Walker County, Alabama: commercial real estate data.
Walker County, Alabama had an estimated 65,260 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 65,345, across 791 square miles. County output reached $2.57 bn in 2024, 1,251 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 30 7(a) approvals worth $26.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Walker County
How many people live in Walker County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202464,841
- Households25,388
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$56,509
- Median age40.6
- Median gross rent$756 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$135,900
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over44,765
- Population under 1814,869
- Share under 1822.9 percent
- Population 65 and over12,743
- Share 65 and over19.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6437,229
- Civilian labor force27,474
- Unemployment rate4.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.0 percent
- Rank by population among Alabama counties21st of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included850th of 3,222
Walker County is the 21st largest of 67 Alabama counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.9 percent against 19.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Walker County
Is Walker County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202465,260
- Census 2020 base population65,345
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.13 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024415
- Births, 2024831
- Deaths, 20241,080
- Natural change, 2024-249
- Net domestic migration, 2024536
- Net international migration, 2024136
- Total net migration, 2024672
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,290
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1882nd of 3,144
The county has lost 0.13 percent of its population 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.
Walker County
Where are people moving to Walker County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,053
- People arriving, from those returns2,115
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,024
- Net household movement29
- Adjusted gross income arriving$54.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-6.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$51,896
- Average income of a leaving household$59,689
- Largest single originJefferson County (325 households)
- Largest single destinationJefferson County (284 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 325 | 631 | $16.5 m |
| Winston County | 87 | 179 | $4.7 m |
| Cullman County | 43 | 74 | $2.3 m |
| Shelby County | 41 | 72 | $3.9 m |
| Marion County | 36 | 84 | $1.8 m |
| Tuscaloosa County | 31 | 70 | $1.4 m |
| Blount County | 27 | 47 | $970,000 |
| Fayette County | 24 | 54 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $7,793 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. 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.
Walker County
What is the Walker County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.57 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.40 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.0 percent
- GDP change over five years41.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Alabama areas BEA publishes23rd of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1089th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$39,612
Output grew 7.0 percent in the latest year and 41.1 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.
Walker County
Employment by industry in Walker County
- Covered employment, annual average18,709
- Establishments reporting1,536
- Average annual pay$48,692
- Average weekly wage$936
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,485
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,946
- Retail trade, employment3,176
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,127
- Manufacturing, employment2,601
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,051
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,096
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,792
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment652
- Other services, except public administration, employment564
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,485 | 289 | $48,946 |
| Retail trade | 3,176 | 258 | $36,127 |
| Manufacturing | 2,601 | 68 | $58,051 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,096 | 120 | $20,792 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 652 | 12 | $99,162 |
| Other services, except public administration | 564 | 102 | $50,482 |
| Construction | 545 | 101 | $65,280 |
| Wholesale trade | 381 | 71 | $65,138 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,485 jobs, 18.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Walker County
How many businesses are in Walker County?
- Establishments, all industries1,251
- Employment at those establishments14,399
- Annual payroll$592.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.3
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.
Walker County
Building permits in Walker County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202438
- Declared construction value permitted$10.1 m
- Single family units authorized38
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$265,516
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.5
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.
Walker County
SBA loans in Walker County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded30
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$26.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$883,293
- Median 7(a) approval$300,900
- 10th percentile approval$47,500
- 90th percentile approval$2,401,130
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)275
- Jobs per approval9.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals23
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer30.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms9
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter17
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals13.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (4)
- Most active lenderPinnacle Bank (7)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.8 m
- Average 504 approval$682,000
- Median 504 approval$463,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval2.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$31.3 m
The average approval of $883,293 sits well above the median of $300,900, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 30.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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.
Walker County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Walker County
Do SBA loans in Walker County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure16
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 10 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.
Walker County
SBA lending by place in Walker County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Jasper, approvals17
- Carbon Hill, approvals7
- Oakman, approvals2
- Cordova, approvals2
- Parrish, approvals1
- Dora, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Jasper | 17 | $21,569,500 |
| Carbon Hill | 7 | $2,100,000 |
| Oakman | 2 | $2,200,000 |
| Cordova | 2 | $601,800 |
| Parrish | 1 | $20,000 |
| Dora | 1 | $7,500 |
Jasper accounts for 17 approvals against 7 in Carbon Hill. 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.
Walker County
How large is Walker County?
- Land area791 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Alabama counties20th of 67
- Width, east to west39.2 mi
- Height, north to south33.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land82
- Establishments per square mile1.58
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.
Walker County
Flood risk in Walker County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Walker County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 010301
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate90.9 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Walker 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 Walker County (community 010301), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Walker 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. 90.9 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 Walker 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 Walker County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202464,841
- Households25,388
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$56,509
- Median age40.6
Common questions
Walker County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Walker County, Alabama?
The Census Bureau estimates 65,260 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 64,841, in 25,388 households, ranking 21st of 67 Alabama counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Walker County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.13 percent since the 2020 census base of 65,345, to 65,260 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 831 births against 1,080 deaths, with net migration of 672. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Walker County?
$56,509. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $135,900, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $756 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Walker County?
1,251 establishments, employing 14,399 people with an annual payroll of $592.1 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 Walker County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,485 jobs, 18.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 18,709 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,692, or $936 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Walker County?
30 7(a) approvals totaling $26.5 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $300,900, plus 7 504 approvals worth $4.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Walker County?
38 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $10.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Walker 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 Walker County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County, with 325 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,896 against $59,689 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Walker 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 Walker 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.
Walker County
Cities and places in Walker.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Walker 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper | city | 14,442 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Dora | city | 2,668 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Sumiton | city | 2,459 | None recorded | 95.1 percent here, 4.9 percent Jefferson County |
| Carbon Hill | city | 1,536 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Cordova | town | 1,511 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Parrish | town | 1,222 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Oakman | town | 934 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Sipsey | town | 288 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nauvoo | town | 189 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kansas | town | 186 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eldridge | town | 133 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |