Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Childersburg grades D overall, 137th among Alabama's 187 graded towns, mostly because of health and incomes. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 96% of the country. The median household income is $52K, and 21% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, homes are within reach, about $152K for a typical one, or 2.6 years of the Talladega area’s $58K median household income. Childersburg’s property crime rate is 31.9 per 1,000 residents, where Alabama’s towns sit at 16.9 and U.S. towns at 9.9. Childersburg's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 92% of U.S. towns. Childersburg has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Kymulga Mill And Covered Bridge and Charles Butler House.
Where Childersburg beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Childersburg is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 777 in 1890, a low of 372 in 1900, 4,754 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1958 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Childersburg, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Childersburg.
Childersburg trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Alabama.
12 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Childersburg’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile.
| Childersburg | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.9 miles per square mile | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Oak grove park and walking track | — | 3 |
| 2. Sally West Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Talladega County school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Childersburg High School, with 374 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| AH Watwood Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 289 | C+ |
| Childersburg High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 374 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
50% of Childersburg adults have high blood pressure. Childersburg beats the Alabama average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 48% of Childersburg adults have obesity.
| Childersburg | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 43% | 35% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 39% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 40% | 36% |
| What stands out | Childersburg | AL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 27.6% | 19.2% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 19.7% | 13.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Homes are within reach (about $152K for the typical one, B+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 27 miles. At 2.6 years of the Talladega area’s $58K median household income, the typical home (about $152K) costs less against local pay than in 80% of Alabama towns; that ratio is one input to its B+ for cost of living.
The median rent in Childersburg is $793 a month. The typical Childersburg home is worth about $152,000, down 2.9% in a year, 36% below the Alabama typical home. 63% of households own their home in Childersburg.
| Childersburg | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 63% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $793 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Childersburg.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Childersburg Wtp weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 216 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 77% of Alabama places with climate records.
Childersburg has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 91°, January nights drop to 33° and about 1 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Childersburg for work: only 8% work in town. Jobs based in Childersburg fell to 1,565 in 2023, 258 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Birmingham (9%), Sylacauga (9%) and Hoover (4%).
| Childersburg | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Childersburg's reported crime rate is well above Alabama's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Childersburg; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Childersburg residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
3 notable people were born in Childersburg.
City in Alabama, United States
Childersburg is a city in Talladega County in the U.S. state of Alabama. It was incorporated in 1889. At the 2020 census, the population was 4,754. It has a history dating back before 1540, when it was noted as a village of the Coosa Nation visited by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. It is said a member of De Soto's crew fell ill and was left to settle in the area of present-day Childersburg where the Coosa people cared for the ill explorer. The Alabama Army Ammunition Plant, important during World War II, was located 4 miles (6 km) north of Childersburg.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Childersburg.
| Town | AL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childersburg | #137 | D | B+ | — | B | D− |
| Sylacauga | #154 | D | B+ | D | B− | D |
| Oak Grove | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Childersburg reports no FBI crime data of its own. Oak Grove isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Childersburg with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Childersburg grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns and #137 of 187 in Alabama. It grades D− for health and B for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
3 notable people were born here, including Joshua B. Lee and Zelous Wheeler.
