Montgomery, Selma suffer more population drops; Prattville, Millbrook, Pike Road growing

The U.S. Census Bureau is out with new estimates on just how much Alabama is growing.

It puts our statewide population at more than 5.1 million, as of last year. Some cities and towns are also growing, but not all.

Among Alabama’s four largest cities, everyone is falling behind Huntsville, which is up to 230,000 people. Mobile, Birmingham and Montgomery are all still losing people. Montgomery is estimated to have lost more than 4,000 people since 2020, sinking further into fourth place.

WAKA Action 8 News Graphic

Cities around Montgomery continue growing. Prattville has added 2,300 people since 2020. Millbrook and Wetumpka are also up. Pike Road has gained nearly 2,000 people, remaining the fastest-growing city on a percentage basis in our metro area.

WAKA Action 8 News Graphic

It’s a different story in West Alabama, where most cities are losing population. Selma is down by 1,500 people. It now has a population of just over 16,000, down from 20,000 as recently as 2010. Demopolis, Camden and Marion are also losing people. These four cities have lost a combined 2,500 people since 2020. The numbers are important because fewer people means lower tax collections and can mean missing out on grant money.

WAKA Action 8 News Graphic

Looking east and south from Montgomery, both Auburn and Opelika are showing sharp growth. Combined, they’ve added 10,000 people since 2020. South of Montgomery, Troy is up by a handful of people, and is now bigger than Selma. Greenville has dropped in population to below 7,000, according to the latest estimates.

WAKA Action 8 News Graphic

The fastest-growing city in Alabama is Foley, near the coast in Baldwin County. Estimates show it has gone from 20,000 to 28,000 people since 2020. It is the seventh-fastest growing city in the entire country, growing by 12% in just the past year.

SEE POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF ALABAMA