City Town Info

Fort Payne, AL


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Fort Payne, Alabama

Introduction to Fort Payne, Alabama

Fort Payne, Alabama is 47 miles SW of Chattanooga, Tennessee (center to center) and 89 miles NW of Atlanta, Georgia. It is in De Kalb County. The population of the city is 12,938.

Fort Payne History

Fort Payne was originally inhabited by the Cherokee Indians and known as the village of Willstown. Sequoyah, the inventor of the Cherokee syllabary, also resided in this area for some time. Later on, the area was renamed after a fort that was built along the Trail of Tears in the 1830s. The fort was named after Major John Payne. The city became the county seat of DeKalb County in 1878. Fort Payne was incorporated in 1889.

Fort Payne and nearby Attractions

  • Fort Payne Depot Museum
  • Little River Canyon National Preserve
  • DeSoto State Park
  • Lookout Mountain Wild Animal Park
  • Cloudland Canyon State Park
  • Russell Cave National Monument

Things To Do In Fort Payne

You can visit the Fort Payne Boom Town Historic District and Fort Payne Residential Historic District while staying in the city. It is also worth visiting the Alabama Fan Club and Museum. Golf lovers can enjoy their leisure hours at the Terrapin Hills Golf Estates. The Little River Canyon National Preserve, Fort Payne Depot Museum, and DeSoto State Park are also ideal for spending a family day out.

Fort Payne Transportation

Air transportation is available from Richard B Russell Airport.

Fort Payne Higher Education

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Gadsden State Community College, University of Alabama in Huntsville, and several other colleges and universities offer higher educational facilities.

High Points

Fort Payne strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Alabama):

CategoryTrophy
Short Commute Times
(vs. State)		Top 2%trophyFort Payne Short Commute Times
Affordability of Property Taxes
(vs. Peers)		Top 2%trophyFort Payne Affordability of Property Taxes
Racial Diversity
(vs. State)		Top 8%Fort Payne Racial Diversity
Affordability of Rents
(vs. Peers)		Top 19%Fort Payne Affordability of Rents

Comparative Profile of Fort Payne, AL

Comparing Fort Payne to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Alabama (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Racial Diversity810
Senior Citizens76
Female Share of the Population64
Male Share of the Population57
Children Under 5 Years Old56
Age of the Population54
Well-Paid Single Men38
Well-Paid Single Women37

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Portion of People Married67
Average Household Size56

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
People Above Poverty48
People in Middle Class or Better48
Median Family Income37
College Educated Adults37

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Short Commute Times910
Working at Home47
Public Transportation Use37
Walking and Biking to Work25

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Affordability of Property Taxes104
Affordability of Rents94
Seasonal and Vacation Housing88
Housing Recently Built75
People Living Alone54
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals37

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Low Violent Crime56
Low Property Crime34

Detailed pages on related topics: Fort Payne travel.

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Additional Details

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Fort Payne hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.

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