The Town FilesCourtland, Alabama
Town in Lawrence County · population 583 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $47,679
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 44.2
Courtland is a town of 583 people in Lawrence County, Alabama. It ranks better transit than 97% of Alabama towns, easier by car than 83% of Alabama towns, more of a college town than 79% of Alabama towns.
How Courtland 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
Median rent is $655 a month. 77.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Courtland | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $655 | $834 |
| Median household income | $47,679 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.8% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Courtland
| People | Courtland | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.5% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.1% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Courtland
July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 31.3°F. About 56.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.9 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 64 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Courtland since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF5, struck on April 27, 2011 about 7.9 miles from the town center and killed 14. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 33 deaths and 112 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 3.75 inches on May 20, 2025.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence County has been included in 22 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 |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3472: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2017 | Hurricane | EM-3389: Hurricane Irma |
Jobs and pay in Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 6,054 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,594 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Courtland itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Courtland
- Town Creek, AL4.5 mi · 1,052 people · home $118,000
- Rogersville, AL11.2 mi · 1,286 people · home $185,800
- Leighton, AL11.3 mi · 665 people · home —
- Moulton, AL12.8 mi · 3,398 people · home $123,900
- Trinity, AL14.9 mi · 2,526 people · home $283,000
- Killen, AL17.5 mi · 1,034 people · home $175,000
- Muscle Shoals, AL18.1 mi · 16,275 people · home $199,700
- Lexington, AL20.2 mi · 727 people · home $202,400
Courtland questions
Is Courtland, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Courtland scores better for retirees than 61% of Alabama towns and quieter than 55%. 22.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
What is the weather like in Courtland?
July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 31.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.9 inches of snow.
Does Courtland get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Courtland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF5 on April 27, 2011. 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)