Groundbreaking for Wastewater Collection and Treatment Plant in, 2013
Section’s story
128 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2013.
- 1898Section is settled
SectionAL
A town of 779, settled in 1898.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
779
2025 Census estimate · +2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$192K
−2.6% in a year
Household income
$48K
median
Median age
43.3
years
Jobs based here
241
Balanced
Is Section a good place to live?
Section has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
779 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Section: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Section, 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
Internet5 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Section’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 hereJackson County Circuit ClerkJackson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code3577135771 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 Section.
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Alabama overall
The age of the median resident for Section comes to 43.3 years. Adults 18 to 34 are 11% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 44% of residents (38% statewide). Four-year graduates: just over a fifth of adults 25 and older here, 28% across Alabama. The town is growing: up 2.6% since 2020, to 779 residents (2025 estimate).
43.3median age · AL 39.3
| Section | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 years | 39.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 21% | 23% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 18% | 18% |
SectionAlabamaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma25%
High school33%
Some college14%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s8%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
44% women, 56% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9.3 points. Across Alabama, 51.4% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 80% are men (AL 49%).
| Section | AL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 16.2% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.5% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.4% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 18.5% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.1% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.4% | 10.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.6% | 7.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 25% | 11.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.4% | 30.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.8% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.2% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 7.7% | 17.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13% | 11.1% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
Schools
The schools Section’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Jackson County school district. The largest public high school is Section High School, with 503 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 503 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Section has mild winters and pleasant summers
Only one of the 188 Alabama towns we compare has a lower July high than Section. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 31° and about 1 inches of snow falls in a winter.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–52°
Spring49–70°
Summer66–86°
Fall50–71°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
The typical home in Section: about $192K
Home values are down 2.6% over the year to September 2026. Nearly four in five households own their home in Section, against 69% in Alabama’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
$192KZillow home value
Typical home value
Section$192K
Alabama$239K
−2.6%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Section stands out in Alabama and nationally, with the average trip to work longer than most
Employers in Section added 37 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 241. Just over a fifth of residents live below the poverty line locally, where Alabama’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The town’s typical household income stands at $48,000. Most people who work leave Section to do it: just 4% work in town.
4%work in town
| Section | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Section4%
Scottsboro24%
Fort Payne12%
Huntsville11%
Rainsville6%
18 mi
median commute distance
241
jobs based in Section
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Section is
14% of adults binge drink in Section. Against the Alabama average, Section comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 5. Among adults locally, 17% report frequent physical distress and 16% have diabetes. Only 8 of the 188 Alabama towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Section.
| Section | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 43% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 12% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
2 better25 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Section | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.1% | 13.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.6% | 8% |
Highlands Medical Center
6.5 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Section is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
Federal aid has come to Section households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2011. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 37% come from inland flooding and 25% from tornadoes.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 2,920 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Weathington Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Section
18pages on Section
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Section
About 1 of every 100 Section residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
About Section
Town in Alabama, United States
Section is a town in Jackson County, Alabama, United States and is included in the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Section had a population of 756. Section is located on top of Sand Mountain.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,345 ft
- ZIP code
- 35771
- Area code
- 0039 051
Questions about Section
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Section, AL a good place to live?
Section has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.