The Town FilesAshford, Alabama
City in Houston County · population 2,246 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $180,100
- Household income
- $65,341
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 36.8
Ashford is a city of 2,246 people in Houston County, Alabama. The median home is worth $180,100, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks better for retirees than 84% of Alabama towns, more of a college town than 75% of Alabama towns.
How Ashford 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 Ashford is worth $180,100, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $65,341, which is more affordable than 56% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $994 a month. 73.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ashford | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $180,100 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $994 | $834 |
| Median household income | $65,341 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.6% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Ashford
| People | Ashford | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 11.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 86.7% |
Weather in Ashford
July highs average 92.8°F and January lows 38.2°F. About 56.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 90 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 33 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashford since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on January 9, 2024 about 4.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 37 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 25, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on January 9, 2024.
Severe weather in Houston County since 1996
Houston County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| September 20, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4563: Hurricane Sally |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3472: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Houston County
Houston County had 50,877 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,521 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Ashford itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Ashford
3 public schools with 1,382 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford Elementary School | PK-5 | 665 | 17.5 |
| Ashford High School | 9-12 | 403 | 15.5 |
| Ashford Middle School | 6-8 | 314 | 18.5 |
Towns near Ashford
- Cowarts, AL4.6 mi · 1,930 people · home $177,700
- Webb, AL5.9 mi · 1,270 people · home $113,800
- Kinsey, AL9.6 mi · 2,203 people · home $132,000
- Cottonwood, AL9.8 mi · 1,048 people · home $111,500
- Dothan, AL10.6 mi · 71,072 people · home $194,000
- Columbia, AL10.6 mi · 690 people · home $156,800
- Rehobeth, AL12.8 mi · 1,791 people · home $242,900
- Headland, AL13.7 mi · 4,973 people · home $219,600
Ashford questions
Is Ashford, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ashford scores better for retirees than 84% of Alabama towns and quieter than 63%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.8).
How much does a house cost in Ashford?
The median owner-occupied home in Ashford is valued at $180,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,341, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $994 a month.
What is the weather like in Ashford?
July highs average 92.8°F and January lows 38.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Ashford get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on January 9, 2024. 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)