Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Gordo’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D for walkability. Gordo’s median age is 23.8 years, below both the Alabama town median (39.2 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). On cost of living, just 4 of Alabama’s 308 towns do better. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 90% of the country. Old Jail is on the National Register of Historic Places. Gordo has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Gordo beats most towns.
Where Gordo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Gordo is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 707 in 1910, 1,628 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gordo, 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 Gordo.
47% of Gordo adults have obesity, above both Alabama’s towns (39%) and U.S. towns (35%). 48% of adults have high blood pressure in Gordo. Gordo beats the Alabama average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
| Gordo | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 39% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 43% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| What stands out | Gordo | AL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 23.9% | 19.2% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 5.1% | 4.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Pickens County school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Gordo High School, with 473 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordo Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 545 | B+ |
| Gordo High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 473 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Gordo for work: only 5% work in town. The average trip to work in Gordo is 30 minutes. Since 2013, Gordo has lost 121 jobs, to 347 in 2023.
| Gordo | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.6% | 10% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 16% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Gordo’s median rent is $528 a month. The typical Gordo home is worth about $167,000, down 3.1% in a year, 30% below the Alabama typical home. 61% of Gordo households own their home.
| Gordo | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $528 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 61% | 69% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Gordo has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 91°, January nights drop to 34° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Gordo since 1983.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Gordo's reported crime rate is well below Alabama's. Among 133 Alabama towns, just 7 have a lower property crime rate than Gordo. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Gordo | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 3.8 per 1,000 residents | 21.1 | 14.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 1.3 per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 1.9 |
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
0.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Gordo Park, at 26 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gordo Park | — | 26 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Gordo; the nearest are
About 14 of every 100 Gordo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
4 notable people were born in Gordo.
Town in Alabama, United States
Gordo is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 1,628, down from 1,750 in 2010. It was the second-largest municipality in Pickens County as of 2020, after Aliceville. The town incorporated in 1900.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
4 notable people were born here, including Charles W. Davis and Verdo Elmore.
