Huntsville is a city located in Madison County Alabama. Huntsville has a 2024 population of 228,616. It is also the county seat of Madison County. Huntsville is currently growing at a rate of 1.35% annually and its population has increased by 5.64% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 216,407 in 2020.
The average household income in Huntsville is $98,437 with a poverty rate of 14.09%. The median age in Huntsville is 36.5 years: 35.5 years for males, and 37.7 years for females.
After Huntsville was founded, growth was slow but steady and was only at about 16,000 people at the time of the 1950 census. However, this all changed during the next census, when the population grew to over 72,000 people. The population had nearly doubled by the time of the next poll. While growth has slowed in recent years, recent estimates show that the numbers are up over 7% since the last census in 2010, with the city on track to soon hit over 200,000 residents.
The Chickasaw and Muscogee-speaking tribes were the first settlers in the area. However, the population declined in the early 1800s due to land disputes and disease. The same year, John Hunt settled in the area around Big Spring. Native claims to the land were ceded to the U.S. through treaties signed in 1805 and 1806. LeRoy Pope then purchased the land and named it Twickenham.
The city was planned out, but the name was changed to Huntsville, in honor of John Hunt who had originally settled the land. Huntsville was incorporated as a town in 1811. It was the first incorporated town in the state. The city’s economy and population began to grow significantly with the introduction of the railroad and cotton industries. Cotton planters moved to Huntsville from all over the south. The city was originally made the capital, but this was later changed several times until Montgomery became the capital city.
Huntsville continued to see growth as the Memphis and Charleston Railroad was constructed, linking the coast with the Mississippi River. Following the Civil War, the city was a center for textile mills. These mills built their communities which included schools, churches, stores, and other businesses. However, industry declined in the 1930s because of the Great Depression.
Though growth had remained slow and steady, this changed in the 1940s with the construction of three chemical munitions facilities. The personnel totaled around 20,000 throughout World War II. In 1950, the Ordnance Guided Missile Center came to Huntsville and developed the Redstone Rocket, which paved the path for the U.S. space program and Army missile programs.
Today, the city’s economy revolved around the technology industry. The city is home to over 25 biotechnology firms. The city has been named as one of the best cities for defense jobs and one of the most educated cities in the U.S.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Huntsville was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 126,836 | 58.99% |
Black or African American | 65,393 | 30.41% |
Two or more races | 11,272 | 5.24% |
Other race | 5,723 | 2.66% |
Asian | 4,530 | 2.11% |
Native American | 1,024 | 0.48% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 247 | 0.11% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 92,291 | 2.22 | 57.5 | 42.5 |
Non Family | 39,846 | 1.2 | 43.1 | 56.9 |
Married | 36,313 | 2.96 | 79.1 | 20.9 |
Female | 11,744 | 3.06 | 44.8 | 55.2 |
Male | 4,388 | 3.03 | 43.2 | 56.8 |
2.91
Average Family Size
2.22
Average Household Size
57.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 9,218 | 6.32% |
Associates Degree | 10,944 | 7.5% |
Bachelors Degree | 39,003 | 26.73% |
Graduate Degree | 27,830 | 19.07% |
High School Graduate | 25,372 | 17.39% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 3,253 | 2.23% |
Some College | 30,286 | 20.76% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 90,419 | 85,662 | 48,228 |
Black | 39,984 | 34,619 | 11,938 |
Hispanic | 7,465 | 5,856 | 2,334 |
2+ Races | 5,599 | 5,079 | 2,457 |
Asian | 3,668 | 3,264 | 2,204 |
Other Race | 2,821 | 2,018 | 595 |
Native American | 653 | 525 | 190 |
