62% |
| Bullock County, AL | 20 mi | $31,310 | $556/mo | 67% |
| Lee County, AL | 25 mi | $65,824 | $1,058/mo | 66% |
| Elmore County, AL | 30 mi | $78,243 | $1,071/mo | 77% |
| Russell County, AL | 30 mi | $51,197 | $939/mo | 61% |
| Montgomery County, AL | 32 mi | $59,386 | $1,092/mo | 58% |
| Tallapoosa County, AL | 33 mi | $59,356 | $765/mo | 76% |
The communities that make up Macon County
The table lists the 4 largest of 4 Census places in Macon County, by population. Together all 4 hold about 11,373 people, so roughly 39% of residents live outside any named place. Franklin has the highest median household income on the list ($85,817) and Tuskegee the lowest ($38,000), counting places with at least 500 residents. This guide covers each of the 4 places and the rural areas around them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuskegee | city | 8,938 | $38,000 | $757 | 2 mi |
| Notasulga | town | 1,050 | $42,411 | $698 | 12 mi |
| Franklin | town | 981 | $85,817 | $746 | 7 mi |
| Shorter | town | 404 | $48,125 | n/a | 16 mi |
Macon County households compared
Degree holders: 21% of adults over 25. 9.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Macon County | Alabama | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 39.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.1% | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 15.4% | 11.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.4% | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 24.3% | 15.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 8.3% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Macon County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 30.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 24.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.2% |
| 60+ min | 4.5% |
What the numbers mean for Macon County borrowers
Based on the Macon County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 17% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Free help first. 24% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
- Renters under pressure. When 52% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
A Macon County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Macon County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $3,642 a month: gross income for a household at the Macon County median
- Median rent: $734, or 20 cents of every gross dollar
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $577 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Macon County's.
Checking a lender's license in Alabama
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Macon County, check the Alabama State Banking Department. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Alabama guide.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Macon County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Alabama guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Macon County a high-income county?
Its $43,707 median ranks 57th of 67 Alabama counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Macon County?
$734 a month at the median, about 20% of median household income.
Does this page cover Tuskegee?
Yes, along with the other 3 Census places in Macon County, such as Notasulga, Franklin, Shorter.
Are Macon 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 Macon County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Alabama it is the Alabama State Banking Department.