Dale County, AL
Housing, jobs, water, deposits and federal obligations for this county, each figure with the release it came from. Internal point 31.43, -85.61.
Assembled 2026-10-06. Read the brief.
- 21st pct · 2,414th of 3,063 US counties · median $234,566
- 34th pct · 44th of 67 Alabama counties · median $183,308
- 36th pct · 1,953rd of 3,063 US counties · median +2.9%
- 45th pct · 37th of 67 Alabama counties · median +2.2%
- 47th pct · 729th of 1,399 US counties · median $1,496
- 75th pct · 8th of 29 Alabama counties · median $1,362
- 68th pct · 1,029th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 65th pct · 24th of 67 Alabama counties · median 10,118
- 85th pct · 480th of 3,221 US counties · median $1,039
- 93rd pct · 5th of 67 Alabama counties · median $1,024
- 9th pct · 2,779th of 3,063 US counties · median 4.3
- 9th pct · 61st of 67 Alabama counties · median 3.3
Typical home value divided by the average annual wage of one covered job.
A percentile here is a min-max scaling of average rank: the smallest published value in the cohort is 0 and the largest is 100, and tied values share the average of the ranks they span. It is not the share of entities below the value, so 0 means smallest, not none below. Entities that did not publish the metric are outside the cohort entirely and are counted in neither the rank nor its denominator.
Home values #
Typical home $164,274 (Aug 2026), +1.7% over one year, +21.4% over five
- 21st pct · 2,414th of 3,063 US counties · median $234,566
- 34th pct · 44th of 67 Alabama counties · median $183,308
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Dale County, AL | $164,274 · +1.7% 1-yr |
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical value of homes in the 35th to 65th percentile, smoothed and seasonally adjusted; a model estimate of value, not a sale price. Data through Zillow Research.
Rents #
Typical rent $1,478/mo (Aug 2026), +4.7% over one year; price-to-rent 9.3
- 47th pct · 729th of 1,399 US counties · median $1,496
- 75th pct · 8th of 29 Alabama counties · median $1,362
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Dale County, AL | $1,478/mo · +4.7% 1-yr |
Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), smoothed, all homes and multifamily; price-to-rent = typical home / (typical rent × 12).
What the typical home costs to carry #
Principal and interest of $899 a month on $164,274 at 7.28%, against an average weekly wage worth $5,646 a month: 15.9% of one job’s pay.
- payment = P·r / (1 − (1+r)^−n), P = $164,274 × 80% = $131,419, r = 7.28%/12 (Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED, 2026-10-01), n = 360 → $899/mo principal and interest
- wage share = payment / (avg weekly wage $1,303 × 52 / 12 = $5,646) = 16% of one average job's pay (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all covered jobs)
- years of wages = $164,274 / ($1,303 × 52) = 2.4
- price-to-rent = $164,274 / ($1,478 × 12) = 9.3
The wage is one covered job’s average, not a household’s income, so this is the share of a single paycheque and not a mortgage underwriting ratio.
Estimate. Principal and interest on the typical home with 20% down over 30 years at this week's Freddie Mac average rate; compared with the average weekly wage of all jobs covered by unemployment insurance in the area (BLS QCEW), which is pay per job, not household income.
Jobs & wages #
17,242 jobs at 1,175 employers (2026 Q1); -5.1% jobs and +4.4% average weekly wage over the year
- 68th pct · 1,029th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 65th pct · 24th of 67 Alabama counties · median 10,118
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Dale County, AL | 17,242 jobs · $1,303/wk · -5.1% YoY |
| NAICS sector | Jobs | Avg weekly wage | Location quotient | Jobs over the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,861 | $1,775 | 2.78 | -4.3% |
| Retail trade | 1,337 | $629 | 0.80 | -1.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,217 | $726 | 0.47 | -6.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,040 | $397 | 0.67 | -7.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,021 | $1,514 | 1.40 | -11.4% |
| Educational services | 833 | $2,345 | 2.25 | +13.3% |
| Construction | 602 | $1,169 | 0.67 | -8.1% |
| Administrative and waste services | 573 | $1,241 | 0.58 | -2.1% |
| Other services | 218 | $723 | 0.42 | -5.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 190 | $1,288 | 0.27 | -13.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 179 | $628 | 0.27 | +2.3% |
| Real estate and rental | 155 | $922 | 0.59 | -1.3% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, all ownerships, total covered employment in the quarter's third month; over-the-year changes as published. Suppressed cells stay blank.
Drought #
D0 abnormally dry
Sites found: 5, searched within 0 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 0 km away are not.
US Drought Monitor current week; the highest class of any polygon containing the point.
