St. Clair County, Alabama: commercial real estate data.
St. Clair County, Alabama had an estimated 96,927 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 91,494, across 632 square miles. County output reached $3.16 bn in 2024, 1,454 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 41 7(a) approvals worth $15.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
St. Clair County
How many people live in St. Clair County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202494,166
- Households35,107
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$77,463
- Median age41.2
- Median gross rent$1,084 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$226,300
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over66,307
- Population under 1820,940
- Share under 1822.2 percent
- Population 65 and over16,832
- Share 65 and over17.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6456,394
- Civilian labor force44,753
- Unemployment rate4.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.1 percent
- Rank by population among Alabama counties16th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included652nd of 3,222
St. Clair County is the 16th largest of 67 Alabama counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.2 percent against 17.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
St. Clair County
Is St. Clair County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202496,927
- Census 2020 base population91,494
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.94 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,440
- Births, 20241,018
- Deaths, 20241,144
- Natural change, 2024-126
- Net domestic migration, 20241,519
- Net international migration, 202443
- Total net migration, 20241,562
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,010
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents419th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.94 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
St. Clair County
Where are people moving to St. Clair County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,002
- People arriving, from those returns5,840
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,238
- Net household movement764
- Adjusted gross income arriving$202.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$68.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$67,358
- Average income of a leaving household$59,804
- Largest single originJefferson County (1,191 households)
- Largest single destinationJefferson County (656 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 1,191 | 2,357 | $87.6 m |
| Shelby County | 244 | 458 | $19.4 m |
| Talladega County | 194 | 373 | $9.1 m |
| Calhoun County | 119 | 205 | $7.4 m |
| Etowah County | 116 | 235 | $6.2 m |
| Blount County | 89 | 195 | $5.5 m |
| Tuscaloosa County | 29 | 49 | $1.4 m |
| Baldwin County | 24 | 43 | $1.0 m |
Households arriving report $7,554 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Jefferson County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
St. Clair County
What is the St. Clair County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.16 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.92 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.2 percent
- GDP change over five years47.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Alabama areas BEA publishes20th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes942nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$33,520
Output grew 8.2 percent in the latest year and 47.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
St. Clair County
Employment by industry in St. Clair County
- Covered employment, annual average21,980
- Establishments reporting1,943
- Average annual pay$51,425
- Average weekly wage$989
- Manufacturing, employment4,000
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$67,313
- Retail trade, employment3,775
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,774
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,341
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,367
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,198
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$55,403
- Construction, employment1,697
- Wholesale trade, employment1,041
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,000 | 106 | $67,313 |
| Retail trade | 3,775 | 276 | $32,774 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,341 | 156 | $21,367 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,198 | 208 | $55,403 |
| Construction | 1,697 | 252 | $64,835 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,041 | 117 | $71,291 |
| Other services, except public administration | 842 | 135 | $49,877 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 778 | 110 | $47,257 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 4,000 jobs, 18.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
St. Clair County
How many businesses are in St. Clair County?
- Establishments, all industries1,454
- Employment at those establishments18,213
- Annual payroll$842.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents15.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
St. Clair County
Building permits in St. Clair County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024543
- Declared construction value permitted$132.2 m
- Single family units authorized543
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$243,548
- Units authorized per 1,000 households15.5
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
St. Clair County
SBA loans in St. Clair County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded41
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$15.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$370,332
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$46,900
- 90th percentile approval$910,000
- Largest single approval$2,250,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)659
- Jobs per approval16.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active27
- Distinct industries receiving approvals32
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer4.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter35
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals9.8 percent
- 504 approvals recorded24
- 504 gross approval dollars$16.9 m
- Average 504 approval$704,625
- Median 504 approval$493,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval9.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.7
- Most active CDCBirmingham Citywide Local Development Company (16)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$32.1 m
The average approval of $370,332 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 4.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
St. Clair County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in St. Clair County
Do SBA loans in St. Clair County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full5
- Charged off3
- Status: Charged off3
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure30
- Status: Cancelled3
Only 8 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
St. Clair County
SBA lending by place in St. Clair County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Odenville, approvals12
- Moody, approvals7
- Pell City, approvals6
- Springville, approvals5
- Leeds, approvals4
- Ashville, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Odenville | 12 | $3,067,600 |
| Moody | 7 | $2,573,500 |
| Pell City | 6 | $1,352,100 |
| Springville | 5 | $701,800 |
| Leeds | 4 | $2,910,000 |
| Ashville | 4 | $2,907,600 |
| Trussville | 3 | $1,671,000 |
Odenville accounts for 12 approvals against 7 in Moody. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
St. Clair County
How large is St. Clair County?
- Land area632 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Alabama counties42nd of 67
- Width, east to west30.7 mi
- Height, north to south41.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land149
- Establishments per square mile2.30
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
St. Clair County
Flood risk in St. Clair County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community St. Clair County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 010290
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP13
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 10
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in St. Clair County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated St. Clair County (community 010290), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places St. Clair County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 10, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a St. Clair County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a St. Clair County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202494,166
- Households35,107
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$77,463
- Median age41.2
Common questions
St. Clair County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in St. Clair County, Alabama?
The Census Bureau estimates 96,927 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 94,166, in 35,107 households, ranking 16th of 67 Alabama counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is St. Clair County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.94 percent since the 2020 census base of 91,494, to 96,927 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,018 births against 1,144 deaths, with net migration of 1,562. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in St. Clair County?
$77,463. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $226,300, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,084 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in St. Clair County?
1,454 establishments, employing 18,213 people with an annual payroll of $842.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in St. Clair County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 4,000 jobs, 18.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 21,980 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,425, or $989 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in St. Clair County?
41 7(a) approvals totaling $15.2 m since FY2020, across 27 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 24 504 approvals worth $16.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in St. Clair County?
543 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $132.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for St. Clair County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to St. Clair County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County, with 1,191 households. Arriving households report an average income of $67,358 against $59,804 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for St. Clair County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for St. Clair County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
St. Clair County
Cities and places in St. Clair.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in St. Clair County. All 12 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trussville | city | 26,673 | 3 | 7.0 percent here, 93.0 percent Jefferson County |
| Pell City | city | 13,587 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Moody | city | 13,488 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Leeds | city | 12,028 | 4 | 10.7 percent here, 86.8 percent Jefferson County, 2.5 percent Shelby County |
| Margaret | city | 5,877 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Odenville | city | 5,197 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Springville | city | 5,081 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Argo | city | 4,479 | None recorded | 96.7 percent here, 3.3 percent Jefferson County |
| Ashville | city | 2,464 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Riverside | city | 2,097 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ragland | town | 1,682 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Steele | town | 1,149 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby