The Town FilesAriton, Alabama
Town in Dale County · population 662 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $206,600
- Household income
- $50,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 29.9
Ariton is a town of 662 people in Dale County, Alabama. The median home is worth $206,600, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Alabama towns, quieter than 92% of Alabama towns, better for retirees than 81% of Alabama towns.
How Ariton ranks
Percentile among Alabama towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alabama towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ariton is worth $206,600, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $50,000, which is more affordable than 11% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $833 a month. 73.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ariton | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,600 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $833 | $834 |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.5% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.9% | — |
Who lives in Ariton
| People | Ariton | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.9 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.3% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.3% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.5% | 86.7% |
Weather in Ariton
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 37.1°F. About 52.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 68 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 33 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ariton since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 25, 1986 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 6, 2012.
Severe weather in Dale County since 1996
Dale County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| July 10, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4554: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3472: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Dale County
Dale County had 18,260 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,321 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Ariton itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Public schools in Ariton
1 public school with 881 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ariton School | PK-12 | 881 | 18.4 |
Towns near Ariton
- Clio, AL9.7 mi · 1,220 people · home $65,600
- Brundidge, AL10.3 mi · 2,073 people · home $94,000
- Ozark, AL10.9 mi · 14,368 people · home $148,900
- Newton, AL19.2 mi · 1,607 people · home $89,500
- New Brockton, AL19.5 mi · 1,428 people · home $207,600
- Level Plains, AL20.3 mi · 1,825 people · home $137,500
- Enterprise, AL20.4 mi · 28,711 people · home $202,900
- Troy, AL20.5 mi · 17,727 people · home $231,400
Ariton questions
Is Ariton, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ariton scores better for retirees than 81% of Alabama towns and quieter than 92%. 8.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.9).
How much does a house cost in Ariton?
The median owner-occupied home in Ariton is valued at $206,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,000, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $833 a month.
What is the weather like in Ariton?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 37.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Ariton get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ariton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 25, 1986. The typical Alabama town has had 30.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)