RANK #927 / 1001 NAT · #27 / 27 AL · POP 81,021
1YR FORECAST: -1.4%
5YR OUTLOOK: +17%
Talladega County, Alabama, is perhaps most recognized for the Talladega Superspeedway, a landmark that draws visitors for NASCAR events. Located in east-central Alabama, the county seat of Talladega is approximately an hour's drive from Birmingham. The community offers a blend of small-town environments, with towns like Sylacauga, known as the "Marble City," and Lincoln, situated on Logan Martin Lake. The county's natural scenery includes portions of the Talladega National Forest, offering opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and camping, with trails like the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail and the Sylaward Bike Trail.
Life in Talladega County generally features a lower cost of living compared to national and state averages. The area is characterized by a mix of small towns, and while some residents commute to nearby cities, the average commute time within the county is around 28 minutes. The Talladega County Schools district serves over 7,000 students across 18 schools and is considered above average. The economy is supported by manufacturing, healthcare, and retail sectors, with recent developments including investments in data centers and energy.
Talladega County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -1.6% YoY, population -0.2%, wages +4.1%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Below national median (11.3x)
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing is fairly valued at 6.3x 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 →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Western Hospitality Childersburg Data Center
Western Hospitality Partners
|
$500M | Planned |
|
Dega Solar and Storage
Cleanview (developer not specified)
|
$200M | Planned |
|
Talladega Solar Project
NextEra Energy Resources
|
$100M | Proposed |
|
Talladega Superspeedway Renovations
NASCAR
|
$50M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Talladega County scores just 7/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #927 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +0.1% and median household income of $57,776 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
By national standards, Talladega County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $149,200, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.39 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $785/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Population and employment in Talladega County are both close to flat — population -0.2% YoY and jobs +0.1%. Home values shifted -1.6% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 4.66% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Talladega County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.