CountyScore

Pickens County

Alabama · AL

#10 in Alabama
73.7
County Score

County Report Card

About Pickens County, Alabama

Pickens significantly outpaces national median

Pickens County's composite score of 73.7 substantially exceeds the national median of 50.0 by 47%, ranking it among the most livable U.S. counties in this comparison. The county delivers strong value across multiple critical dimensions.

Pickens ranks among Alabama's best

Pickens County scores 73.7, well above Alabama's state average of 70.8, positioning it in the upper tier of the state's 67 counties. The county demonstrates notably strong comparative livability across the state.

Lowest taxes and excellent affordability

Pickens leads the group with the second-lowest effective tax rate at 0.289%, earning a tax score of 94.1, and features highly affordable housing with median rent of just $600/month and home values of $123,300. This combination makes it one of the most cost-efficient counties in the region.

Limited income opportunity and moderate health

Pickens' income score of 14.1 with a median household income of $47,014 reflects limited high-wage employment options. Health outcomes at 58.5 are respectable but lag some peer counties, suggesting room for improved healthcare access.

Ideal for cost-conscious, flexible workers

Pickens County is best suited for remote workers, retirees, and families prioritizing minimal living costs and low taxes over local earning potential. It offers exceptional value for those with income independent of local employment.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax94.1Cost89.3SafetyComing SoonHealth58.5SchoolsComing SoonIncome14.1Risk55.3WaterComing Soon
🏛94.1
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠89.3
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼14.1
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤58.5
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡55.3
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare Pickens County with another county →

Counties with similar scores

Montgomery County
Arkansas
73.7
Median income: $49,015
Pike County
Arkansas
73.7
Median income: $51,000
Union County
Florida
73.7
Median income: $64,922
Valley County
Idaho
73.7
Median income: $76,125
Wabash County
Indiana
73.7
Median income: $68,414

Deep Dives

Pickens County across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in Pickens County

via TaxByCounty

Pickens among lowest-tax counties nationally

Pickens County's effective tax rate of 0.289% ranks in the lowest 5% nationwide, roughly one-third the national median rate of 0.9%. The median annual property tax of $356 is just 13% of the national median bill of $2,690.

Third-lowest taxes in Alabama

Pickens County's 0.289% effective rate ranks third-lowest among Alabama's 67 counties, sitting 15% below the state average of 0.339%. The county offers exceptional tax savings while maintaining community services.

Second-most affordable in region

Pickens County's $356 median tax bill is second-lowest in its region, narrowly exceeding Perry County's $325. On a median home value of $123,300, the county's low rate delivers substantial savings compared to Pike County ($403).

Your annual Pickens County bill

On a median home valued at $123,300, Pickens County homeowners pay approximately $356 per year in property taxes. With mortgage escrow factored in, the annual total reaches around $447.

Verify your assessment today

Pickens County's low tax environment can mask individual assessment errors—about one in five homeowners nationally overpay. Request your assessment review from the county assessor to confirm your home's value is accurate.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in Pickens County

via CostByCounty

Pickens achieves genuine housing affordability

Pickens County's 15.3% rent-to-income ratio—second-best in this survey—falls well below national and state averages of roughly 18%, offering true affordability. With median income of $47,014 and rent of just $600, Pickens residents enjoy manageable housing costs relative to earnings.

Pickens ranks among Alabama's most affordable

Pickens's 15.3% rent-to-income ratio is among Alabama's best, nearly 3 percentage points below the state average of 18%. At $600 monthly rent, Pickens offers some of the state's cheapest housing without requiring poverty-level incomes to sustain affordability.

Rural affordability sweet spot

Pickens's $600 median rent ties or beats all rural counties surveyed (Perry also $610), while its 15.3% burden ratio surpasses more expensive urban areas. This combination positions Pickens as an affordability leader among smaller Alabama counties.

Pickens budgets offer financial flexibility

Pickens renters allocate just 15.3% of their $47,014 annual income—roughly $7,195 yearly—to rent, preserving over $39,800 for other necessities and savings. Homeowners pay $559 monthly toward properties valued at $123,300, supporting realistic home equity accumulation.

Pickens suits budget-conscious families

Pickens County combines low rents, reasonable incomes, and rural character, making it ideal for families prioritizing affordability and community roots over urban amenities. Remote workers and retirees will find exceptional housing value without the poverty-level incomes that plague other low-cost counties.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in Pickens County

via IncomeByCounty

Pickens trails national income levels

Pickens County's median household income of $47,014 falls 37% short of the U.S. median of $74,755—a gap of $27,741 annually. This reflects broader economic pressures in rural Alabama, though Pickens outearns some of its most challenged neighbors.

