The 10 Worst Small Towns In Alabama For 2024


The worst small towns in Alabama are Brilliant and Vandiver for 2024 based on Friday Night Science.

Most Americans have never been to small town Alabama. However, as the Alabamian who live there know, small town Alabama is an awesome place to call home.

But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Alabama has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Heart Of Dixie. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.

After analyzing more than 195 of Alabama’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Alabama where you’d never want to live:


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


These are the worst small towns in Alabama for 2024:

  1. Brilliant
  2. Vandiver
  3. Clio
  4. Camp Hill
  5. Fort Deposit
  6. Bear Creek
  7. Unio
  8. Union Springs
  9. Samson
  10. Brundidge

Worst Small Towns To Live In Alabama Map

So what is the worst small town to call home in Alabama for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Brilliant is the worst small town to live in Alabama.

While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Brilliant home. Everyone

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.

And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Alabama or the worst places to live in Alabama.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

The 10 Worst Small Towns In Alabama For 2024

1. Brilliant

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,145
Median Home Value: $0
Median Income: $39,318
Unemployment Rate: 15.5%

2. Vandiver

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,166
Median Home Value: $0
Median Income: $27,113
Unemployment Rate: 6.8%

3. Clio

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,415
Median Home Value: $108,379
Median Income: $25,290
Unemployment Rate: 5.3%

4. Camp Hill

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,321
Median Home Value: $101,677
Median Income: $30,931
Unemployment Rate: 21.8%

5. Fort Deposit

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,734
Median Home Value: $115,297
Median Income: $20,542
Unemployment Rate: 22.6%

6. Bear Creek

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,549
Median Home Value: $114,921
Median Income: $38,657
Unemployment Rate: 13.0%

7. Unio

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

1
/10

Population: 1,754
Median Home Value: $88,572
Median Income: $24,355
Unemployment Rate: 21.0%

8. Union Springs

Union Springs, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers Langley; SaveRivers | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 3,341
Median Home Value: $108,889
Median Income: $24,921
Unemployment Rate: 7.6%

9. Samson

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,513
Median Home Value: $124,147
Median Income: $29,338
Unemployment Rate: 12.5%

10. Brundidge

Brundidge, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers Langley; SaveRivers | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,309
Median Home Value: $101,173
Median Income: $37,627
Unemployment Rate: 10.1%

Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Alabama is lousy or not?

To rank the worst small towns to live in Alabama, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.

We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.

Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (The lower, the worse)
  • Highest Unemployment Rates
  • Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
  • Education (Number of high school dropouts)
  • High Crime

We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 195 to be exact.

We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.

We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Alabama.

There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Alabama

If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Heart Of Dixie with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The worst small towns in Alabama are Brilliant, Vandiver, Clio, Camp Hill, Fort Deposit, Bear Creek, Unio, Union Springs, Samson, and Brundidge.

If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Alabama, according to science:

  1. Priceville (Pop. 3,561)
  2. Indian Springs Village (Pop. 2,341)
  3. Kimberly (Pop. 4,045)

For more Alabama reading, check out:

