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 200 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:
These are the worst small towns in Alabama for 2023:
- Clio
- Brilliant
- Camp Hill
- Bear Creek
- Dadeville
- Elmore
- Steele
- Frisco City
- Hackleburg
- Samson
So what is the worst small town to call home in Alabama for 2023? According to the most recent census data, Clio 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 Clio 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.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Worst Small Towns In Alabama For 2023
1. Clio
/10
Population: 1,195
Median Home Value: $51,700 (4th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (103rd worst)
2. Brilliant
/10
Population: 1,173
Median Home Value: $74,300 (24th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 12.3% (30th worst)
3. Camp Hill
/10
Population: 1,324
Median Home Value: $75,800 (28th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 20.2% (9th worst)
4. Bear Creek
/10
Population: 1,574
Median Home Value: $64,100 (11th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 13.1% (2worst)
5. Dadeville
/10
Population: 3,051
Median Home Value: $101,100 (79th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 27.4% (2nd worst)
6. Elmore
/10
Population: 1,572
Median Home Value: $70,000 (18th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.0% (78th worst)
7. Steele
/10
Population: 1,299
Median Home Value: $86,600 (45th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.3% (70th worst)
8. Frisco City
/10
Population: 1,668
Median Home Value: $74,500 (25th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 26.0% (3rd worst)
9. Hackleburg
/10
Population: 1,463
Median Home Value: $82,300 (37th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 9.2% (48th worst)
10. Samson
/10
Population: 1,567
Median Home Value: $65,900 (13th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 11.8% (32nd worst)
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 2017-2021 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 – 200 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 2023, 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.
If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Alabama, according to science:
- Magnolia Springs (Pop. 1,443)
- Kimberly (Pop. 3,792)
- Indian Springs Village (Pop. 2,563)
For more Alabama reading, check out:
Detailed List Of The Worst Small Towns In Alabama
Rank | Town | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Clio | 1,195 |
2 | Brilliant | 1,173 |
3 | Camp Hill | 1,324 |
4 | Bear Creek | 1,574 |
5 | Dadeville | 3,051 |
6 | Elmore | 1,572 |
7 | Steele | 1,299 |
8 | Frisco City | 1,668 |
9 | Hackleburg | 1,463 |
10 | Samson | 1,567 |
11 | Fort Deposit | 1,899 |
12 | Unio | 2,045 |
13 | Cottonwood | 1,155 |
14 | Brundidge | 2,293 |
15 | Vincent | 1,807 |
16 | Parrish | 1,294 |
17 | Bayou La Batre | 2,520 |
18 | Slocomb | 1,816 |
19 | Carbon Hill | 1,522 |
20 | Aliceville | 2,244 |
21 | Goodwater | 1,172 |
22 | Bridgeport | 2,316 |
23 | Hayneville | 1,027 |
24 | Brighton | 2,904 |
25 | Red Bay | 3,187 |
26 | Ashland | 1,741 |
27 | Union Springs | 3,389 |
28 | Ragland | 1,784 |
29 | West Blocton | 1,361 |
30 | Skyline | 1,078 |
31 | Adamsville | 4,381 |
32 | Georgiana | 1,374 |
33 | Elba | 3,449 |
34 | Florala | 1,779 |
35 | Cordova | 1,709 |
36 | West End-Cobb Town | 3,065 |
37 | Ashville | 2,096 |
38 | Brent | 3,214 |
39 | Collinsville | 2,044 |
40 | York | 2,371 |
41 | Midland City | 1,901 |
42 | Flomaton | 1,728 |
43 | Double Springs | 1,753 |
44 | Lipscomb | 2,113 |
45 | Marion | 3,273 |
46 | Abbeville | 2,231 |
47 | Carlisle-Rockledge | 2,472 |
48 | Webb | 1,378 |
49 | Lookout Mountain | 1,427 |
50 | Greensboro | 2,484 |
51 | Clayton | 2,512 |
52 | Munford | 1,582 |
53 | Carrollton | 1,100 |
54 | Holt | 4,793 |
55 | Fayette | 4,271 |
56 | East Brewton | 3,131 |
57 | Susan Moore | 1,254 |
58 | Crossville | 1,920 |
59 | Mount Vernon | 1,567 |
60 | Malvern | 1,711 |
61 | Henagar | 2,436 |
62 | Cleveland | 1,291 |
63 | Guin | 2,490 |
64 | Reform | 1,929 |
65 | New Market | 1,006 |
66 | Altoona | 1,444 |
67 | Brookside | 1,252 |
68 | Notasulga | 1,082 |
69 | Warrior | 3,211 |
70 | Childersburg | 4,768 |
71 | Eutaw | 2,890 |
72 | Creola | 2,764 |
73 | Powell | 1,029 |
74 | Geneva | 4,208 |
75 | Selmont-West Selmont | 1,995 |
76 | Centre | 3,497 |
77 | Sulligent | 1,611 |
78 | Cottondale | 3,793 |
79 | Woodstock | 1,232 |
80 | Linden | 1,981 |
81 | Baileyton | 1,114 |
82 | Camden | 2,128 |
83 | Haleyville | 4,343 |
84 | Oak Grove | 1,123 |
85 | Hanceville | 3,174 |
86 | Elberta | 2,302 |
87 | Town Creek | 1,006 |
88 | Graysville | 2,723 |
89 | Fyffe | 1,327 |
90 | Livingston | 3,227 |
91 | Eclectic | 1,274 |
92 | Dora | 2,725 |
93 | New Brockton | 1,210 |
94 | Taylor | 2,581 |
95 | Piedmont | 4,837 |
96 | Cedar Bluff | 1,700 |
97 | Evergreen | 3,504 |
98 | La Fayette | 2,666 |
99 | Kinsey | 2,364 |
100 | Minor | 1,052 |
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…..
Says it all
“Nearly have the population never finished high school”
Ironic isn’t it
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.
Beaverton doesn’t actually have a gas station. There’s a post office and the convenience store in the picture.
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!!!!!