Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 17,666, settled in 1918. Public schools that outperform most of Alabama.
Trash day: look up yoursMuscle Shoals gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $260K, 4.2 years of the Florence metro’s $62K median household income. It grades B overall, 49th among Alabama's 187 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its crime rate is higher than 78% of U.S. towns, with 38 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. On the plus side, its public schools beat 92% of Alabama towns on state tests and graduation. Muscle Shoals is home to Northwest Shoals Community College. 24% of working residents work locally in Muscle Shoals, against 9.8% in Alabama’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Muscle Shoals has 1 place on the National Register.
Where Muscle Shoals beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| McBride Elementary School | 3–5 | 647 |
| Howell Graves Preschool | PK–K | 356 |
| Highland Park Elementary School | 1–2 | 236 |
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Northwest Shoals Community College | 3,369 |
13,146 counted in 2010 and 16,275 in 2020; an estimated 17,666 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 8.4% since 2020, after 23.8% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Muscle Shoals is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 719 in 1930, 16,275 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1796 and 3 maps from 1936 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Muscle Shoals, 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 Muscle Shoals.
Muscle Shoals pairs an A for schools with modest home prices, draws workers from Florence and beyond and looks healthier within Alabama than nationally.
11,582 jobs are based in Muscle Shoals, 1.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Muscle Shoals’ typical journey to work is 22 minutes. Roughly one working resident in four has a job in Muscle Shoals itself. Employers in Muscle Shoals added 1,586 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 11,582. In Muscle Shoals, 14% of workers do their job from home.
| Muscle Shoals | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 14% | 6.7% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
That grade comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $261K.
Below: Three of its 8 schools, each with why it was picked. The largest public high school is Muscle Shoals High School, with 864 students. The public schools here belong to the Muscle Shoals City school district.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| McBride Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 647 | A |
| Muscle Shoals High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 864 | A− |
| Muscle Shoals Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 642 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
The biggest park or preserve is John W Gattman Park, at 34 acres. Trails total 6.9 miles in 3 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in Muscle Shoals: 3, covering 80 acres.
| Muscle Shoals | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6.1% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Airport Complex | 0.5 mi | 18 |
| 2. John W Gattman Park | — | 34 |
| 3. Sportsplex | — | 28 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Reported crimes fell from 539 to 356 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Within Alabama, it does better than 51% of towns. The property offense rate for Muscle Shoals comes to 18 per 1,000 residents.
| Muscle Shoals | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 18 per 1,000 residents | 16.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.1 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
January nights average 30.5°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 94% of Alabama places with climate records; July afternoons average 90.5°.
For Muscle Shoals, the July high is 91°F. It almost never snows.
| Muscle Shoals | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 91°F | 91°F | 85°F |
| January low | 31°F | 33°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Since 1978, 37 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Muscle Shoals. Compared with 62% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage here is higher. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 37% come from inland flooding and 21% from earthquakes. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 9 declared disasters, most recently in 2023.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 2.8% in value. Among renter households in Muscle Shoals, 26% spend 30% or more of their income on rent. Homes sold in Muscle Shoals spent a median 51 days on the market.
| Muscle Shoals | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 26% | 46% | 48% |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,029 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
No age group stands out against Alabama: all are within 4 points. Muscle Shoals is growing: up 8.4% since 2020, to 17,666 residents (2025 estimate).
| Muscle Shoals | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38 years | 39.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 23% | 23% | 22% |
55% women, 45% men
About 81 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.2 points). Across Alabama, 51.4% of residents are women. Among residents 25 to 34, 60% are women (AL 51%).
| Muscle Shoals | AL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.7% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.2% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.5% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.3% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.6% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.9% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.9% | 10.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.9% | 7.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.8% | 11.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.5% | 30.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.4% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.4% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.7% | 17.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.3% | 11.1% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Within Alabama it is healthier than 73% of the 187 graded towns: much of Alabama scores lower on these measures.
For adults in Muscle Shoals, the share who have high blood pressure is 41%. Among adults here, 40% sleep under 7 hours and 13% have diabetes.
| Muscle Shoals | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 43% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 40% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 16% |
| What stands out | Muscle Shoals | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 15.1% | 19.2% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.7% | 9.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Muscle Shoals. Close and well known come first.
3 mi MuseumMuscle Shoals Sound Studio
17 mi ParkwayNatchez Trace Parkway8.0M visitors a year5 mi MuseumAlabama Music Hall of Fame
38 mi TheatrePrincess Theatre32 mi MuseumApron MuseumMuscle Shoals Sound Studio: Dailynetworks, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Natchez Trace Parkway: Carol M. Highsmith (1946–), Public domain · Princess Theatre: Chris Pruitt, CC BY-SA 3.0
3 within 15 miles of the center of Muscle Shoals
About 7 of every 100 Muscle Shoals residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Alabama.
City in the United States
Muscle Shoals is the largest city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. It is located on the left bank of the Tennessee River in the northern part of the state and, as of the 2020 census, Muscle Shoals had a population of 16,275. The estimated population in 2019 was 14,575. Both the city and the Florence–Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Area (including four cities in Colbert and Lauderdale counties) are commonly called "The Shoals". Northwest Alabama Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals serves the Shoals region.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Muscle Shoals.
| Town | AL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Shoals | #49 | B | B+ | C− | A | B− |
| Sheffield | #151 | D | A− | C | C− | D |
| Tuscumbia | #39 | B+ | B+ | A− | B− | C |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Muscle Shoals grades B overall, better than 60% of U.S. towns and #49 of 187 in Alabama. It grades B− for health, C− for safety and A for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a C−.
Within Alabama, it does better than 51% of towns.