Worst Small Towns In Alabama

Rank Town Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income
1 Brilliant 1,145 15.5% $0 $39,318
2 Vandiver 1,166 6.8% $0 $27,113
3 Clio 1,415 5.3% $108,379 $25,290
4 Camp Hill 1,321 21.8% $101,677 $30,931
5 Fort Deposit 1,734 22.6% $115,297 $20,542
6 Bear Creek 1,549 13.0% $114,921 $38,657
7 Unio 1,754 21.0% $88,572 $24,355
8 Union Springs 3,341 7.6% $108,889 $24,921
9 Samson 1,513 12.5% $124,147 $29,338
10 Brundidge 2,309 10.1% $101,173 $37,627
11 Lookout Mountain 1,287 0.0% $98,963 $32,071
12 Hackleburg 1,463 6.9% $129,118 $34,757
13 Autaugaville 1,047 8.1% $150,693 $41,607
14 Skyline 1,114 4.5% $121,849 $38,537
15 Elmore 1,573 11.9% $216,141 $29,946
16 Parrish 1,433 19.3% $143,883 $30,588
17 Ragland 1,552 17.9% $164,990 $39,241
18 West End-Cobb Town 3,322 16.6% $60,806 $39,792
19 Ashland 1,674 8.9% $146,913 $30,850
20 Brighton 2,983 12.4% $39,182 $34,471
21 Slocomb 1,860 4.2% $112,009 $38,125
22 Bayou La Batre 2,215 2.4% $73,971 $40,000
23 Florala 1,745 2.6% $121,976 $30,313
24 Henagar 2,559 9.0% $183,514 $44,338
25 Cottonwood 1,244 1.7% $144,335 $31,591
26 Aliceville 2,325 15.7% $75,568 $30,152
27 Goodwater 1,117 2.9% $121,685 $35,724
28 Greensboro 2,417 9.7% $127,425 $24,820
29 Fayette 4,266 16.6% $116,280 $32,375
30 Vincent 1,679 16.4% $228,826 $35,972
31 Steele 1,515 5.9% $198,726 $53,625
32 East Brewton 3,215 26.4% $95,741 $40,353
33 Frisco City 1,656 19.1% $103,911 $33,893
34 Geneva 4,235 8.4% $120,718 $44,756
35 Egypt 1,282 6.3% $229,472 $34,779
36 York 2,423 8.2% $84,925 $33,269
37 Lipscomb 2,390 4.8% $59,070 $46,767
38 Carbon Hill 1,472 3.2% $118,520 $27,581
39 Georgiana 1,423 5.9% $100,864 $27,375
40 Camden 2,149 11.7% $140,921 $35,583
41 Malvern 1,926 2.2% $165,399 $50,662
42 Brookside 1,157 6.5% $132,240 $55,568
43 Bridgeport 2,366 7.9% $122,592 $34,000
44 West Blocton 1,561 7.4% $173,600 $38,750
45 Double Springs 1,361 11.6% $157,480 $31,827
46 Dadeville 3,062 27.9% $467,154 $46,477
47 Marion 3,128 18.7% $116,030 $36,618
48 Flomaton 1,606 9.2% $141,180 $37,500
49 Reform 1,913 3.5% $112,237 $32,375
50 Elba 3,463 11.2% $127,778 $41,509
51 Cordova 1,971 4.8% $124,759 $36,339
52 Luverne 2,728 6.4% $123,684 $52,264
53 Abbeville 2,309 6.3% $141,286 $35,147
54 Clayton 2,230 3.7% $102,982 $30,938
55 Holt 3,665 9.1% $129,518 $44,135
56 La Fayette 2,700 3.7% $153,393 $32,031
57 Livingston 3,297 11.1% $145,812 $20,417
58 Guin 2,636 14.9% $119,580 $48,587
59 Brent 2,994 8.1% $163,497 $26,250
60 Adamsville 4,325 6.9% $133,754 $58,631
61 Altoona 1,358 3.4% $173,664 $38,750
62 New Brockton 1,282 4.2% $187,185 $54,643
63 Eutaw 2,890 0.0% $107,747 $33,371
64 Collinsville 2,036 1.3% $183,581 $38,438
65 Carlisle-Rockledge 2,232 5.9% $195,082 $55,065
66 Cedar Bluff 1,672 10.1% $228,226 $45,861
67 Evergreen 3,497 6.6% $106,302 $37,679
68 Lineville 2,733 7.2% $166,600 $35,435
69 Kinsey 2,254 4.6% $132,086 $51,250
70 Red Bay 3,210 3.6% $141,202 $33,234
71 Midland City 1,823 1.8% $161,294 $35,682
72 Dora 2,718 7.5% $163,638 $55,189
73 Carrollton 1,043 8.5% $163,661 $28,919
74 Sulligent 1,459 1.3% $114,482 $30,057
75 Creola 2,428 7.0% $205,509 $63,125
76 Crossville 2,043 2.0% $173,396 $47,750
77 Webb 1,395 4.2% $143,247 $45,365
78 Mount Vernon 1,463 0.8% $98,557 $41,164
79 Tidmore Bend 1,007 1.9% $136,075 $44,375
80 Gallant 1,111 4.1% $199,214 $50,574
81 Ballplay 1,181 12.9% $162,424 $57,582
82 Linden 2,070 8.0% $109,478 $35,294
83 Haleyville 4,339 5.9% $118,033 $52,656
84 Graysville 2,700 9.1% $103,093 $65,671
85 Citronelle 3,930 5.8% $159,078 $54,892
86 Selmont-West Selmont 1,894 2.9% $25,989 $35,417
87 Grove Hill 1,995 13.0% $136,445 $46,218
88 Stevenson 2,071 6.9% $158,632 $45,163
89 Munford 1,743 7.4% $164,444 $47,750
90 Underwood-Petersville 3,077 4.9% $139,167 $44,375
91 Cleveland 1,252 6.2% $178,175 $49,387
92 Jackson 4,719 19.0% $136,032 $52,530
93 Ashville 2,438 0.7% $243,820 $54,785
94 Vernon 1,801 4.3% $114,625 $37,350
95 Daleville 4,901 6.8% $138,020 $42,969
96 Hanceville 3,216 8.2% $190,723 $34,782
97 Taylor 2,891 3.5% $157,572 $55,938
98 Pisgah 1,053 5.3% $185,085 $51,667
99 Blountsville 1,837 2.7% $176,861 $43,455
100 Centre 3,609 7.5% $202,284 $41,924
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

6 thoughts on “The 10 Worst Small Towns In Alabama For 2024

  1. This is what happens when your State Football team is The Top Dawg every year. Roll Tide and who asked you to even say anything about any town in our state. We are Alabama nuff said. Stick it where the Sun don’t shine…..

  2. These all include people who live in the town limits. Many small towns have populations that use said town that live outside the town limits.

  3. Beaverton doesn’t actually have a gas station. There’s a post office and the convenience store in the picture.

  4. This is a bunch of dog poop you talking. Stick your statistics where the sun don’t shine because I’m from one of these towns and everything you said is not true. You even got the population wrong!!!!!

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