Holt Lock & Dam, Warrior River
Holt’s story
Holt in pictures
Census counts: 2,453 in 1950, 3,413 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers and 4 maps from 1934 on.
Explore the history →HoltAL
A town of 3,629.
Population
3,629
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$127K
Census ACS
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
34.1
years
Jobs based here
386
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#120 of 187 in AL
Is Holt a good place to live?
Holt gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $127K for a typical one, or 2.1 years of the Tuscaloosa metro’s $62K median household income. It grades C− overall, 120th of 187 graded towns in Alabama. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 98% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and the median household income is $49K, and 21% of residents live below the poverty line. On hazard risk, just 25 of Alabama’s 308 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 68% of U.S. towns. Only 2 of the 187 Alabama towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Holt.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Holt for work
Where Holt’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
386jobs based in Holt
1%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Holt grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Holt is from typical.
HealthDCH Regional Medical Center 3 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & income386 jobs based hereDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 6.2% of households have no car; 1.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 42% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
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.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Holt: who provides what
Holt is unincorporated, so Tuscaloosa County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAlabama Power17.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTuscaloosa Water & Sewer2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesTuscaloosa CountyTuscaloosa 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 hereTuscaloosa County Circuit ClerkTuscaloosa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code3540435404 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 Holt.
Holt has homes that are cheap against local pay and sends most of its workers to Tuscaloosa and beyond, but it has little public open land.
HealthD−
A larger share of adults in Holt worry about having enough food than in the typical Alabama or U.S. town
Holt: 20% of adults report frequent mental distress. Among 187 Alabama towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Holt. 52% of adults have obesity locally, above both the Alabama town median (39%) and the median of U.S. towns (35%).
2%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Holt | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 23% | 19% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 52% | 39% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 40% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
1 better8 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Holt | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.9% | 8.2% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 20.5% | 9.6% |
DCH Regional Medical Center
3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
3rd
percentile among AL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Holt’s public schools trail 53% of Alabama districts
Its one school is below. Enrollment at Holt’s public school: 448 students.
47%of AL districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holt Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 448 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About two in five of Holt’s working residents commute to Tuscaloosa
Holt has 386 jobs for its 1,292 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Half of commuters travel less than 7 miles. The share of working residents in Holt who work locally: 0.9%. Its typical household income is $49,000, where Alabama’s towns sit at $62,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. The top destinations are Tuscaloosa (40%), Northport (9%) and Birmingham (5%).
1%work in town
| Holt | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.9% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Holt1%
Tuscaloosa40%
Northport9%
Birmingham5%
Brookwood2%
7 mi
median commute distance
386
jobs based in Holt
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 32% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
91°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–57°
Spring51–76°
Summer69–90°
Fall53–76°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Mar 18
typical last frost
+0.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Natural hazards: moderate risk in Holt, mostly inland flooding
Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 58% of U.S. communities. Just over two fifths of Holt’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 27%. Flood insurance has paid out on 3 claims locally since 1979.
42risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
3
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsD
Holt has set aside 0.2% of its land for conservation
Just 3 of its 2,023 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Holt itself; its outdoors grade is D.
There are 0.1 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. Holt has one park or preserve, 3 acres in all.
0.2%conserved
0.2%
conserved · 3 of 2,023 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Evans-Roshell Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade A−
A home in Holt sells for about $150K at the median
At 2.1 years of the Tuscaloosa metro’s $62K median household income, the typical home costs less against local pay than in 91% of Alabama towns; that ratio is one input to its A− for cost of living. The median property tax bill is $223, against $788 across Alabama, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Nearly three in five households are owner-occupiers in Holt. The town’s typical rent comes in at $1,012 a month.
$150Kmedian sale price
| Holt | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,012 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 27 attractions →Bryant–Denny Stadium and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Holt. Close and well known come first.
Big draw4 mi Stadium & arenaBryant–Denny Stadium
18 mi Ancient siteMoundville Archaeological Site30 mi Theme parkAlabama Adventure & Splash Adventure
4 mi MuseumAlabama Museum of Natural History
5 mi MuseumTuscaloosa Museum of Art
24 mi MuseumTannehill IronworksSources: 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 · Moundville Archaeological Site: Altairisfar (Jeffrey Reed), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Alabama Museum of Natural History: Skusnr, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tuscaloosa Museum of Art: Kthurman83, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tannehill Ironworks: Dystopos, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Holt
18pages on Holt
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Holt
The University of AlabamaUniversity or college · Public · Tuscaloosa3.8 mi$12,180 in-state tuitionStillman CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Tuscaloosa6.3 mi$12,126 tuitionShelton State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tuscaloosa8.8 mi$5,127 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Holt residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
About Holt
Census-designated place & Unincorporated community in Alabama, United States
Holt is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 3,413. It is part of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 381 ft
- Area code
- 205
Holt’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Holt.
TuscaloosaHolt
How the neighbors grade
| Town | AL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holt | #120 | C− | A− | — | B− | D− |
| Tuscaloosa | #143 | D | C+ | D | C | C |
Holt reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Holt with a neighbor →
Questions about Holt
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Holt, AL a good place to live?
Holt grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #120 of 187 in Alabama. It grades D− for health and B− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Holt, AL expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $127,000, 47% 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 A−.