RANK #325 / 1001 NAT · #13 / 27 AL · POP 94,166
1YR FORECAST: +3.6%
5YR OUTLOOK: -2%
St. Clair County, Alabama, distinguishes itself with two county seats, Ashville and Pell City, a rare feature shared by only one other county in Alabama and 32 others nationwide. Located in north-central Alabama at the southern tip of the Appalachian Mountains, the county offers a blend of wooded mountains, quiet valleys, and streams. Its eastern edge is defined by the Coosa River, featuring Neely Henry and Logan Martin Lakes, which provide opportunities for boating, fishing, and water sports. Interstate 59 and Interstate 20 traverse the county, offering commutes to nearby Birmingham and Atlanta. The community maintains a small-town feel, with towns like Springville preserving historic charm.
Life in St. Clair County often involves a balance of suburban and rural living, with many residents owning their homes. The county's public schools are rated above average, with the St. Clair County School District serving over 9,500 students across 20 schools. Recent economic developments include a new commerce park in Springville, expected to create over 1,000 jobs, and expansions by companies like Allied Mineral Products in Pell City. The county's economy is also supported by sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and retail.
St. Clair County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +3.0% YoY, population +1.4%, wages +11.4%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 16.6x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 67/100, St. Clair County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +1.9%, and median household income stands at $77,463 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in AL.
Housing in St. Clair County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $226,300 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.34, with rents averaging $1,084/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
St. Clair County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.4% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.9% clip. Home values shifted +3.0% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 4.32% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests St. Clair County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.