Jobs, pay and daily life in Phenix City, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Phenix City is a city in Alabama with 38,499 residents. The median household earns $50,053 a year and the median rent is $967 a month, which is 23.2% of the median household income. It is part of the Columbus, GA-AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 116,380 jobs.
How Phenix City compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Phenix City is #14 by population, #73 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #62 for household income (#1 = highest), #54 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Russell County, is #52 of 67 counties for average pay ($47,497).
Phenix City has 38,499 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Alabama. It covers 28 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,372 people per square mile. The median age is 35.6, 9% younger than the state median (35.6 against 39.3).
The median gross rent is $967 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% below the state median ($967 against $1,007). Over a year that is 23.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $170,300, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($50,053); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 52.4% of households own their home, 25% below the state average (52.4% against 70.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Columbus, GA-AL metropolitan area has 116,380 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $43,540 a year, 15% below the national median ($43,540 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (13,900 jobs, median $38,630); food preparation and serving related (12,600 jobs, median $27,080); sales and related (10,930 jobs, median $30,470). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.2 times) and healthcare practitioners and technical (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($101,380) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($75,270). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Russell County was 4.4%. 57.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Russell County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.9% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 0.6% walk, 10.6% work from home. 10.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 30% below the state average (10.3% against 14.7%).
23.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18% below the state share (23.2% against 28.4%). 3.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 11% below the state share (3.5% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 24.5%, 57% above the state rate (24.5% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 45°F (7.0°C). About 1,277 mm (50 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (138 mm) and Oct the driest (72 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Columbus (10 miles, rent 14% higher); Opelika (25 miles, similar rent); Valley (26 miles, rent 5% higher); Auburn (29 miles, rent 14% higher). Rent differences are against Phenix City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideRussell CountyAlabama rankings
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,060 | 1.41 | $23,300 | $19,580 | $30,670 | -25% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,580 | 1.23 | $28,180 | $21,520 | $38,550 | -20% |
| Cashiers | 2,900 | 1.25 | $26,980 | $21,250 | $31,800 | -18% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,790 | 1.10 | $82,500 | $65,090 | $101,610 | -15% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,490 | 1.13 | $36,910 | $26,060 | $46,520 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,150 | 1.02 | $31,690 | $28,260 | $45,130 | -15% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,150 | 1.10 | $37,330 | $28,450 | $48,590 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,140 | 0.81 | $82,330 | $43,430 | $208,490 | -22% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,080 | 1.22 | $20,800 | $15,080 | $43,160 | -41% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,720 | 0.93 | $37,340 | $25,990 | $52,450 | -17% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,660 | 0.52 | $28,810 | $22,480 | $44,120 | -20% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,450 | 0.88 | $30,320 | $21,610 | $38,170 | -18% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 1,440 | 1.57 | $36,180 | $27,030 | $57,430 | -18% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,430 | 1.25 | $42,970 | $28,930 | $62,910 | -13% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,400 | 1.72 | $77,540 | $38,990 | $131,760 | -7% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,340 | 1.29 | $61,360 | $47,930 | $77,070 | -4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,300 | 1.02 | $37,570 | $24,740 | $58,530 | -21% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,180 | 0.76 | $47,570 | $36,550 | $72,320 | -19% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 1,160 | 1.38 | $37,440 | $27,480 | $68,700 | -23% |
| Security Guards | 1,150 | 1.20 | $29,720 | $26,680 | $53,870 | -22% |
These figures are for the whole Columbus, GA-AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $43,540 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.0% |
| Manufacturing | 14.7% |
| Retail trade | 12.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 9.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.2% |
| Other services | 6.8% |
| Public administration | 6.3% |
| Construction | 4.7% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Phenix City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Lee County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County | 58,811 | $2,313 million | $39,322 | 14,057 | 1,202 | $47,497 | -0.1% | 4.4% | 22,768 |
| Lee County | 181,134 | $9,275 million | $51,205 | 66,643 | 4,362 | $53,394 | +2.0% | 3.4% | 92,160 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,646 | 24.1% | $67,093 | 2.29 |
| Retail trade | 1,992 | 18.1% | $31,423 | 1.42 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,832 | 16.7% | $51,069 | 0.91 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,726 | 15.7% | $18,331 | 1.35 |
| Construction | 689 | 6.3% | $61,199 | 0.93 |
| Finance and insurance | 485 | 4.4% | $57,313 | 0.85 |
| Administrative and waste services | 446 | 4.1% | $36,327 | 0.54 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 295 | 2.7% | $42,580 | 0.70 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 240 | 2.2% | $52,789 | 0.40 |
| Real estate and rental | 160 | 1.5% | $53,826 | 0.73 |
| Wholesale trade | 156 | 1.4% | $57,913 | 0.28 |
| Information | 112 | 1.0% | $64,670 | 0.43 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 49 | 0.4% | $36,612 | 0.43 |
| Utilities | 48 | 0.4% | $91,183 | 0.90 |
| Educational services | 41 | 0.4% | $26,516 | 0.14 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 32 | 0.3% | $14,024 | 0.14 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 28 | 0.3% | $81,843 | 0.53 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.9% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 0.6% |
| Work from home | 10.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,053 |
| Income per person | $29,513 |
| Median gross rent per month | $967 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.2% |
| Median home value | $170,300 |
| Homeowners | 52.4% |
| Poverty rate | 24.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 89.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $43,540 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.2% |
| Born abroad | 3.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.0 | 45 | 102 |
| Feb | 9.2 | 49 | 117 |
| Mar | 13.2 | 56 | 118 |
| Apr | 17.5 | 64 | 114 |
| May | 22.2 | 72 | 93 |
| Jun | 26.1 | 79 | 110 |
| Jul | 27.5 | 82 | 122 |
| Aug | 27.2 | 81 | 112 |
| Sep | 24.2 | 76 | 86 |
| Oct | 18.7 | 66 | 72 |
| Nov | 12.5 | 54 | 93 |
| Dec | 8.8 | 48 | 138 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | GA | 10 mi | 203,711 | $58,073 | $1,106 |
| Opelika | AL | 25 mi | 32,820 | $65,004 | $950 |
| Valley | AL | 26 mi | 10,277 | $51,661 | $1,016 |
| Auburn | AL | 29 mi | 80,594 | $63,668 | $1,098 |
| Tuskegee | AL | 38 mi | 8,938 | $38,000 | $757 |
| Eufaula | AL | 38 mi | 12,584 | $47,392 | $698 |
| LaGrange | GA | 40 mi | 32,078 | $43,708 | $1,073 |
| Americus | GA | 54 mi | 15,813 | $39,176 | $834 |
| Alexander City | AL | 62 mi | 14,606 | $47,022 | $721 |
| Pike Road | AL | 65 mi | 10,574 | $117,091 | $1,653 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
38,499 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$967 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.2% of the median household income.
$50,053 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Russell County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.