The Town FilesAttalla, Alabama
City in Etowah County · population 5,827 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $126,100
- Household income
- $59,215
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 48.5
Attalla is a city of 5,827 people in Etowah County, Alabama. The median home is worth $126,100, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks more vibrant than 90% of Alabama towns, hipper than 82% of Alabama towns, easier by car than 81% of Alabama towns.
How Attalla 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 Attalla is worth $126,100, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $59,215, which is more affordable than 89% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $743 a month. 72.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Attalla | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,100 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $743 | $834 |
| Median household income | $59,215 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.4% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Attalla
| People | Attalla | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.9% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.0% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Attalla
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 32.8°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 53 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Attalla since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 4, 1977 about 6.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 12, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 7, 1985.
Severe weather in Etowah County since 1996
Etowah County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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-4555: Severe Thunderstorms |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3472: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Etowah County
Etowah County had 33,010 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,564 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Attalla itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Attalla
7 public schools with 1,957 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attalla Elementary School | PK-5 | 717 | 20.5 |
| Etowah High School | 9-12 | 468 | 15.6 |
| Etowah Middle School | 6-8 | 353 | 18.6 |
| Ivalee Elementary School | PK-6 | 212 | 15.1 |
| Duck Springs Elementary School | PK-6 | 207 | 15.9 |
| The Etowah County Refocus Center | 4-12 | — | — |
| Career Technical Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Attalla
- Rainbow City, AL4.5 mi · 10,191 people · home $223,000
- Gadsden, AL6.2 mi · 33,945 people · home $116,800
- Southside, AL8.8 mi · 9,426 people · home $226,500
- Glencoe, AL11.1 mi · 5,372 people · home $206,100
- Hokes Bluff, AL14.8 mi · 4,446 people · home $196,400
- Boaz, AL14.8 mi · 10,107 people · home $199,200
- Albertville, AL19.8 mi · 22,386 people · home $188,400
- Alexandria, AL21.1 mi · 4,032 people · home $197,700
Attalla questions
Is Attalla, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Attalla scores better for retirees than 11% of Alabama towns and quieter than 67%. 23.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.5).
How much does a house cost in Attalla?
The median owner-occupied home in Attalla is valued at $126,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,215, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $743 a month.
What is the weather like in Attalla?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 32.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Attalla get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Attalla since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 4, 1977. 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)