Reservoirs #
3 USGS reservoir gauges, no capacity figures to weight
Sites found: 3, searched within 150 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 150 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER NEAR COLUMBIA, AL | 102.7 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 51 km |
| WALTER F. GEORGE RESERVOIR NEAR FORT GAINES, GA | 189.1 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 56 km |
| LAKE SEMINOLE NEAR CHATTAHOOCHEE, FL | 77.3 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 107 km |
Σ(capacity × percent full) / Σ capacity over TWDB reservoirs within 150 km. Texas only; elsewhere USGS reservoir elevation/storage is listed without a capacity to normalise by.
Stream gauges #
15 gauges · 0 flooding · 3 with quality panels averaging 83 % · 1 stale
Sites found: 15, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER NEAR NEWTON, AL. | flow 1,650 ft³/s | 10 km |
| PEA RIVER NEAR ARITON AL | flow 1,360 ft³/s | 25 km |
| CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER NEAR BELLWOOD AL | flow 2,790 ft³/s | 34 km |
| PEA RIVER AT ELBA, AL. | stage 4.12 ft | 43 km |
| CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER NEAR GENEVA, ALABAMA | stage 4.84 ft | 49 km |
| CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER AT MILE 46 NEAR COLUMBIA, ALA | flow 2,600 ft³/s · quality 100 % (3) | 52 km |
| CHATTAHOOCHEE R BELOW WFG DAM AB FT. GAINES, GA | stage 103.1 ft | 56 km |
| CHATTAHOOCHEE R .36 MI DS WFG DAM NR FT GAINES, GA | flow 982.0 ft³/s · quality 100 % (3) | 56 km |
| CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER NR PITTMAN, FLA. | flow 1,540 ft³/s · quality 50 % (1) | 58 km |
| PEA RIVER NEAR SAMSON AL | flow 1,940 ft³/s | 58 km |
USGS latest readings screened against EPA freshwater criteria (DO ≥ 5 mg/L, pH 6.5–9, conductance, turbidity, temperature); NWS flood categories where a NWPS gauge is co-located.
Groundwater #
9 wells in 0 named aquifers:
Sites found: 9, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| USGS-305828085350901 | depth 13.2 ft · 1968-07-01 | 51 km |
| USGS-305353085273101 | depth 72.5 ft · 1973-05-03 | 61 km |
| USGS-305202085452901 | depth -9.70 ft · 1972-05-05 | 64 km |
| USGS-312827084551501 | depth 195.3 ft · 2026-10-05 | 65 km |
| USGS-312827084551503 | depth 75.9 ft · 2026-10-05 | 66 km |
| USGS-311319086153601 | depth 13.8 ft · 2026-10-04 | 66 km |
| USGS-305014085483701 | depth -4.30 ft · 1973-05-03 | 69 km |
| USGS-305119085561901 | depth 206.8 ft · 1973-05-09 | 71 km |
USGS latest daily water levels. A single latest reading says where the table is, not which way it is moving; select a well for its 365-day trace.
Water stress #
low (0.06)
Σ wᵢ·termᵢ / Σ wᵢ = 0.35×0.00 + 0.2×0.17 / 0.55
Banks & federal dollars #
$467.4 m in deposits at 7 offices of 6 banks (SOD June 2026); HHI 2,508, highly concentrated. $1.1 bn federal obligations in FY2026 (contracts $756.2 m, direct payments $375.9 m), $66,433 per covered job
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | $167.8 m · 35.9% share · 1 office | |
| The Commercial Bank Of Ozark | $107.6 m · 23.0% share · 2 offices | |
| Pinnacle Bank | $102.6 m · 22.0% share · 1 office | |
| Dale, AL | $1.1 bn FY2026 · $66,433/job | |
| M1 SUPPORT SERVICES, L.P. | $438.2 m · top recipient FY2026 |
| Institution | Deposits | Share | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | $167,806,000 | 35.9% | 1 |
| The Commercial Bank Of Ozark | $107,586,000 | 23.0% | 2 |
| Pinnacle Bank | $102,646,000 | 22.0% | 1 |
| PeoplesSouth Bank | $63,741,000 | 13.6% | 1 |
| Friend Bank | $20,859,000 | 4.5% | 1 |
| Troy Bank & Trust Company | $4,793,000 | 1.0% | 1 |
Deposit concentration is 2,508 across 6 banks, which the 1995 Department of Justice bank merger screen calls highly concentrated.
