Powell-Fire-Department-al, 2017
Powell’s story
56 years in pictures
Census counts: 474 in 1970, 901 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2017 and 4 maps from 1936 on.
- 1970Powell is settled
PowellAL
A town of 946, settled in 1970.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
946
2025 Census estimate · +4% since 2020
Typical home
$191K
+10.6% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
36.9
years
Jobs based here
401
Balanced
Is Powell a good place to live?
31% of residents live below the poverty line in Powell, above both Alabama’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 188 Alabama towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Powell. Powell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
946 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
RainsvillePowell
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Powell: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Powell, and how to reach them.
PowerSand Mountain Electric Coop13.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSection & Dutton, Water Works Bd. ofNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Powell’s trash rules yet
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 hereDeKalb County Circuit ClerkDeKalb County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP codes35971, 3598635971 81% · 35986 18%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 Powell.
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Powell
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Powell, expect mild winters and pleasant summers
Powell has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. At 31°F, Powell’s January low is near the Alabama town median (33°F) and above the median of U.S. towns (22°F).
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–52°
Spring48–71°
Summer66–86°
Fall49–72°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 2
typical last frost
+0.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
A typical Powell home is worth about $191K
The typical Powell home is worth about $191,000, up 10.6% in a year, 20% below the Alabama typical home.
$191KZillow home value
| Powell | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $931 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Powell$191K
Alabama$239K
+10.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
About one in nine working residents works right in Powell
Most working residents leave Powell for work: only 11% work in town. The average trip to work in Powell is 22 minutes. The top destinations are Fort Payne (15%), Rainsville (11%) and Huntsville (11%).
11%work in town
| Powell | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Powell11%
Fort Payne15%
Rainsville11%
Huntsville11%
Scottsboro9%
13 mi
median commute distance
401
jobs based in Powell
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Powell
22 crimes were reported in Powell in 2024: 21 property and 1 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Powell is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
1
violent crimes reported in 2024
21
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Powell is
Powell beats the Alabama average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 19% of adults smoke cigarettes in Powell. Only 7 of the 188 Alabama towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Powell.
| Powell | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 24% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 40% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 43% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
0 better29 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Powell | AL |
|---|---|---|
| More smokers | 18.9% | 15.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.4% | 8% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 51.8% | 56.9% |
Dekalb Regional Medical Center
10.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 3,066 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Powell City Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Powell
18pages on Powell
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Powell
About 1 of every 100 Powell residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
About Powell
Town in Alabama, United States
Powell is a town in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 901. Powell is located atop Sand Mountain. Originally incorporated as Powell's Crossroads in the 1960s, it had shortened its name to Powell by the 1990 U.S. Census. Northeast Alabama Community College is located on the northwest border of the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,132 ft
Questions about Powell
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Powell, AL a good place to live?
Powell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.