Gadsden is a city in and the county seat of Etowah County, Alabama, United States. The population was 33,945 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 33,367 in 2025, making it is the eighteenth-largest city in Alabama.
It is located on the Coosa River about northeast of Birmingham, southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and southeast of Huntsville.
In the 19th century, Gadsden was Alabama's second-most important center of commerce and industry, trailing only the seaport of Mobile. The two cities were important shipping centers: Gadsden for riverboats and Mobile for international trade.
From the late 19th century through the 1980s, Gadsden was a center of heavy industry, including the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Republic Steel. In 1991, following more than a decade of sharp decline in industry, Gadsden was awarded the honor of All-America City by the National Civic League.
History The first substantial European-American settlement in the area that developed as Gadsden was a village called "Double Springs". It was founded in about 1825 by John Riley, a mixed-race American Indian and European-American settler who built his house near two springs. Riley used his house for a stagecoach stop on the Huntsville-to-Rome route. The original building still stands as the oldest in Gadsden.
The house was purchased by brothers Gabriel and Asenath Hughes in 1840. The Hughes brothers purchased much of the land between Lookout Mountain, the Coosa River, and the mouth of Wills Creek. The brothers proposed constructing a railroad from the port of Savannah to Nashville, Tennessee through their land. The original survey of Gadsden included the Hughes brothers' land, plus that of John S. Moragne and Lewis L. Rhea.
On July 4, 1845, Captain James Lafferty piloted the steamboat Coosa to the settlement. He landed near the site where the Memorial Bridge was built. The Hughes brothers suggested renaming the town as "Lafferty's Landing", but residents adopted "Gadsden" in honor of Colonel James Gadsden of South Carolina. He later was noted for negotiating the United States' Gadsden Purchase from Mexico.
In 1867, after the American Civil War, the legislature organized Baine County; Gadsden was incorporated and made the county seat. After a constitutional convention, the new legislature dissolved Baine County in 1868 and renamed it as Etowah County. Gadsden retained its standing as county seat.
By the late 19th century, Gadsden had developed as a major river port on the Coosa River, and was second to Mobile, a seaport on the Gulf Coast, in importance. It also developed as a center of heavy industry.
20th century to present With unionization, industrial workers could earn middle-class salaries and improve their lives, even as African Americans struggled under Jim Crow laws and political disenfranchisement. The city reached its peak of population in 1960.
Affected by the national restructuring of railroads and heavy industry, most of Gadsden's major industries closed in the 1970s and 1980s. The city lost many jobs and much population and began to decline. The city government has struggled to manage the transition to a different economy, just as numerous other industrial cities had to do.
Redevelopment efforts, such as the Cultural Arts Center and downtown revitalization, earned Gadsden first place in the 2000 City Livability Awards Program of the US Conference of Mayors. Underemployment continues to be a severe problem, as indicated by the economic data presented below.
Geography Gadsden is located in central Etowah County and developed on both sides of the Coosa River. The southern end of Lookout Mountain rises to the north of the city center.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and (3.14%) is water.
Climate Typical of the Deep South, Gadsden experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with four distinct seasons.
Winter lasts from early December to late-February; the daily average temperature in January is . On average, the low temperature falls to the freezing mark or below on 60 days a year, and to or below on 6.9 days. While rain is abundant (January and February are on average the wettest months), measurable snowfall is rare, with most years receiving none. Summers are hot and humid, lasting from mid-May to mid-September, and the July daily average temperature is . There are 60–61 days of + highs annually and 2.1 days of + highs. The latter part of summer tends to be drier. Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early December, tends to be similar to spring in terms of temperature and precipitation, although it begins relatively dry.
With a period of record dating only back to 1953, the highest recorded temperature was on June 30, 2012, while the lowest recorded temperature was on January 20–21, 1985.
Demographics
According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of July 31, 2026, in Gadsden was $116,676.
As of the 2024 American Community Survey, there were 12,746 estimated households in Gadsden with an average of 2.53 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $40,345. Approximately 28.1% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Gadsden has an estimated 48.0% employment rate, with 15.5% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 82.2% holding a high school diploma. There were 16,513 housing units at an average density of .
The top five reported languages (people were allowed to report up to two languages, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (92.1%), Spanish (6.9%), Indo-European (0.5%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.2%), and Other (0.3%).
The median age in the city was 38.6 years.
Racial and ethnic composition +Gadsden city, Alabama – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)35,46130,03124,01620,63117,19874.55%70.62%61.61%55.98%50.66%Black or African American alone (NH)11,66811,96413,18813,30012,00224.53%28.14%33.83%36.09%35.36%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1025710894920.21%0.13%0.28%0.26%0.27%Asian alone (NH)1073002062002730.22%0.71%0.53%0.54%0.80%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census24269xx0.06%0.07%0.03%Other race alone (NH)24422391280.05%0.01%0.06%0.11%0.38%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census3755801,505xx0.96%1.57%4.43%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2031671,0391,9862,7380.43%0.39%2.67%5.39%8.07%Total47,56542,52338,97836,85633,945 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, there were 33,945 people, 14,141 households, and 8,411 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 16,730 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 51.68% White, 35.68% African American, 1.24% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.90% from some other races and 5.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 8.07% of the population.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 36,856 people, 15,171 households, and 9,183 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 17,672 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 57.30% White, 36.25% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 3.19% from some other races and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.39% of the population.
There were 15,171 households, out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.9% were married couples living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,386, and the median income for a family was $34,643. Males had a median income of $33,827 versus $27,342 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,610. About 20.2% of families and 24.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.9% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 38,978 people, 16,456 households, and 10,252 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 18,797 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 62.69% White, 34.00% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.22% from some other races and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.67% of the population.
There were 16,456 households, out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,823, and the median income for a family was $31,740. Males had a median income of $29,400 versus $19,840 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,610. About 18.1% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.9% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.
Employment
Top employers According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:
Number Company/Organizations Employees 1 Gadsden Regional Medical Center 1,312 2 Etowah County Board of Education 1,275 3 Koch Foods 1,040 4 Riverview Regional Medical Center 789 5 Walmart 750 6 Gadsden City Schools 693 7 City of Gadsden 658 8 Gadsden State Community College 553 9 Keystone Foods 512 10 Feher Automotive 434
Citing statistics from the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations and the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama, the Gadsden-Etowah County Industrial Development Authority reports that approximately 12,000 residents of Etowah County were underemployed and 2,179 residents were unemployed as of 2008.
Religion Gadsden houses numerous churches: Episcopalian, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Church of Christ, Pentecostal, Catholic, Church of the Nazarene, and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The city was home to Congregation Beth Israel, a Reform synagogue founded in 1908. In a 1960 attack, the synagogue was fire-bombed, its windows smashed, and two members shot and wounded by a Nazi sympathizer.Webb, Clive. Fight Against Fear: Southern Jews and Black Civil Rights, University of Georgia Press, 2001, pp. 142-143. Because of declining numbers as some members moved away and others died, the congregation ceased operations in 2010.
Southern gospel quartets Mark Trammell Quartet and Gold City are based in Gadsden.
Law enforcement