Town · Clay County, Alabama

Ashland, Alabama

Ashland is a town in Clay County, Alabama. It has 1,797 residents. Ashland, Alabama has a quality-of-life score of 11 out of 100 (very low), ranking #13,942 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Alabama it ranks #187 of 319 cities and towns. It ranks best on time spent in the emergency room (low), unemployment rate (low) and effective property tax rate (low). It ranks worst on mental health providers (low), math scores (low) and arts, entertainment and recreation (low).

11Very low

Quality-of-life score: #13,942 of 15,651 cities and towns
Alabama: #187 of 319 in AL
Population: 1,797 (2020-2024)
Land area: 7 mi²
Density: 244.6 /mi²
FIPS code: 0102860

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 75 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety31#10,839/15,637
Economy11#13,931/15,631
Housing50#7,492/14,977
Health8#14,412/15,609
Healthcare24#11,970/15,650
Environment75#3,811/15,453
Education5#14,903/15,649
Infrastructure11#13,973/15,650
Community26#11,610/15,651
Leisure & amenities9#14,246/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Ashland, Alabama ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Clay County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Time spent in the emergency room · low91 min
98/100Alabama 155 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesClay County value
Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100Alabama 2.8%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Effective property tax rate · low0.39%
94/100Alabama 0.37%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090High uncertainty
Uninsured residents (under 65) · low1.5%
94/100Alabama 10.0%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010High uncertainty
Median Air Quality Index · low33
91/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyClay County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Alabama 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value

Weaknesses

Mental health providers · low21 /100k
1/100Alabama 156 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Math scores · low2.36
2/100Alabama 2.65United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low0.7 /10k
2/100Alabama 3.3 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsClay County value
Dentists · low14 /100k
2/100Alabama 49 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Reading scores · low2.57
3/100Alabama 2.83United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteClay County value
Mental health care shortage · high19.0
4/100Alabama 14.0United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationClay County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,447 (2015-2019) → 1,797 (2020-2024)
+24%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Child poverty rateImproving
65.8% (2015-2019) → 39.0% (2020-2024)
−27 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Median household incomeImproving
$19,154 (2015-2019) → $42,308 (2020-2024)
+121%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
24.6% (2015-2019) → 1.5% (2020-2024)
−23 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
New homes permittedWorsening
0.6 /1k (2021) → 0.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Poverty rateImproving
41.7% (2015-2019) → 25.0% (2020-2024)
−17 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Ashland, Alabama improved on 2 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 9 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Unemployment−11 points11.3% → 0.0%
Household income+121%$19,154 → $42,308

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Ashland, Alabama between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	15.4 min2015-2019	22.5 min2020-2024	+7.1 min	Within the margin of error	5%
Bachelor's degree or higher	9.1%2015-2019	16.8%2020-2024	+7.6 points	Within the margin of error	82%
Broadband subscriptions	56.0%2015-2019	72.1%2020-2024	+16 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Child poverty rate	65.8%2015-2019	39.0%2020-2024	−27 points	Within the margin of error	97%
High school diploma or higher	69.0%2015-2019	80.6%2020-2024	+12 points	Within the margin of error	97%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4492015-2019	0.5272020-2024	+0.078	Within the margin of error	8%
Median household income	$19,1542015-2019	$42,3082020-2024	+121%	Improved	99%
Poverty rate	41.7%2015-2019	25.0%2020-2024	−17 points	Within the margin of error	98%
Rent as share of income	27.6%2015-2019	30.7%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Within the margin of error	32%
Rent-burdened households	36.8%2015-2019	53.5%2020-2024	+17 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Unemployment rate	11.3%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	−11 points	Improved	99%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Ashland, Alabama five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Ashland, Alabama in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Ashland, Alabama itself moved −11.1 points in standing on average over the same 8 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,797 residents (±311)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 women (+4.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,797 residents (±311)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

White71%1,271
Black20%†365
Hispanic or Latino1.7%†30
Asian0.0%0
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races7.3%†131

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,342 residents (±224)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

No high school diploma19%†261
High school or GED35%†466
Some college21%†282
Associate degree8.0%†108
Bachelor's degree11%†147
Graduate degree5.8%†78

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: No high school diploma (−11.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

828 households (±171)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

Under $25k32%†262
$25k–50k19%†161
$50k–75k26%†218
$75k–100k2.4%†20
$100k–150k15%†125
$150k–200k4.2%†35
$200k or more0.8%†7

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−25.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

828 households (±171)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

Own61%502
Rent39%†326

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

326 households (±109)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

Under $75090%†292
$750–1,0007.1%†23
$1,000–1,5002.1%†7

Home values

502 homes (±140)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

Under $150k47%†238
$150k–250k24%†120
$250k–400k26%†130

Age of homes

950 homes (±162)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

2010 or later2.3%†22
2000–200915%†146
1980–199933%†313

Size of homes

950 homes (±162)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

Studio2.0%†19
1 bedroom11%†105
2 bedrooms26%†243

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

684 workers (±210)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

Drive alone84%†576
Carpool9.9%†68
Public transit1.8%†12
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home4.1%†28
Other0.0%0

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

656 workers (±206)

Ashland, Alabama
Alabama share

Under 15 min50%†330
15–29 min14%†91
30–44 min23%†149

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Clay County, the county holding most of Ashland's residents.

Clay County has 192 employer establishments, 136 for every 10,000 residents (0.55× the US rate of 248; 0.66× Alabama's), with 3,666 paid employees at an average annual pay of $40,566. The Census Bureau also counts 853 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 192; 853 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 136; US 248 · Alabama 207
Paid employees: 3,666
Average annual pay: $40,566; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Clay County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Religious organizations	19	13.4	2.42×More than typical	93	$15,161	—
Restaurants and other eating places	14	9.9	0.54×Fewer than typical	167	$13,006	6
Ambulatory health care services	12	8.5	0.41×Fewer than typical	106	$41,528	23
Gasoline stations	11	7.8	2.40×More than typical	63	$17,968	3
Truck transportation	9	6.4	1.26×Too few to compare	29	$40,138	45
Specialty trade contractors	8	5.7	0.37×Too few to compare	45	$40,578	98
General merchandise stores	7	4.9	2.80×Too few to compare	41	$17,854	8
Building equipment contractors	6	4.2	0.70×Too few to compare	36	$44,167	17
Heavy and civil engineering construction	6	4.2	3.70×Too few to compare	17	$63,294	3
Limited-service restaurants	6	4.2	0.53×Too few to compare	111	$15,477	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	5	3.5	0.70×Too few to compare	17	$42,353	26
Full-service restaurants	5	3.5	0.46×Too few to compare	48	$8,479	3

Rank places for an industry Open Clay County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 14,145 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Ashland is mostly in Clay County.

See federal money in Clay County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Ashland, Alabama is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Mike RogersR-AL-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 3.1%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Clay County19100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Clay County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

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