Homesteading in Alabama
Explore 67 counties and state-level regulations for homesteaders in Alabama.
Alabama uses a Riparian water rights system , allows county-level building code enforcement , and has constitutional carry. The effective property tax rate is 0.4%.
State Regulations
Water Rights
System: Riparian
Follows riparian doctrine. The Alabama Water Resources Act requires certificates of use for surface water withdrawals above certain thresholds.
Statute: Ala. Code § 9-10B-1 et seq.
Building Codes
Statewide IRC: No (county-level)
No mandatory statewide residential building code. Municipalities and counties may adopt codes individually.
Statute: Ala. Code § 41-9-166
Gun Laws
Open Carry: Yes
Constitutional Carry: Yes
Permitless concealed carry for persons 21 and older effective January 2023. Open carry has been legal without a permit.
Statute: Ala. Code § 13A-11-73; Ala. Code § 13A-11-75
Right to Farm
Protected: Yes
Protects agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits if the farm has been in operation for at least one year. Covers changes in ownership and farm expansion.
Statute: Ala. Code § 6-5-127
Counties in Alabama
67 counties · Click column headers to sort
| County | Population | Median Home | Property Tax | Growing Days | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autauga County | 58,761 | $191,800 | $531 | 116 | Relatively Low |
| Baldwin County | 233,420 | $266,000 | $796 | 127 | Relatively High |
| Barbour County | 24,877 | $102,700 | $398 | 119 | Relatively Low |
| Bibb County | 22,251 | $120,100 | $286 | 113 | Very Low |
| Blount County | 59,077 | $159,800 | $464 | 108 | Relatively Low |
| Bullock County | 10,328 | $87,700 | $394 | 118 | Very Low |
| Butler County | 18,981 | $94,800 | $315 | 119 | Relatively Low |
| Calhoun County | 116,162 | $140,500 | $592 | 110 | Relatively Moderate |
| Chambers County | 34,612 | $116,900 | $439 | 114 | Relatively Low |
| Cherokee County | 25,069 | $158,700 | $599 | 108 | Relatively Low |
| Chilton County | 45,140 | $136,000 | $458 | 114 | Relatively Low |
| Choctaw County | 12,669 | $101,600 | $222 | 118 | Relatively Low |
| Clarke County | 23,058 | $126,200 | $382 | 120 | Relatively Low |
| Clay County | 14,209 | $144,100 | $343 | 112 | Very Low |
| Cleburne County | 15,144 | $131,900 | $399 | 110 | Very Low |
| Coffee County | 53,559 | $162,200 | $575 | 121 | Relatively Moderate |
| Colbert County | 57,270 | $148,500 | $582 | 105 | Relatively Low |
| Conecuh County | 11,576 | $98,800 | $293 | 121 | Very Low |
| Coosa County | 10,329 | $109,500 | $278 | 114 | Very Low |
| Covington County | 37,542 | $124,300 | $329 | 123 | Relatively Moderate |
| Crenshaw County | 13,205 | $100,400 | $331 | 119 | Very Low |
| Cullman County | 88,284 | $166,000 | $414 | 108 | Relatively Moderate |
| Dale County | 49,455 | $123,800 | $408 | 121 | Relatively Low |
| Dallas County | 38,326 | $91,600 | $384 | 116 | Relatively Low |
| DeKalb County | 71,680 | $129,000 | $444 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Elmore County | 87,694 | $200,400 | $535 | 115 | Relatively Low |
| Escambia County | 36,755 | $122,000 | $460 | 124 | Relatively Moderate |
| Etowah County | 103,348 | $148,400 | $551 | 108 | Relatively Moderate |
| Fayette County | 16,297 | $112,700 | $322 | 110 | Very Low |
| Franklin County | 32,011 | $121,600 | $396 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Geneva County | 26,647 | $120,700 | $366 | 124 | Relatively Low |
| Greene County | 7,706 | $88,800 | $297 | 114 | Very Low |
| Hale County | 14,742 | $109,400 | $353 | 114 | Very Low |
| Henry County | 17,282 | $132,400 | $466 | 121 | Very Low |
| Houston County | 107,040 | $164,900 | $512 | 123 | Relatively Moderate |
| Jackson County | 52,618 | $126,900 | $441 | 105 | Relatively Low |
| Jefferson County | 672,265 | $208,900 | $1,282 | 110 | Relatively High |
| Lamar County | 13,885 | $108,200 | $256 | 110 | Very Low |
| Lauderdale County | 94,329 | $174,800 | $692 | 104 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lawrence County | 33,116 | $134,200 | $442 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Lee County | 175,126 | $224,400 | $1,106 | 115 | Relatively Low |
| Limestone County | 104,199 | $229,400 | $734 | 104 | Relatively Low |
| Lowndes County | 10,153 | $83,400 | $294 | 117 | Very Low |
| Macon County | 19,198 | $93,900 | $430 | 116 | Very Low |
| Madison County | 389,781 | $242,900 | $990 | 105 | Relatively High |
| Marengo County | 19,180 | $98,600 | $398 | 117 | Relatively Low |
| Marion County | 29,203 | $104,300 | $303 | 108 | Relatively Low |
| Marshall County | 97,923 | $165,600 | $656 | 107 | Relatively Moderate |
| Mobile County | 413,878 | $164,600 | $831 | 127 | Relatively High |
| Monroe County | 19,816 | $109,300 | $344 | 120 | Relatively Low |
| Montgomery County | 228,132 | $151,300 | $570 | 117 | Relatively Moderate |
| Morgan County | 123,102 | $174,800 | $633 | 106 | Relatively Moderate |
| Perry County | 8,479 | $81,700 | $267 | 115 | Very Low |
| Pickens County | 18,925 | $119,800 | $372 | 112 | Relatively Low |
| Pike County | 32,997 | $144,500 | $422 | 119 | Relatively Low |
| Randolph County | 22,179 | $155,000 | $428 | 112 | Very Low |
| Russell County | 58,849 | $141,900 | $619 | 117 | Relatively Low |
| St. Clair County | 91,719 | $202,000 | $603 | 110 | Relatively Low |
| Shelby County | 223,916 | $276,500 | $1,279 | 112 | Relatively Moderate |
| Sumter County | 12,196 | $88,000 | $275 | 115 | Relatively Low |
| Talladega County | 81,105 | $131,900 | $504 | 112 | Relatively Moderate |
| Tallapoosa County | 41,251 | $127,100 | $435 | 114 | Relatively Low |
| Tuscaloosa County | 231,558 | $218,800 | $722 | 112 | Relatively Moderate |
| Walker County | 64,978 | $124,100 | $333 | 110 | Relatively Moderate |
| Washington County | 15,434 | $138,100 | $329 | 121 | Relatively Low |
| Wilcox County | 10,441 | $83,200 | $267 | 118 | Very Low |
| Winston County | 23,655 | $111,600 | $352 | 108 | Relatively Low |
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