Below Alabama's median

Pickens earns 13% less than Alabama's state median of $54,196, placing it in the lower-middle range of Alabama counties. Per capita income of $26,328 also lags the state average of $29,701, indicating limited earning power across the workforce.

Pickens outearns only Monroe and Perry

Pickens's $47,014 income beats Monroe ($40,225) and Perry ($34,368) but falls short of Pike ($47,961), Randolph ($51,551), and stronger earners like Mobile and Morgan. Pickens occupies the lower-middle tier of this regional cohort, with meaningful income gaps above and below.

Excellent housing-to-income ratio

Pickens's rent-to-income ratio of 15.3% is among the lowest in the peer group, allowing households to spend less on housing and preserve income for other needs. With median home values at $123,300, homeownership is accessible and remains a realistic path to wealth-building.

Leverage low housing costs strategically

Pickens households benefit from controlled housing expenses that free up 6-8% of income compared to higher-burden counties in the group. Redirecting these savings into retirement accounts, home maintenance reserves, and modest investment accounts can generate long-term wealth despite moderate baseline income.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in Pickens County

via HealthByCounty

Pickens's health metrics reflect rural strain

Pickens County residents live to 71.5 years, just below the U.S. average of 71.5 years, signaling a population stretched by chronic disease typical of rural Alabama. One in four residents (25.6%) report poor or fair health, above the national prevalence, indicating higher burdens of preventable illness. With just 37 primary care providers per 100,000, Pickens faces provider shortages limiting preventive care and disease management capacity.

Pickens ranks mid-tier in Alabama health

Pickens County's 71.5-year life expectancy falls 0.6 years below Alabama's 72.1 state average, placing it in the lower-middle tier of county health rankings. The 25.6% poor/fair health rate sits above the state median, reflecting elevated chronic disease prevalence. Pickens's 10.5% uninsured rate runs below the state average of 11.1%, yet the county's sparse providers (37 primary care, 54 mental health per 100K) mean coverage alone cannot ensure care access.

Pickens struggles against healthier peers

Pickens's 71.5-year life expectancy trails Morgan County (72.8) and Randolph County (73.1) by over a year, marking a significant health gap in regional context. The 25.6% poor/fair health rate exceeds Pike County (21.7%) and Morgan County (21.9%), signaling worse disease burden. Pickens's 37 primary care and 54 mental health providers per 100K represent the sparsest networks among surveyed counties aside from Perry, creating barriers even for insured residents.

Provider scarcity compounds rural challenges

Pickens County's 37 primary care providers per 100,000 residents—among the state's lowest—forces residents to travel for routine care, stretching limited budgets and delaying treatment. The 25.6% poor/fair health rate and 10.5% uninsured rate (roughly 1,400 residents) reflect a small, aging population struggling with chronic disease in isolation. Mental health providers (54 per 100K) offer minimal support for the behavioral health needs of a county facing economic stress and opioid epidemics.

Pickens residents: coverage and community care

For Pickens's 1,400 uninsured residents, Medicaid and ACA coverage at healthcare.gov or 1-800-318-2596 may provide access despite provider scarcity. Leverage federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics across Alabama—call your county health department for nearby options offering sliding-scale care. With only 37 primary care doctors per 100K, insured status is critical to ensuring you can reach available providers; treat coverage as your key to accessing the healthcare your county desperately needs.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in Pickens County

via RiskByCounty

Pickens County sits below national average

Pickens County's composite risk score of 44.69 earns a 'Relatively Low' rating and falls 17 points below Alabama's state average of 61.54. This places Pickens among the nation's lower-risk counties overall.

Bottom quartile of risk in Alabama

Pickens County ranks in Alabama's lower half for disaster risk, with a 44.69 score that trails the state average significantly. Only Perry (18.83), Randolph (30.60), and a handful of other counties rank safer.

Similar risk to Pike and Monroe counties

Pickens County's 44.69 score aligns closely with Pike County (43.99) and Monroe County (48.66), creating a band of relatively low-risk counties in Alabama's south-central region. All three score well below state average and far below Montgomery's 91.83.

Tornado and earthquake deserve attention

Tornado risk (76.18) and earthquake risk (78.53) are Pickens County's primary concerns, though both remain below state average. Flood risk (41.86) and wildfire risk (27.89) pose minimal threat, while hurricane risk (69.25) reflects some distant Gulf exposure.

Standard coverage with tornado readiness

Pickens County residents should maintain standard homeowner insurance and develop a tornado safety plan given the 76.18 tornado risk. Earthquake coverage is less critical but worth reviewing; most residents won't need specialized flood insurance given the 41.86 flood score.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

🏛Property Tax🏠Cost of Living💼Income & Jobs🛡Safety❤Health🎓Schools⚡Disaster Risk💧Water Quality

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.