2023 Population Estimates for Alabama Cities and Towns
- May 22nd, 2024
The U.S. Census Bureau released updated population estimates last week for Alabama’s 462 incorporated cities and towns. The new data estimates the population on July 1, 2023 using birth, death, and migration statistics, and revises the estimates for 2022, 2021, and 2020. These new estimates, along with other useful data, can be found on the Alabama Demographics page on the website of the Center for Business and Economic Research at The University of Alabama.
Click here to view the interactive map with the 2023 population data for cities and towns:  Data Source: 2023 Population Estimates, U.S. Census BureauMap made by Dr. Komla Khoumi |
Population Growth
From 2022 to 2023, 259 cities and towns in Alabama experienced some population growth, gaining at least one person. Fifty-one of those places grew by more than 100 people, and six increased their population by more than 1,000 people. Table 1 below has the cities and towns in Alabama with the highest population growth.
| Table 1. The top 15 towns and cities in Alabama with the most population growth from 2022 to 2023. |
| Change from 2022 to 2023 | |||
| Place | 2023 Population Estimate | Number | Percent |
| Huntsville city | 225,564 | 3,534 | 1.6% |
| Athens city | 30,904 | 2,262 | 7.9% |
| Auburn city | 82,025 | 1,648 | 2.1% |
| Foley city | 24,873 | 1,180 | 5.0% |
| Fairhope city | 24,974 | 1,108 | 4.6% |
| Madison city | 60,854 | 1,063 | 1.8% |
| Opelika city | 33,572 | 801 | 2.4% |
| Tuscaloosa city | 111,338 | 763 | 0.7% |
| Florence city | 42,437 | 750 | 1.8% |
| Daphne city | 30,321 | 654 | 2.2% |
| Cullman city | 19,913 | 648 | 3.4% |
| Gulf Shores city | 16,850 | 569 | 3.5% |
| Prattville city | 39,318 | 564 | 1.5% |
| Silverhill town | 1,923 | 558 | 40.9% |
| Chelsea city | 16,771 | 556 | 3.4% |
|
Source: 2023 Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. |
Alabama’s Largest Cities
Population trends in the state’s fifteen largest cities varied: six large cities grew by more than 500 people, with the most growth in Huntsville (3,534), Athens (2,262), and Auburn (1,648). Five of the state’s largest cities grew by less than 400 people, with some population levels only growing modestly. Four of the largest cities lost more than 100 people, with the largest decreases in the cities of Montgomery (-1,657) and Mobile (-695). Table 2 shows the population changes from 2022 to 2023 for Alabama’s largest cities.
Huntsville continued to experience significant growth, adding almost 10 people per day from 2022 to 2023 to reach a population of over 225,000. Huntsville has been Alabama’s most populous city since 2020 and, as of 2023, has almost 30,000 more people than the state’s next largest cities, Birmingham and Montgomery.
| Table 2. Population changes in Alabama’s 15 largest cities from 2022 to 2023. |
| Change from 2022 to 2023 | |||
| Place | 2023 Population Estimate | Number | Percent |
| Huntsville city | 225,564 | 3,534 | 1.6% |
| Birmingham city | 196,644 | -243 | -0.1% |
| Montgomery city | 195,287 | -1,657 | -0.8% |
| Mobile city | 182,595 | -695 | -0.4% |
| Tuscaloosa city | 111,338 | 763 | 0.7% |
| Hoover city | 92,448 | 42 | 0.0% |
| Auburn city | 82,025 | 1,648 | 2.1% |
| Dothan city | 71,258 | 47 | 0.1% |
| Madison city | 60,854 | 1,063 | 1.8% |
| Decatur city | 58,321 | 392 | 0.7% |
| Florence city | 42,437 | 750 | 1.8% |
| Prattville city | 39,318 | 564 | 1.5% |
| Phenix City city | 38,441 | 152 | 0.4% |
| Vestavia Hills city | 38,020 | -266 | -0.7% |
| Alabaster city | 34,107 | 238 | 0.7% |
|
Source: 2023 Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. |
Fast Growing Populations
Fast-growing places are those with a high growth rate in population from 2022 to 2023. Of the fifteen fastest growing cities and towns in Alabama, four were in Baldwin County: Silverhill, Foley, Loxley, and Fairhope. Two other counties also had more than one city rank on as some of the fastest growing places: Triana and Owens Cross Roads are in Madison County, and Odenville and Margaret are in St. Clair County.
| Table 3. The top 15 fastest-growing towns and cities in Alabama from 2022 to 2023. |
| Change from 2022 to 2023 | |||
| Place | 2023 Population Estimate | Number | Percent |
| Silverhill town | 1,923 | 558 | 40.9% |
| Triana town | 4,456 | 505 | 12.8% |
| Owens Cross Roads | 2,917 | 265 | 10.0% |
| Athens city | 30,904 | 2,262 | 7.9% |
| Odenville city | 5,352 | 380 | 7.6% |
| Moundville town | 3,516 | 245 | 7.5% |
| Margaret town | 6,236 | 424 | 7.3% |
| Oak Grove town | 592 | 40 | 7.2% |
| Rehobeth town | 2,013 | 121 | 6.4% |
| Jemison city | 2,941 | 164 | 5.9% |
| Vance town | 2,263 | 124 | 5.8% |
| West Jefferson town | 466 | 24 | 5.4% |
| Foley city | 24,873 | 1,180 | 5.0% |
| Loxley town | 4,623 | 218 | 4.9% |
| Fairhope city | 24,974 | 1,108 | 4.6% |
|
Source: 2023 Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. |
Population Loss
Some cities in Alabama lost population from 2022 to 2023, according to the latest estimates. Fifteen cities’ populations decreased by more than 100 people from 2022 to 2023. Eight of those cities were in Jefferson County, which you can see marked by an asterisk in Table 4.
| Table 3. The 15 Alabama towns and cities with the biggest population decreases from 2022 to 2023. |
| Change from 2022 to 2023 | |||
| Place | 2023 Population Estimate | Number | Percent |
| Montgomery city | 195,287 | -1,657 | -0.8% |
| Mobile city | 182,595 | -695 | -0.4% |
| Selma city | 16,666 | -341 | -2.0% |
| Vestavia Hills city* | 38,020 | -266 | -0.7% |
| Bessemer city* | 25,037 | -251 | -1.0% |
| Birmingham city* | 196,644 | -243 | -0.1% |
| Mountain Brook* | 21,737 | -204 | -0.9% |
| Center Point city* | 15,705 | -175 | -1.1% |
| Hueytown city* | 16,202 | -154 | -0.9% |
| Alexander City city | 14,470 | -150 | -1.0% |
| Brent city | 2,659 | -142 | -5.1% |
| Wetumpka city | 7,218 | -141 | -1.9% |
| Greenville city | 7,030 | -135 | -1.9% |
| Gardendale city* | 16,096 | -117 | -0.7% |
| Fairfield city* | 9,582 | -107 | -1.1% |
|
Source: 2023 Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. |
Analysis and text by Susannah Robichaux, Socioeconomic Analyst and lead for the Alabama State Data Center. Interactive map by Dr. Komla Khoumi, Assistant Research Professional.