Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Hamilton gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $172K, 3.4 years of the county’s $50K median household income. It grades C overall, 90th of 187 graded towns in Alabama. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 80% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and the median household income is $55K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. 33% of working residents work locally in Hamilton, where Alabama’s towns sit at 9.8% and U.S. towns at 8%. Hamilton's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 94% of U.S. towns. Ernest Baxter Fite House is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Hamilton beats most towns.
Census counts: 235 in 1900, 7,042 in 2020. The archive holds 37 old photos and papers going back to 2002 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Hamilton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hamilton, 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 Hamilton.
Hamilton trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Alabama.
Against the 7,376 U.S. towns with household incomes like Hamilton’s, it is less healthy than 61%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income. Within Alabama it is less healthy than 60% of the 187 graded towns: much of Alabama scores lower on these measures.
42% of Hamilton adults have obesity. Hamilton beats the Alabama average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 43% of Hamilton adults have high blood pressure.
| Hamilton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 39% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 43% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 24% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Hamilton | AL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.8% | 15.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Marion County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Hamilton High School, with 449 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 638 | B+ |
| Hamilton High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 449 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
Homes are within reach (about $172K for the typical one, A for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 22 miles. The median property tax bill is $338, against $788 across Alabama, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The median rent in Hamilton is $599 a month. The typical Hamilton home is worth about $172,000, up 1.4% in a year, 28% below the Alabama typical home.
| Hamilton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $599 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 70% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Hamilton 3 S weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 198 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 100% of Alabama places with climate records. January nights average 30.9°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 89% of Alabama places with climate records; July afternoons average 90.4°.
Hamilton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Hamilton’s July high is 90°F. About 1 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Hamilton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 90°F | 91°F | 85°F |
| January low | 31°F | 33°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Within Alabama, it does better than 69% of towns.
| Hamilton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14.8 per 1,000 residents | 17 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
About one in 3 of Hamilton’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Guin (4%), Winfield (3%) and Tupelo (3%).
| Hamilton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hamilton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3.4 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Sam R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area, at 518 acres.
| Hamilton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.7% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hamilton City Park | 1 mi | 66 |
| 2. Sam R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area | 0.2 mi | 518 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Hamilton; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Hamilton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
City in Alabama, United States
Hamilton is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in 1896 and since 1980 has been the county's largest city, surpassing Winfield. It was previously the largest town in 1910. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,042.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hamilton grades C overall, better than 31% of U.S. towns and #90 of 187 in Alabama. It grades C− for health, C+ for safety and B for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Within Alabama, it does better than 69% of towns.
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 A.
2 notable people were born here, including Roger Brown and Bookie Bolin.
