These Are The 10 Most Successful Cities In Alabama

Top 10 Most Successful Cities in Alabama for 2026

Defining success can be complex. Is it merely financial wealth, the thrill of a winning presentation, or perhaps something more abstract and subjective? At Zippia, we believe in quantifying success through measurable metrics. Using comprehensive data analysis, we have identified the ten most successful cities in Alabama for 2026. Here’s our list:

If you disagree with our rankings, don’t fret—there’s a systematic approach behind our findings.

For more insights on Alabama, check out:

How We Determined the Most Successful Cities in Alabama

Success is often measured by financial metrics. However, we believe it encompasses various factors. Our analysis considers data from the American Community Survey, using recent statistics to provide a more accurate representation of success across Alabama’s cities.

1. Mountain Brook

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 20,484 Median Income: $130,259
Poverty Level: 2.5%
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%

2. Pike Road

Population: 6,605 Median Income: $92,609
Poverty Level: 2.8%
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%

3. Chelsea

Population: 11,051 Median Income: $85,106
Poverty Level: 5.4%
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%

4. Trussville

Population: 20,229 Median Income: $86,518
Poverty Level: 3.6%
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%

5. Vestavia Hills

Population: 34,061 Median Income: $81,352
Poverty Level: 5.6%
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%

6. Helena

Population: 16,752 Median Income: $86,018
Poverty Level: 2.6%
Unemployment Rate: 5.7%

7. Spanish Fort

Population: 7,357 Median Income: $67,204
Poverty Level: 7.2%
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%

8. Hoover

Population: 82,849 Median Income: $76,469
Poverty Level: 5.9%
Unemployment Rate: 5.7%

9. Pelham

Population: 22,106 Median Income: $68,197
Poverty Level: 5.2%
Unemployment Rate: 6.5%

10. Madison

Population: 44,866 Median Income: $92,965
Poverty Level: 5.9%
Unemployment Rate: 7.3%

Measuring Success

While some may argue that using metrics to gauge success is simplistic, we believe it provides valuable insights into the prosperity of these cities. Congratulations to Mountain Brook and our top contenders! For those not on the list, there’s always next year.

