The Town FilesSection, Alabama
Town in Jackson County · population 756 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $156,000
- Household income
- $47,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 43.3
Section is a town of 756 people in Jackson County, Alabama. The median home is worth $156,000, close to the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks better for families than 84% of Alabama towns, more of a college town than 71% of Alabama towns.
How Section 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 Section is worth $156,000, close to the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $47,500, which is more affordable than 32% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $638 a month. 78.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Section | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,000 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $638 | $834 |
| Median household income | $47,500 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.5% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Section
| People | Section | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.2% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 34.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 86.7% |
Weather in Section
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 29.2°F. About 59.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 75 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Section 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 9.6 miles from the town center and killed 25. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 33 deaths and 49 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 10, 2009.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 28 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 Jackson County
Jackson County had 15,446 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,421 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Section itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Section
2 public schools with 677 students, about 18.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section High School | PK-12 | 546 | 18.2 |
| Macedonia School | PK-8 | 131 | 18.7 |
Towns near Section
- Scottsboro, AL5.6 mi · 15,578 people · home $190,400
- Powell, AL6.0 mi · 901 people · home $116,400
- Hollywood, AL9.4 mi · 914 people · home $113,200
- Fyffe, AL10.2 mi · 967 people · home $113,300
- Sylvania, AL10.3 mi · 1,790 people · home $161,500
- Rainsville, AL10.4 mi · 5,505 people · home $230,400
- Pisgah, AL10.6 mi · 681 people · home $134,400
- Henagar, AL14.8 mi · 2,292 people · home $144,700
Section questions
Is Section, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Section scores better for retirees than 40% of Alabama towns and quieter than 57%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Section?
The median owner-occupied home in Section is valued at $156,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,500, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $638 a month.
What is the weather like in Section?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 29.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.7 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Section get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Section 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)