Emelle, Alabama — Trends and Changes

How has Emelle, Alabama changed since 2009?

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The population has grown about 433 percent, from 9 to 48 people; the median household income has fallen from $58,750 to $11,786 (not adjusted for inflation); the typical home has gone from $67,500 to $73,300. Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year releases, so each point is a rolling five-year estimate.

Relative Growth Since 2009
Each line starts at 100 in 2009; a line reaching 200 means that measure doubled. Exact values for each measure are in the charts and tables below. Source: ACS 5-year estimates.
At a Glance: Then and Now
Measure20092024Change
Population948+433%
Median household income$58,750$11,786-80%
Median home value$67,500$73,300+9%
Median age59.5 yrs84.1 yrs+24.6 yrs
Average commute20.9 min37.0 min+16.1 min
College educated100.0%14.6%-85.4 points
Working from home0.0%0.0%+0.0 points
Poverty rate10.1%70.8%+60.7 points
Unemployment30.4%6.1%-24.3 points
Homeownership100.0%85.0%-15.0 points
Broadband at home61.1%25.0%-36.1 points
Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Median Household Income

A typical household in Emelle earned $58,750 a year in 2009. By 2024 that figure had fallen to $11,786, a change of -80 percent before inflation.

Year Income Alabama average
2009 $58,750 $42,437
2010 $95,417 $43,720
2011 $56,250 $44,853
2012 $39,375 $45,080
2013 $52,500 $45,192
2014 $36,250 $45,396
2015 $36,250 $45,598
2016 $41,250 $46,825
2017 $48,125 $48,536
2018 $50,367
2019 $48,000 $52,656
2020 $54,336
2021 $57,233
2022 $62,334
2023 $65,373
2024 $11,786 $67,652
Median Home Value

The median home in Emelle was worth $67,500 in 2009. Values slid as low as $18,100 in 2023 before recovering, and by 2024 the typical home was worth $73,300.

Year Home Value Alabama average
2009 $67,500 $125,974
2010 $129,200 $132,655
2011 $55,000 $135,477
2012 $57,500 $136,788
2013 $65,000 $136,732
2014 $65,000 $138,035
2015 $85,000 $139,232
2016 $141,274
2017 $144,332
2018 $131,300 $148,418
2019 $115,000 $153,437
2020 $160,202
2021 $169,466
2022 $197,546
2023 $18,100 $213,508
2024 $73,300 $231,263
Population

Emelle counted 9 residents in 2009 and 48 in 2024. The population peaked around 95 in 2019.

Year Residents
2009 9
2010 7
2011 16
2012 19
2013 26
2014 31
2015 38
2016 46
2017 47
2018 69
2019 95
2020 76
2021 66
2022 74
2023 39
2024 48
College Degrees, Remote Work and Broadband

The share of adults holding a college degree went from 100.0% to 14.6%. Meanwhile remote work went from 0.0% of workers to 0.0%. Broadband reached 25.0% of households, from 61.1% in 2017.

Year College educated Broadband at home
2009 100%
2010 100%
2011 63.6%
2012 43.8%
2013 40.9%
2014 15.4%
2015 17.2%
2016 13.2%
2017 13.2% 61.1%
2018 30.4% 80.6%
2019 33.3% 82.5%
2020 46.3% 75%
2021 69% 89.7%
2022 55.8% 85.7%
2023 25.6% 80%
2024 14.6% 25%
Percent of adults with a college degree; percent of workers who work from home; percent of households with a broadband subscription (tracked since 2017).
Median Age

The median resident of Emelle was 59.5 years old in 2009. The town has been getting older since: the median age reached 84.1 by 2024.

Year Median age
2009 59.5
2010 59.3
2011 57
2012 59.3
2013 59.3
2014 69.8
2015 68.5
2016 49.8
2017 49.8
2018 49.3
2019 46.9
2020 46.9
2021 46.5
2022 46.5
2023 63.5
2024 84.1
Average Commute (Minutes)

Getting to work took an average of 20.9 minutes in 2015; it now takes about 37.0 minutes.

Year Minutes
2015 20.9
2016 28.1
2017 34.7
2018 33.8
2019 31
2020 36.6
2022 37
Poverty and Unemployment

About 70.8% of residents live below the poverty line, up from 10.1% in 2018. Unemployment stands at 6.1%.

Year Poverty rate Unemployment
2016 30.4%
2017 34.8%
2018 10.1% 9.4%
2019 12.6% 14.6%
2020 21.1% 6.1%
2021 21.2%
2022 21.6%
2023 48.7%
2024 70.8%
Income Inequality (Gini Index)

The Gini index measures income inequality: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 would mean a single household earns everything. Emelle scores 0.78, up from 0.27 - incomes here have grown more unequal.

Year Gini index
2010 0.3
2011 0.3
2012 0.3
2013 0.3
2014 0.2
2015 0.2
2016 0.3
2017 0.3
2018 0.4
2019 0.4
2020 0.5
2021 0.5
2022 0.5
2023 0.8
2024 0.8
Housing: Ownership, Vacancy, Rent Burden

85.0% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them, down from 100.0% in 2009. About 2.4% of housing units sit vacant.

Year Homeownership Vacant units
2009 100% 40%
2010 100% 50%
2011 100% 60%
2012 100% 62.5%
2013 90% 76.2%
2014 85.7% 66.7%
2015 80% 35.5%
2016 83.3% 56.1%
2017 83.3% 21.7%
2018 64.5% 20.5%
2019 55% 16.7%
2020 52.8% 18.2%
2021 48.3% 19.4%
2022 42.9% 9.7%
2023 70% 3.2%
2024 85% 2.4%
Who Lives Here

Residents identifying as something other than non-Hispanic white make up 100.0% of the town, level with 100.0% at the start of the period.

Year Nonwhite or Hispanic
2009 100%
2010 100%
2011 100%
2012 100%
2013 96.2%
2014 74.2%
2015 68.4%
2016 73.9%
2017 76.6%
2018 75.4%
2019 69.5%
2020 80.3%
2021 80.3%
2022 85.1%
2023 100%
2024 100%