The Town FilesKillen, Alabama
Town in Lauderdale County · population 1,034 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,000
- Household income
- $69,722
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 89°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 40.9
Killen is a town of 1,034 people in Lauderdale County, Alabama. The median home is worth $175,000, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks better for retirees than 90% of Alabama towns, better for families than 89% of Alabama towns, more upscale than 85% of Alabama towns.
How Killen 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 Killen is worth $175,000, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $69,722, which is more affordable than 74% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $960 a month. 68.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Killen | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,000 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $960 | $834 |
| Median household income | $69,722 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 68.8% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.2% | — |
Who lives in Killen
| People | Killen | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.8% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Killen
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 31.2°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 62 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Killen since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 24, 1967 about 3.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 34 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 20, 2025.
Severe weather in Lauderdale County since 1996
Lauderdale County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| May 5, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4710: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County had 30,845 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,767 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Killen itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Killen
3 public schools with 1,597 students, about 18.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks Elementary School | PK-6 | 853 | 18.5 |
| Brooks High School | 7-12 | 744 | 17.7 |
| Allen Thornton Career Technical Center | 10-12 | — | — |
Towns near Killen
- St. Florian, AL5.4 mi · 584 people · home $314,000
- Florence, AL7.8 mi · 40,184 people · home $196,300
- Underwood-Petersville, AL9.6 mi · 3,051 people · home $142,900
- Muscle Shoals, AL10.1 mi · 16,275 people · home $199,700
- Lexington, AL11.2 mi · 727 people · home $202,400
- Leighton, AL11.6 mi · 665 people · home —
- Sheffield, AL11.9 mi · 9,403 people · home $133,800
- St. Joseph, TN12.0 mi · 790 people · home $171,300
Killen questions
Is Killen, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Killen scores better for retirees than 90% of Alabama towns and quieter than 50%. 22.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Killen?
The median owner-occupied home in Killen is valued at $175,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,722, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $960 a month.
What is the weather like in Killen?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 31.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Killen get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Killen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 24, 1967. 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)