HHI = Σ (share %)² over 6 banks with deposits in the county = 35.9² + 23.0² + 22.0² + … (3 more) = 2,508
FDIC Summary of Deposits: deposits at every insured office as of June 30, annual; HHI is the sum of squared county deposit shares (DOJ 1995 bank merger screen: 1000 / 1800). USAspending: obligations by place of performance for the latest complete federal fiscal year (Oct 1 to Sep 30), what agencies committed, not what they paid out; recipients are legal entities. Per-job divides obligations by BLS QCEW covered employment.
Federal obligations #
USAspending place-of-performance obligations for FY2026, by awarding agency.
| Awarding agency | Obligations |
|---|---|
| Department of Defense | $753,402,154 |
| Social Security Administration | $255,724,025 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $111,452,051 |
| Department of Transportation | $9,789,575 |
| Department of Housing and Urban Development | $7,827,952 |
| Department of Agriculture | $5,913,106 |
| Railroad Retirement Board | $833,181 |
| Department of Homeland Security | $258,925 |
| Federal Communications Commission | $88,601 |
| Department of Education | $80,436 |
| Department of Health and Human Services | $40,121 |
| General Services Administration | $19,950 |
That is $66,433 per covered job, against 17,242 jobs in the 2026 Q1 QCEW quarter.
per job = FY2026 obligations $1.1 bn / 17,242 covered jobs (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all ownerships) = $66,433
USAspending obligations are recorded where the work is performed, so a prime award performed here is counted here even when the recipient is headquartered elsewhere. Recipients are legal entities, never people.
National context, not this county #
These are United States, single-gauge, single-state and port series. None of them is keyed to this county.
| Series | Latest | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River at Memphis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Mississippi River at St. Louis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Ohio River at Louisville, stage · ft | 12.28 | 2026-10-04 | -0.1% |
| Missouri River at St. Joseph, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Colorado River below Hoover Dam, flow (Hoover releases) · ft³/s | 5,170.00 | 2026-02-05 | -25.3% |
| Texas reservoirs, statewide percent full · % | 72.60 | 2026-10-05 | +0.1% |
| Laredo truck crossings, monthly · trucks | 258,700.00 | 2026-08-01 | -0.4% |
| Los Angeles + Long Beach container volume, annual · TEU | 10,513,167.00 | 2023-01-01 | -13.5% |
| Containerships waiting for a berth, all US ports · ships | 6.00 | 2026-09-22 | -14.3% |
| Shanghai to Los Angeles container rate · $ per 40 ft box | 6,830.00 | 2026-08-01 | +7.4% |
| US diesel retail price · $ per gallon | unavailable | not published | |
| WTI crude oil, spot · $ per barrel | 96.16 | 2026-09-29 | -3.2% |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate · % | 7.28 | 2026-10-01 | +3.6% |
| Housing starts, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,275.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.6% |
| Building permits, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,403.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.1% |
| Case-Shiller US home price index · index, Jan 2000 = 100 | 337.31 | 2026-07-01 | +0.1% |
| Unemployment rate · % | 4.20 | 2026-09-01 | +2.4% |
| US goods and services trade balance, monthly · $ millions | -88,576.00 | 2026-07-01 | -24.4% |
| Retail sales excluding food services, monthly · $ millions | 646,347.00 | 2026-08-01 | +1.1% |
The indicator registry has no county-keyed series and no geographic selection: every entry is national, a named gauge, a single state or a port. They are here as the backdrop the county's own numbers move against, and they are never this county's readings.
What changed #
Dale County, AL: 15 findings, 1 at an alert level, 2 at a watch level and 12 noted
alertDale County, AL's covered employment is -5.1% against a year earlier, an alert level here: covered employment at least 3 percent below the same quarter a year earlier (BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- test: jobs.yoy.emp = -5.1 <= -3
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level
watchDale County, AL's covered employment is -5.1% against a year earlier, a watch level here: covered employment below the same quarter a year earlier (BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- test: jobs.yoy.emp = -5.1 < 0
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; not an official level
watchDale County, AL's typical asking rent is -2.8% against the previous month, a watch level here: typical asking rent at least 1 percent below the previous month (arithmetic on the Zillow ZORI month columns; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026-08.Show the arithmetic
- test: rent.momPct = -2.7660399051981197 <= -1
- month-over-month percent change = (newest month − previous month) / |previous month| × 100, from Zillow's own published month columns
arithmetic on the Zillow ZORI month columns; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level
noteDale County, AL's covered employment was 5.1% lower than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- -5.1 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
noteDale County, AL's average weekly wage was 4.4% higher than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- +4.4 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
Read all 12 findings in the full brief
Every finding is produced by a fixed rule table and a fixed sentence for each rule. Nothing here is generated prose.