ALMap-doton-Sumiton, 2004
Sumiton’s story
102 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,334 in 1950, 2,444 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
- 1924Sumiton is settled
SumitonAL
A town of 2,511, settled in 1924.
Population
2,511
2025 Census estimate · −2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$164K
−3.8% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
40.3
years
Jobs based here
1,218
Balanced
TownGrade
C
#91 of 187 in AL
Is Sumiton a good place to live?
Sumiton gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $164K for a typical one, or 2.3 years of the Birmingham metro’s $71K median household income. It grades C overall, 91st of 187 graded towns in Alabama. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its crime rate is higher than 88% of U.S. towns, with 6 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 80% of the country. Sumiton’s property crime rate is 40.4 per 1,000 residents, above both Alabama’s towns (16.9) and U.S. towns (9.9). On walkability, just 25 of Alabama’s 308 towns do better.
What makes Sumiton stand out
Where Sumiton beats most towns.
How Sumiton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Sumiton is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for cost of living (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D for safety (better than 12%), so the C overall blends very different results.
Cost of livingA+Open →SafetyDOpen →HealthWalker Baptist Medical Center 14.5 miles awayC−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.3 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 3.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →Jobs & income$66K median household income; 1,218 jobs based hereB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksD−Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life3 library visits per resident; 3.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sumiton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sumiton, and how to reach them.
PowerAlabama Power17.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSumiton Water Works BoardNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sumiton’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 hereWalker County Circuit ClerkWalker County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP codes35148, 3506235148 86% · 35062 14%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 Sumiton.
Sumiton trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, fares better on crime within Alabama than nationally and trades workers with Birmingham and other neighbors.
SafetyD
Sumiton’s grade for safety is a D
At 46.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 69% of Alabama’s graded towns. Property crime runs at 40.4 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Alabama rate, most of it theft.
Sumiton reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 88% report less.
12%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Sumiton2.4
Alabama3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Sumiton40.4
Alabama15
U.S.15.5
12th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
31st
percentile among AL towns
6
violent crimes reported in 2025
101
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC+
Sumiton’s schools rank behind 62% of Alabama districts
Its public schools are run by the Walker County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
38%of AL districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumiton Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 720 | C |
| Sumiton Christian School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 341 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
Sumiton stands out in Alabama and nationally: a larger share of its adults have been diagnosed with depression
Within Alabama it is less healthy than 60% of the 187 graded towns: much of Alabama scores lower on these measures.
27% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Sumiton. Sumiton beats the Alabama average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 44% of adults have high blood pressure in Sumiton.
20%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Sumiton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 40% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 24% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
2 better24 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Sumiton | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.6% | 13.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 10% | 8% |
Walker Baptist Medical Center
In Jasper · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
40th
percentile among AL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A+
Sumiton’s grade for cost of living is an A+
Homes are within reach (about $164K for the typical one, A+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 22 miles. At 2.3 years of the Birmingham metro’s $71K median household income, the typical home (about $164K) costs less against local pay than in 87% of Alabama towns; that ratio is one input to its A+ for cost of living.
The typical Sumiton home is worth about $164,000, down 3.8% in a year, 31% below the Alabama typical home. The median rent in Sumiton is $850 a month.
$164KZillow home value
| Sumiton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $850 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Sumiton$164K
Alabama$239K
−3.8%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
High risk in Sumiton, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Sumiton
Sumiton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Sumiton’s July high is 91°F.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–56°
Spring50–74°
Summer69–90°
Fall52–75°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 21
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Most working residents commute out of Sumiton
Sumiton has about as many jobs (1,218) as working residents, but only 69 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Sumiton for work: only 6% work in town. 16% of Sumiton residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Birmingham (22%), Jasper (9%) and Dora (4%).
6%work in town
| Sumiton | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.4% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Sumiton6%
Birmingham22%
Jasper9%
Dora4%
Hoover4%
22 mi
median commute distance
1,218
jobs based in Sumiton
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 65% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sumiton
18pages on Sumiton
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 62% of AL districts · 3 schoolsSafetyD2.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than AL on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$164K typical home · down 3.8% in a yearWork & commuteB−$66K median household income · 1,218 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 68% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sumiton
About 4 of every 100 Sumiton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
About Sumiton
City in Alabama, United States
Sumiton is a city in Jefferson and Walker counties in the State of Alabama. It incorporated in 1952. As of the 2020 census, Sumiton had a population of 2,444.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 515 ft
- ZIP code
- 35148
- Area code
- 205
Sumiton’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Sumiton.
DoraSumiton
How the neighbors grade
Dora has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Sumiton with a neighbor →
Questions about Sumiton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sumiton, AL a good place to live?
Sumiton grades C overall, better than 30% of U.S. towns and #91 of 187 in Alabama. It grades C− for health, D for safety and C+ for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Sumiton, AL expensive?
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+.