Islander | 90 | 52 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 94.74%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 60.09%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $63,771 | $81,694 | $47,141 |
Graduate Degree | $96,852 | $129,460 | $62,371 |
High School Graduate | $29,991 | $34,805 | $25,641 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $24,551 | $29,834 | $20,544 |
Overall | $47,096 | $59,607 | $36,540 |
Some College | $36,666 | $45,055 | $31,810 |
$47,096
Average Earnings
$59,607
Average Male
$36,540
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
92.08% of Huntsville residents speak only English, while 7.92% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 4.48% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 60,452 | 14,354 | 23.74% |
White | 117,668 | 9,443 | 8.03% |
Hispanic | 13,483 | 3,333 | 24.72% |
Multiple | 10,581 | 1,802 | 17.03% |
Other | 5,680 | 1,634 | 28.77% |
Asian | 4,460 | 432 | 9.69% |
Native | 986 | 203 | 20.59% |
Islander | 247 | 96 | 38.87% |
14.09%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.67%
Male Poverty Rate
16.38%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Huntsville is Islander, with 38.87% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Huntsville is White, with 8.03% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.27%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.49%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 21.51%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 29.6% |
High School | 17.61% |
Some College | 10.12% |
Bachelors or Greater | 4.81% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 49.39% |
Male Unemployed | 27.23% |
Female Employed | 9.47% |
Male Employed | 5.45% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $90,775 | $125,782 |
Households | $67,874 | $98,437 |
Married Families | $120,348 | $157,168 |
Non Families | $44,996 | $59,793 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
45.0%
Male Marriage Rate
41.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
18,186
Number of Veterans
15,494
Male Veterans
2,692
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Second Gulf War | 6,046 |
First Gulf War | 5,938 |
Vietnam | 5,029 |
Korea | 1,041 |
World War II | 165 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
35 to 54 | 4,961 |
55 to 64 | 4,032 |
65 to 74 | 3,883 |
75+ | 3,472 |
18 to 34 | 1,838 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 12,642 | 11.92% |
Black | 4,602 | 9.06% |
Hispanic | 1,058 | 11.26% |
2+ Races | 743 | 10.15% |
Other Race | 127 | 3.57% |
Asian | 48 | 1.15% |
Native American | 24 | 3.25% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
7.14%
Veteran Poverty Rate
23.93%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
63.4%
Labor Force Participation
60.2%
Employment Rate
4.6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
51.62%
Born in Huntsville
93.78%
Native Born
6.22%
Foreign Born
3.24%
Non Citizen
2.99%
Naturalized
93.78% of Huntsville residents were born in the United States, with 51.62% having been born in Alabama. 3.24% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 243,878 | 3,053 | 1.27% |
2028 | 240,825 | 3,052 | 1.28% |
2027 | 237,773 | 3,052 | 1.3% |
2026 | 234,721 | 3,053 | 1.32% |
2025 | 231,668 | 3,052 | 1.33% |
2024 | 228,616 | 3,052 | 1.35% |
2023 | 225,564 | 3,534 | 1.59% |
2022 | 222,030 | 3,252 | 1.49% |
2021 | 218,778 | 2,371 | 1.1% |
2020 | 216,407 | 16,406 | 8.2% |
2019 | 200,001 | 1,703 | 0.86% |
2018 | 198,298 | 2,744 | 1.4% |
2017 | 195,554 | 3,030 | 1.57% |
2016 | 192,524 | 2,100 | 1.1% |
2015 | 190,424 | 2,525 | 1.34% |
2014 | 187,899 | 1,852 | 1% |
2013 | 186,047 | 2,279 | 1.24% |
2012 | 183,768 | 1,441 | 0.79% |
2011 | 182,327 | 1,401 | 0.77% |
2010 | 180,926 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 158,216 | -1,573 | -0.98% |
1990 | 159,789 | 17,276 | 12.12% |
1980 | 142,513 | 3,231 | 2.32% |
1970 | 139,282 | 66,917 | 92.47% |
1960 | 72,365 | 55,928 | 340.26% |
1950 | 16,437 | 3,387 | 25.95% |
1940 | 13,050 | 1,496 | 12.95% |
1930 | 11,554 | 3,536 | 44.1% |
1920 | 8,018 | 407 | 5.35% |
1910 | 7,611 | -457 | -5.66% |
1900 | 8,068 | 73 | 0.91% |
1890 | 7,995 | 3,018 | 60.64% |
1880 | 4,977 | 70 | 1.43% |
1870 | 4,907 | 1,273 | 35.03% |
1860 | 3,634 | 771 | 26.93% |
1850 | 2,863 | -241,015 | -98.83% |