CoalingAlabamaFireDepartment, 2009
Coaling’s story
147 years in pictures
Census counts: 190 in 1880, 2,035 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 3 maps from 1934 on.
- 1879Coaling is settled
CoalingAL
A town of 2,003, settled in 1879.
Photo: DwayneP · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,003
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Median home value
$228K
Census ACS
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
34.1
years
Jobs based here
126
A commuter town
Is Coaling a good place to live?
The best of Coaling’s subject grades is a B+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D for walkability. Among 139 Alabama towns, just 1 have a lower violent crime rate than Coaling. Coaling's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 90% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Coaling Park, at 20 acres. Coaling has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
WeakestDWalkability
A growing town
Coaling has grown 21% since 2010
1,657 counted in 2010 and 2,035 in 2020; an estimated 2,003 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Coaling grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Coaling is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.7 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 1.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $228K, 3.7 years of the Tuscaloosa metro’s $62K median household incomeB+Open →HealthLess healthy than 66% of U.S. towns; DCH Regional Medical Center 10.5 miles awayCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →Jobs & income$81K median household income; 126 jobs based hereBOpen →SchoolsBehind 53% of Alabama districts on tests and graduationB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landC−Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Coaling: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Coaling, and how to reach them.
PowerAlabama Power17.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCoaling Water AuthorityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Coaling’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Alabama you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTuscaloosa County Circuit ClerkTuscaloosa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code3545335453 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Coaling.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Coaling has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Coaling for work: only 1% work in town. 3.7% of Coaling residents live below the poverty line, below both the Alabama town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Coaling’s average trip to work is 32 minutes.
1%work in town
| Coaling | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $81,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Coaling1%
Tuscaloosa36%
Brookwood5%
Northport4%
Bessemer4%
13 mi
median commute distance
126
jobs based in Coaling
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 14% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC
More of Coaling’s adults have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical Alabama or U.S. town
27% of Coaling adults have been diagnosed with depression, above both Alabama’s towns (24%) and U.S. towns (23%). 43% of adults have obesity in Coaling. Coaling beats the Alabama average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
34%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Coaling | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 39% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 24% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Coaling | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 11.5% | 14.8% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 3.2% | 4.1% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 74.9% | 78% |
DCH Regional Medical Center
10.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Coaling, expect mild winters and hot summers
Coaling has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Coaling is 91°F.
91°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–57°
Spring51–75°
Summer69–90°
Fall52–76°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 20
typical last frost
+0.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Coaling
Coaling's reported crime rate is well below Alabama's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Coaling0
Alabama3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Coaling5.5
Alabama15
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
11
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Coaling, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities.
52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC−
Coaling has set aside 0.7% of its land for conservation
0.9 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0.7%conserved
| Coaling | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.1 | 0.4 |
0.7%
conserved · 24 of 3,241 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Coaling Park | 0.8 mi | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B+
A home in Coaling sells for about $260K at the median
$260Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 28 attractions →Bryant–Denny Stadium and 21 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Coaling. Close and well known come first.
Big draw12 mi Stadium & arenaBryant–Denny Stadium
38 mi Stadium & arenaLegion Field
40 mi Stadium & arenaProtective Stadium
20 mi Ancient siteMoundville Archaeological Site
40 mi Stadium & arenaLegacy Arena25 mi Theme parkAlabama Adventure & Splash AdventureSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Bryant–Denny Stadium: Joel יוֹאֵל, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Legion Field: USGS, Public domain · Protective Stadium: Unknown, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Moundville Archaeological Site: Altairisfar (Jeffrey Reed), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Legacy Arena: AuburnShuffle, CC0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Coaling
19pages on Coaling
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Coaling
The University of AlabamaUniversity or college · Public · Tuscaloosa11.7 mi$12,180 in-state tuitionShelton State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tuscaloosa12.7 mi$5,127 in-state tuitionStillman CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Tuscaloosa13.8 mi$12,126 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Coaling residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Alabama.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Coaling for work
Where Coaling’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
126jobs based in Coaling
1%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Coaling
Town in Alabama, United States
Coaling is a town in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in September 1997. At the 2020 census, the population was 2,035. It is part of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 407 ft
- ZIP code
- 35449
- Area code
- 205
Questions about Coaling
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Coaling, AL expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $228,000, 4% below the Alabama typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.