Tuscaloosa County, Alabama: commercial real estate data.
Tuscaloosa County, Alabama had an estimated 241,212 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 228,135, across 1,322 square miles. County output reached $14.45 bn in 2024, 4,189 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 101 7(a) approvals worth $43.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Tuscaloosa County
How many people live in Tuscaloosa County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024237,552
- Households90,052
- Average household size2.64
- Median household income$66,231
- Median age32.8
- Median gross rent$1,037 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$248,700
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over144,243
- Population under 1848,617
- Share under 1820.5 percent
- Population 65 and over33,117
- Share 65 and over13.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64155,818
- Civilian labor force120,525
- Unemployment rate5.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.8 percent
- Rank by population among Alabama counties5th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included297th of 3,222
Tuscaloosa County is the 5th largest of 67 Alabama counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.5 percent against 13.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Tuscaloosa County
Is Tuscaloosa County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024241,212
- Census 2020 base population228,135
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.73 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,008
- Births, 20242,552
- Deaths, 20241,989
- Natural change, 2024563
- Net domestic migration, 2024362
- Net international migration, 20241,064
- Total net migration, 20241,426
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20244,857
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents441st of 3,144
The county has grown 5.73 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Tuscaloosa County
Where are people moving to Tuscaloosa County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,101
- People arriving, from those returns7,348
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,476
- Net household movement-375
- Adjusted gross income arriving$234.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-4.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$57,258
- Average income of a leaving household$53,401
- Largest single originJefferson County (507 households)
- Largest single destinationJefferson County (638 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 507 | 938 | $27.6 m |
| Hale County | 187 | 381 | $7.3 m |
| Pickens County | 162 | 296 | $6.8 m |
| Shelby County | 159 | 268 | $9.2 m |
| Bibb County | 146 | 290 | $5.7 m |
| Madison County | 78 | 134 | $4.4 m |
| Greene County | 76 | 158 | $2.5 m |
| Fayette County | 68 | 134 | $4.2 m |
Households arriving report $3,857 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.
Tuscaloosa County
What is the Tuscaloosa County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$14.45 bn
- County GDP, 2023$13.93 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.7 percent
- GDP change over five years36.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Alabama areas BEA publishes6th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes335th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$60,818
Output grew 3.7 percent in the latest year and 36.3 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.
Tuscaloosa County
Employment by industry in Tuscaloosa County
- Covered employment, annual average99,288
- Establishments reporting5,406
- Average annual pay$59,535
- Average weekly wage$1,145
- Manufacturing, employment18,528
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$81,527
- Accommodation and food services, employment10,954
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,112
- Retail trade, employment10,830
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,143
- Health care and social assistance, employment8,029
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,762
- Construction, employment4,838
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment4,748
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 18,528 | 200 | $81,527 |
| Accommodation and food services | 10,954 | 540 | $22,112 |
| Retail trade | 10,830 | 760 | $35,143 |
| Health care and social assistance | 8,029 | 850 | $48,762 |
| Construction | 4,838 | 480 | $65,611 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,748 | 292 | $40,323 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 3,383 | 516 | $79,381 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,145 | 142 | $58,001 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 18,528 jobs, 18.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Tuscaloosa County
How many businesses are in Tuscaloosa County?
- Establishments, all industries4,189
- Employment at those establishments84,004
- Annual payroll$4.90 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.6
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.
Tuscaloosa County
Building permits in Tuscaloosa County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024631
- Declared construction value permitted$173.5 m
- Single family units authorized510
- Multifamily units authorized121
- Multifamily share of units19.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$275,029
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.0
Single-family homes are 80.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Tuscaloosa County
SBA loans in Tuscaloosa County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded101
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$43.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$427,695
- Median 7(a) approval$224,700
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,097,500
- Largest single approval$3,770,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,343
- Jobs per approval13.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active30
- Distinct industries receiving approvals60
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms16
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter77
- Franchise loans25
- Franchise share of approvals24.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (12)
- Most active lenderBankFirst Financial Services (27)
- 504 approvals recorded49
- 504 gross approval dollars$31.3 m
- Average 504 approval$638,571
- Median 504 approval$494,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval9.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.0
- Most active CDCSouthern Development Council (22)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$74.5 m
The average approval of $427,695 sits well above the median of $224,700, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 15.8 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.
Tuscaloosa County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Tuscaloosa County
Do SBA loans in Tuscaloosa County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded24
- Paid in full19
- Charged off5
- Status: Charged off5
- Status: Paid in full19
- Status: Exempt from disclosure52
- Status: Cancelled25
Only 24 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.
Tuscaloosa County
SBA lending by place in Tuscaloosa County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Tuscaloosa, approvals70
- Northport, approvals21
- Duncanville, approvals3
- Cottondale, approvals3
- Fosters, approvals1
- Buhl, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa | 70 | $27,931,400 |
| Northport | 21 | $13,446,300 |
| Duncanville | 3 | $450,000 |
| Cottondale | 3 | $173,000 |
| Fosters | 1 | $500,000 |
| Buhl | 1 | $352,500 |
| Vance | 1 | $329,000 |
| Brookwood | 1 | $15,000 |
Tuscaloosa accounts for 70 approvals against 21 in Northport. 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.
Tuscaloosa County
How large is Tuscaloosa County?
- Land area1,322 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Alabama counties2nd of 67
- Width, east to west44.8 mi
- Height, north to south41.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land180
- Establishments per square mile3.17
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.
Tuscaloosa County
Flood risk in Tuscaloosa County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Tuscaloosa County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 010201
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- 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 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa County (community 010201), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Tuscaloosa 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 8, 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 Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024237,552
- Households90,052
- Average household size2.64
- Median household income$66,231
- Median age32.8
Common questions
Tuscaloosa County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?
The Census Bureau estimates 241,212 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 237,552, in 90,052 households, ranking 5th of 67 Alabama counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Tuscaloosa County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.73 percent since the 2020 census base of 228,135, to 241,212 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 2,552 births against 1,989 deaths, with net migration of 1,426. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Tuscaloosa County?
$66,231. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $248,700, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,037 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Tuscaloosa County?
4,189 establishments, employing 84,004 people with an annual payroll of $4.90 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Tuscaloosa County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 18,528 jobs, 18.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 99,288 jobs at an average annual pay of $59,535, or $1,145 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Tuscaloosa County?
101 7(a) approvals totaling $43.2 m since FY2020, across 30 lenders, with a median approval of $224,700, plus 49 504 approvals worth $31.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Tuscaloosa County?
631 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $173.5 m. Multifamily was 19.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County, with 507 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,258 against $53,401 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa 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.
Tuscaloosa County
Cities and places in Tuscaloosa.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Tuscaloosa County. All 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa | city | 111,038 | 70 | Wholly in this county |
| Northport | city | 31,218 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake View | city | 4,063 | None recorded | 96.2 percent here, 3.8 percent Jefferson County |
| Moundville | town | 3,754 | None recorded | 26.0 percent here, 74.0 percent Hale County |
| Holt | CDP | 3,629 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brookwood | town | 2,706 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Cottondale | CDP | 2,632 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Coaling | city | 2,573 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vance | city | 2,105 | 1 | 83.5 percent here, 16.5 percent Bibb County |
| Woodstock | town | 1,218 | None recorded | 39.4 percent here, 60.6 percent Bibb County |
| Coker | town | 1,058 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 5 of the county's 101 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Tuscaloosa County, the largest being Duncanville (3), Fosters (1), Buhl (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
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