City · Cullman County, Alabama

Hanceville, Alabama

Hanceville is a city in Cullman County, Alabama, part of the Cullman, AL metro area. It has 3,270 residents. Hanceville, Alabama has a quality-of-life score of 11 out of 100 (very low), ranking #13,961 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Alabama it ranks #188 of 319 cities and towns. It ranks best on effective property tax rate (low), unemployment rate (low) and pharmacies (high). It ranks worst on preventable hospital stays (high), grocery stores (low) and median household income (low).

11Very low

Quality-of-life score: #13,961 of 15,651 cities and towns
Alabama: #188 of 319 in AL
Population: 3,270 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 736.4 /mi²
FIPS code: 0132968

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 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.

Safety33#10,509/15,637
Economy28#11,297/15,631
Housing53#7,074/14,977
Health11#13,832/15,609
Healthcare18#12,794/15,650
Environment50#7,755/15,453
Education13#13,556/15,649
Infrastructure22#12,247/15,650
Community12#13,703/15,651
Leisure & amenities7#14,613/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Hanceville, Alabama ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Cullman 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

Effective property tax rate · low0.20%
99/100Alabama 0.37%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100Alabama 2.8%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Pharmacies · high2.9 /10k
95/100Alabama 2.3 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCullman County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Alabama 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCullman County value
Dental care shortage · low0.0
84/100Alabama 6.0United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationCullman County value
Child care cost burden · low24.2%
78/100Alabama 25.5%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCullman County value

Weaknesses

Preventable hospital stays · high4,639 /100k
3/100Alabama 3,481 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCullman County value
Grocery stores · low0.7 /10k
5/100Alabama 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCullman County value
Median household income · low$41,791
7/100Alabama $66,704United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Adult smoking · high21.5%
8/100Alabama 18.1%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Hospital quality rating · low2.0
9/100Alabama 2.8United States 3.2Jul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesCullman County value
Access to exercise opportunities · low47.1%
9/100Alabama 61.4%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCullman County value

Trends

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

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
71.0% (2015-2019) → 90.4% (2020-2024)
+19 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Unemployment rateImproving
14.0% (2015-2019) → 0.0% (2020-2024)
−14 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
High school diploma or higherImproving
71.6% (2015-2019) → 79.2% (2020-2024)
+7.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
3.1× (2015-2019) → 4.1× (2020-2024)
+33%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Median household incomeImproving
$32,668 (2015-2019) → $41,791 (2020-2024)
+28%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
61.4% (2015-2019) → 66.8% (2020-2024)
+5.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

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, Hanceville, Alabama improved on 3 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 10 moved within the margin of error and 1 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.

Improved3

Unemployment−14 points14.0% → 0.0%
Inequality−0.0800.491 → 0.410
Broadband+19 points71.0% → 90.4%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Hanceville, Alabama between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	28.9 min2015-2019	28.3 min2020-2024	−0.6 min	Within the margin of error	54%
Bachelor's degree or higher	10.0%2015-2019	10.9%2020-2024	+0.9 points	Within the margin of error	34%
Broadband subscriptions	71.0%2015-2019	90.4%2020-2024	+19 points	Improved	89%
Effective property tax rate	0.43%2015-2019	0.20%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	63%
High school diploma or higher	71.6%2015-2019	79.2%2020-2024	+7.6 points	Within the margin of error	91%
Home price to income ratio	3.1×2015-2019	4.1×2020-2024	+1.0×	Within the margin of error	22%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4912015-2019	0.4102020-2024	−0.080	Improved	93%
Median household income	$32,6682015-2019	$41,7912020-2024	+28%	Within the margin of error	51%
Poverty rate	19.0%2015-2019	16.6%2020-2024	−2.4 points	Within the margin of error	65%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	33.8%2015-2019	39.0%2020-2024	+5.2 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Rent-burdened households	61.4%2015-2019	66.8%2020-2024	+5.5 points	Within the margin of error	36%
Unemployment rate	14.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	−14 points	Improved	100%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	10.3%2015-2019	13.1%2020-2024	+2.8 points	Within the margin of error	20%

“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 Hanceville, Alabama five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Hanceville, 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, Hanceville, Alabama itself moved +6 points in standing on average over the same 10 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

3,270 residents (±23)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

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

Household income

1,362 households (±162)

Hanceville, Alabama
Alabama share

Under $25k29%†396
$25k–50k29%†391
$50k–75k

Homes

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

Owners and renters

1,362 households (±162)

Hanceville, Alabama
Alabama share

Own58%794
Rent42%568

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

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

1,513 workers (±240)

Hanceville, Alabama
Alabama share

Drive alone82%1,239
Carpool11%†163
Public transit0.0%0

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Cullman, AL

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 Cullman County, the county holding most of Hanceville's residents.

Cullman County has 1,867 employer establishments, 203 for every 10,000 residents (0.82× the US rate of 248; 0.98× Alabama's), with 27,591 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,232. The Census Bureau also counts 6,999 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,867; 6,999 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 203; US 248 · Alabama 207
Paid employees: 27,591
Average annual pay: $47,232; US $68,342

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

Ambulatory health care services	162	17.6	0.85×About typical	1,538	$58,238	264
Specialty trade contractors	158	17.2	1.11×About typical	990	$54,611	870
Restaurants and other eating places	131	14.3	0.78×Fewer than typical	3,208	$19,177	19
Religious organizations	75	8.2	1.47×More than typical	643	$22,499	—
Limited-service restaurants	73	7.9	0.99×About typical	1,948	$18,337	7
Truck transportation	73	7.9	1.57×More than typical	772	$71,180	246
Building equipment contractors	66	7.2	1.19×About typical	392	$57,138	172
Gasoline stations	62	6.7	2.08×More than typical	491	$19,253	5
Automotive repair and maintenance	60	6.5	1.30×More than typical	361	$49,997	187
Construction of buildings	49	5.3	0.71×Fewer than typical	227	$56,476	375
Offices of other health practitioners	48	5.2	0.86×About typical	278	$41,529	101
Services to buildings and dwellings	47	5.1	0.76×Fewer than typical	324	$42,602	634

Rank places for an industry Open Cullman County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 91,916 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

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Hanceville, Alabama: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

14.6FY2020
0FY2021
919.2FY2022
5.1KFY2023
9.4KFY2024

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Hanceville, Alabama, so they do not add up across cities.

Hanceville, Alabama's figures are part of those of Cullman County, AL ($74.4K in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

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

See federal money in Cullman 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.

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

House

Robert B. AderholtR-AL-4 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 3.0%

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.

Cullman County32100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Cullman, AL26

Other cities and towns in Cullman 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

JSON · /api/v1/places/0132968

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends