The Town FilesKinston, Alabama
Town in Coffee County · population 580 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $70,500
- Household income
- $43,036
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 50.5
Kinston is a town of 580 people in Coffee County, Alabama. The median home is worth $70,500, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks easier by car than 92% of Alabama towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Alabama towns, quieter than 84% of Alabama towns.
How Kinston 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 Kinston is worth $70,500, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $43,036, which is more affordable than 95% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $708 a month. 73.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kinston | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $70,500 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $708 | $834 |
| Median household income | $43,036 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.6% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Kinston
| People | Kinston | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.8% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.6% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Kinston
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 41.1°F. About 59.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 121 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 18 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinston since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 15, 2006 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 27, 2011.
Severe weather in Coffee County since 1996
Coffee County has been included in 30 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 |
| July 10, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4554: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Coffee County
Coffee County had 17,365 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,411 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Kinston itself the ACS puts it at 18.8%.
Public schools in Kinston
1 public school with 519 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinston School | PK-12 | 519 | 16.7 |
Towns near Kinston
- Opp, AL6.8 mi · 6,771 people · home $115,700
- Samson, AL10.4 mi · 1,874 people · home $91,100
- Babbie, AL10.5 mi · 625 people · home $181,300
- Elba, AL14.7 mi · 3,508 people · home $114,500
- Florala, AL16.2 mi · 1,923 people · home $91,600
- New Brockton, AL18.4 mi · 1,428 people · home $207,600
- Paxton, FL19.0 mi · 556 people · home $171,200
- Andalusia, AL19.2 mi · 8,805 people · home $153,200
Kinston questions
Is Kinston, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kinston scores better for retirees than 13% of Alabama towns and quieter than 84%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Kinston?
The median owner-occupied home in Kinston is valued at $70,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,036, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $708 a month.
What is the weather like in Kinston?
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 41.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Kinston get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 15, 2006. 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)