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Living in
Scottsboro.
About
Life in Scottsboro
Living in Scottsboro means trading some of the hustle for genuine affordability and a slower pace that actually works—median rent around $830 a month and home values in the $190k range make it one of those places where your paycheck stretches without feeling like you're sacrificing much. The job market is steady rather than booming, with unemployment at 3.4%, and you're positioned nicely between Huntsville to the west and Chattanooga to the northeast, both about 45-55 minutes away if you need bigger-city work or amenities. The community skews older (median age 44) and family-oriented, with about half of households being married couples, so weekends tend to revolve around church, local schools, and the kind of neighbors who actually know each other—it's genuinely small-town Alabama in the best and most real sense.
Scottsboro at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Foreign-Born
1.9%
Broadband Internet
88.0%
of households
Population Growth
+3.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.9% foreign-born, most often from Guatemala
Who lives in Scottsboro: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Scottsboro, the largest foreign-born group is from Guatemala (37.3%), and 2.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.7%
of residents
65 and Older
23.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.5%
of households
Married Couples
41.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% below AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Scottsboro
In Scottsboro, rent runs 18% below the AL average, and home values are 9% below the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$704
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $212,354 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above AL average
Unemployment in Scottsboro
Unemployment in Jackson County, which includes Scottsboro, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
Scottsboro: Jackson County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jackson County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Scottsboro Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.4 min avg
How Scottsboro residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Scottsboro, most residents drive alone to work (86%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 42 mi
Huntsville International Airport (HSV)
Small hub843k passengers boarded in 2025
- 107 mi
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Major hub12.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 15% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Scottsboro runs 15% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
280.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,230
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Scottsboro Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 47 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
79.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jackson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jackson County, which includes Scottsboro, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 47 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $783,500 |
| 2024 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6.6M |
| 2023 | 39 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.9M |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.1M |
| 2021 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $14,100 |
| 2020 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $14,600 |
| 2019 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,000 |
| 2018 | 26 | Frost/Freeze | $2,900 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jackson County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in DeKalb County, AL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 19 miles from Scottsboro) is typically good — 282 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
282
per year
Moderate Days
83
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: DeKalb County, AL (19 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Scottsboro has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.7"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"
Hot Days/Year
57
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
75
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
106
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 29°F | 6.07" |
| Feb | 55°F | 32°F | 5.72" |
| Mar | 63°F | 39°F | 5.69" |
| Apr | 72°F | 46°F | 5.04" |
| May | 80°F | 55°F | 4.55" |
| Jun | 86°F | 64°F | 4.62" |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 5.17" |
| Aug | 89°F | 67°F | 4.05" |
| Sep | 84°F | 60°F | 4.26" |
| Oct | 74°F | 48°F | 3.56" |
| Nov | 63°F | 37°F | 4.76" |
| Dec | 54°F | 32°F | 6.20" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Scottsboro
Scottsboro has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Highlands Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Scottsboro
Scottsboro's student/teacher ratio is 16.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Russell Cave National Monument, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Scottsboro
Scottsboro has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Russell Cave National Monument (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Russell Cave National Monument
National Monument
26 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
29 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
48 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
70 mi awayStones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
88 mi awayBirmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
89 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Scottsboro
Scottsboro Public Library
1002 South Broad Street, Scottsboro
Cities Near Scottsboro
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Scottsboro?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Scottsboro FAQ
Is Scottsboro, Alabama affordable?⌄
Scottsboro's median rent is $830/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $53,929/year. Median home value is $190,400.
Is Scottsboro, Alabama safe?⌄
Scottsboro's violent crime rate was 280 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2230 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Scottsboro, Alabama?⌄
Jackson County, which includes Scottsboro, has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Scottsboro, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Scottsboro is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $830/month and median household income is $53,929/year. The median home value is $190,400. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Scottsboro, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Scottsboro is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from