USPS - Harvest, AL 35749, 2012
Harvest’s story
121 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,922 in 1990, 5,893 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1888 on.
- 1905Harvest is settled
HarvestAL
A town of 5,955, settled in 1905. Public schools that outperform most of Alabama.
Photo: Shannon McGee · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
5,955
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$313K
+0.8% in a year
Household income
$102K
median
Median age
41.2
years
Jobs based here
526
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#8 of 187 in AL
Is Harvest a good place to live?
Harvest gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $313K for a typical one, or 3.6 years of the Huntsville metro’s $86K median household income. It grades A overall, 8th of 187 graded towns in Alabama. On the plus side, its schools rank ahead of 82% of Alabama towns. On hazard risk, just 24 of Alabama’s 308 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 76% of U.S. towns. Only 5 of Alabama’s 308 towns score lower on history.
What makes Harvest stand out
Where Harvest beats most towns.
Madison County schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Harvest School | PK–5 | 663 |
| Ford's Chapel Learning Center | PK–K | 13 |
| Sparkman Ninth Grade School | 9 | 621 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Typical home value
Harvest$313K
Alabama$239K
Cost of livingA−
More affordable than 79% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
A growing town
Harvest has grown 12% from 2010 to 2020
5,281 counted in 2010 and 5,893 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Harvest grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Harvest is from typical.
SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.8 of 20; 7.9% of households have no car; 0.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →HealthAthens Limestone Hospital 12.9 miles awayBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market52 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.2; 39% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Harvest: who provides what
Harvest is unincorporated, so Madison County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerCity of Huntsville12.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMadison County Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMadison CountyMadison County provides services here
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 hereMadison County Absentee Elections ManagerMadison County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code3574935749 99%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 Harvest.
Harvest pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices, looks healthier within Alabama than nationally and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Alabama.
SchoolsA−
Harvest’s grade for schools is an A−
Its A− for schools comes with an A− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $313K.
Its public schools are run by the Madison County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
82%of AL districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 663 | B |
| Sparkman Ninth Grade SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9 | Grades 9 | 621 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
More than half of Harvest’s working residents commute to Huntsville
Harvest has 526 jobs for its 2,571 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Harvest for work: only 1% work in town. Harvest’s median household income is $102,000, where Alabama’s towns sit at $62,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. Since 2013, Harvest has added 230 jobs, to 526 in 2023.
1%work in town
| Harvest | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 10% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Harvest1%
Huntsville58%
Madison8%
Athens3%
Decatur3%
12 mi
median commute distance
526
jobs based in Harvest
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 24% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsD
Conserved land covers 0.1% of Harvest
In the comparison, Harvest comes close to Alabama’s towns (1.2%) and below U.S. towns (4.3%). 2.2 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
#69for trails in AL
| Harvest | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.1% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.1 | 0.4 |
0.1%
conserved · 5 of 7,899 acres
2.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade A−
Harvest’s grade for cost of living is an A−
83% of households own their home in Harvest. The typical Harvest home is worth about $313,000, up 0.8% in a year, 31% above the Alabama typical home.
$313KZillow home value
Typical home value
Harvest$313K
Alabama$239K
Market temperature
52
days on market
98.6%
sale-to-list price
+0.8%
value change, 1 year
22
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Harvest, expect mild winters and hot summers
The Belle Mina 2 N weather station, 13 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 214 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 82% of Alabama places with climate records. July afternoons average 89.3°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 86% of Alabama places with climate records; January nights average 30.4°.
Harvest has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Only 8 of the 187 Alabama towns we compare have a lower January low than Harvest. The July high in Harvest is 89°F.
1″snow a winter
| Harvest | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 89°F | 91°F | 85°F |
| January low | 30°F | 33°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–53°
Spring48–72°
Summer67–88°
Fall49–73°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Mar 31
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Harvest
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Harvest since 2015.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2015
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB
Residents of Harvest are healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
Within Alabama it is healthier than 80% of the 187 graded towns: much of Alabama scores lower on these measures. Its widest gap with Alabama is tooth loss: 9.5% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 15.4% statewide.
Harvest beats the Alabama average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 12% of Harvest adults report frequent physical distress.
58%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Harvest | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 39% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 30% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 43% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
16 better15 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Harvest | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.5% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 5.6% | 8% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 75% | 78% |
Athens Limestone Hospital
12.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
80th
percentile among AL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 15 attractions →U.S. Space & Rocket Center and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Harvest. Close and well known come first.
12 mi MuseumU.S. Space & Rocket Center1.0M visitors a year13 mi Theme parkSpace City USA
16 mi MuseumBurritt on the Mountain
13 mi MuseumNorth Alabama Railroad Museum
13 mi MuseumHuntsville Museum of Art14 mi Theme parkSouthern AdventuresSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
U.S. Space & Rocket Center: formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Burritt on the Mountain: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · North Alabama Railroad Museum: Jeff Hunter from Madison, AL, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Huntsville Museum of Art: Chris Pruitt, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Harvest
17pages on Harvest
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Harvest
Oakwood UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Huntsville9.1 mi$22,512 tuitionUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleUniversity or college · Public · Huntsville11.2 mi$12,132 in-state tuitionJ. F. Drake State Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Huntsville12 mi$5,190 in-state tuition
About 9 of every 100 Harvest residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Harvest for work
Where Harvest’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
526jobs based in Harvest
1%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Harvest
Census-designated place in Alabama, United States
Harvest is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the northwestern part of Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Harvest had a population of 5,893.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 12 sq mi
- Elevation
- 833 ft
- ZIP code
- 35749
- Area code
- 256
Questions about Harvest
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Harvest, AL a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Harvest grades A overall, better than 90% of U.S. towns and #8 of 187 in Alabama. It grades B for health and A− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Harvest, AL expensive?
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−.