Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A typical home costs 2 years of the Tuscaloosa metro’s $62K median household income.
The best of Reform’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 44% of residents live below the poverty line in Reform, where Alabama’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. On incomes, just 4 of Alabama’s 306 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 88% of U.S. towns. Reform's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 96% of U.S. towns. Reform has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Reform beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Reform | AL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.6% | 15.4% |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Reform is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 198 in 1900, a peak of 2,245 in 1980, 1,520 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1967 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Reform, 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 Reform.
50% of Reform adults have obesity, against 39% in Alabama’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 20% of Reform adults have diabetes. Among 188 Alabama towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Reform.
| Reform | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 39% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 53% | 43% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 16% |
| What stands out | Reform | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.7% | 14.1% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.9% | 78% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.6% | 15.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Pickens County school district. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reform Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 174 | C− |
| Pickens County High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 5–12 | Grades 5–12 | 265 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
The median rent in Reform is $400 a month. The typical Reform home is worth about $123,000, down 2.4% in a year, 48% below the Alabama typical home. 55% of households own their home in Reform.
| Reform | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $400 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 55% | 69% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Reform has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Reform’s July high is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Reform.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Reform for work: only 8% work in town. Only 7 of the 187 Alabama towns we compare have a lower median household income than Reform. The top destinations are Tuscaloosa (16%), Northport (5%) and Birmingham (3%).
| Reform | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $34,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Reform's reported crime rate is below Alabama's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2024.
| Reform | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 12.5 per 1,000 residents | 19.5 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 2.1 per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 1.7 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
3.4 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Reform City Park | 0.2 mi | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Reform; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Reform residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
1,702 counted in 2010 and 1,520 in 2020; an estimated 1,432 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
5 notable people were born in Reform.
City in Alabama, United States
Reform (; REE-form) is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 1,702, down from 1,978 in 2000. It is located approximately halfway between Columbus, Mississippi and Tuscaloosa on U.S. Route 82.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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.
5 notable people were born here, including Michael Williams and Andrew F. Fox.