Detailed List of the Most Successful Cities in Alabama

Rank	City	Median Income	Poverty Rate	Unemployment Rate
1	Mountain Brook	$130,259	2.5%	2.2%
2	Pike Road	$92,609	2.8%	3.8%
3	Chelsea	$85,106	5.4%	2.6%
4	Trussville	$86,518	3.6%	5.5%
5	Vestavia Hills	$81,352	5.6%	3.6%
6	Helena	$86,018	2.6%	5.7%
7	Spanish Fort	$67,204	7.2%	3.4%
8	Hoover	$76,469	5.9%	5.7%
9	Pelham	$68,197	5.2%	6.5%
10	Madison	$92,965	5.9%	7.3%
11	Alabaster	$70,173	9.4%	5.6%
12	Clay	$67,630	3.9%	7.2%
13	Gardendale	$56,852	6.0%	4.0%
14	Pleasant Grove	$64,278	5.5%	6.8%
15	Southside	$67,090	6.1%	6.7%
16	Satsuma	$58,750	6.7%	5.5%
17	Millbrook	$60,489	7.4%	5.6%
18	Moody	$60,829	9.7%	5.1%
19	Calera	$61,481	5.6%	7.6%
20	Homewood	$62,431	13.3%	4.4%
21	Pinson	$60,492	5.1%	8.6%
22	Fultondale	$50,586	12.7%	3.2%
23	Fairhope	$58,767	11.5%	5.9%
24	Daphne	$61,986	9.6%	7.8%
25	Prattville	$57,478	10.2%	7.3%
26	Northport	$54,354	12.0%	6.8%
27	Orange Beach	$57,750	9.5%	9.3%
28	Muscle Shoals	$50,502	11.6%	6.9%
29	Robertsdale	$46,545	10.7%	6.9%
30	Smiths Station	$45,944	9.9%	7.6%
31	Saraland	$53,646	11.0%	9.4%
32	Enterprise	$51,692	15.8%	7.2%
33	Leeds	$50,805	15.4%	8.5%
34	Lincoln	$50,221	14.5%	9.1%
35	Hueytown	$41,768	10.7%	8.8%
36	Athens	$47,354	13.4%	9.9%
37	Hartselle	$53,221	8.7%	13.5%
38	Rainbow City	$46,548	15.6%	9.6%
39	Arab	$41,788	13.1%	10.0%
40	Dothan	$42,026	17.1%	8.6%
41	Oxford	$50,934	11.1%	13.1%
42	Huntsville	$49,060	16.7%	10.9%
43	Wetumpka	$46,022	14.0%	11.3%
44	Opelika	$39,506	21.1%	6.8%
45	Irondale	$48,361	19.2%	9.9%
46	Cullman	$37,995	20.7%	6.7%
47	Decatur	$42,867	16.1%	10.4%
48	Oneonta	$37,078	16.2%	9.0%
49	Albertville	$36,210	20.5%	6.0%
50	Montgomery	$43,535	21.5%	9.3%
51	Tallassee	$37,219	14.7%	10.3%
52	Glencoe	$48,831	13.5%	15.7%
53	Valley	$36,901	17.9%	9.4%
54	Center Point	$38,828	18.7%	10.0%
55	Ozark	$38,392	19.2%	9.8%
56	Clanton	$39,419	17.0%	11.0%
57	Foley	$43,202	16.2%	12.7%
58	Scottsboro	$36,470	15.9%	10.4%
59	Tuscaloosa	$38,762	25.4%	8.8%
60	Tuscumbia	$35,161	15.0%	11.5%
61	Pell City	$40,961	19.7%	12.2%
62	Florence	$35,632	26.4%	8.2%
63	Jasper	$40,786	20.7%	11.7%
64	Midfield	$37,935	18.4%	12.3%
65	Hamilton	$32,292	19.2%	10.1%
66	Sheffield	$35,100	23.9%	9.8%
67	Auburn	$37,406	37.3%	8.2%
68	Guntersville	$37,790	19.0%	12.5%
69	Mobile	$39,241	21.2%	12.0%
70	Boaz	$34,322	18.6%	11.6%
71	Phenix City	$36,225	20.3%	11.5%
72	Roanoke	$33,433	24.4%	9.6%
73	Gulf Shores	$45,777	20.3%	16.4%
74	Eufaula	$37,393	16.8%	15.7%
75	Fort Payne	$34,689	20.2%	12.1%
76	Daleville	$41,762	27.7%	12.4%
77	Montevallo	$35,444	26.0%	11.4%
78	Demopolis	$33,385	27.7%	10.2%
79	Bay Minette	$29,353	26.2%	9.7%
80	Greenville	$30,201	19.4%	12.4%
81	Andalusia	$31,393	24.0%	11.9%
82	Fairfield	$34,556	20.7%	14.4%
83	Alexander City	$30,500	25.5%	11.1%
84	Opp	$33,218	24.6%	13.1%
85	Brewton	$30,502	21.1%	12.9%
86	Troy	$32,015	34.8%	10.3%
87	Attalla	$32,917	22.3%	16.4%
88	Jacksonville	$38,192	37.2%	16.6%
89	Chickasaw	$30,708	31.5%	12.3%
90	Sylacauga	$31,587	29.1%	13.6%
91	Gadsden	$27,922	27.3%	13.2%
92	Birmingham	$31,217	27.7%	14.5%
93	Russellville	$29,114	30.1%	12.4%
94	Bessemer	$30,369	28.2%	14.2%
95	Talladega	$30,307	23.5%	22.0%
96	Anniston	$31,399	28.9%	16.3%
97	Jackson	$29,764	28.6%	16.2%
98	Childersburg	$28,227	27.5%	19.2%
99	Monroeville	$32,429	31.2%	22.2%
100	Lanett	$24,054	29.0%	16.1%

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Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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