Moving to Geraldine, Alabama

Geraldine, Alabama is located in Dekalb County and is home to a population of 1,400. This small town has a total land area of 3.3 square miles and is situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The climate in Geraldine is characteristic of the South; hot summers and mild winters with occasional snowfall.

The history of Geraldine dates back to the early 1800s when settlers first moved into the area. In 1832, it was officially established as a town and quickly grew due to its proximity to Fort Payne, which provided employment opportunities for many locals. In the 1840s, a railroad line was built through Geraldine, furthering its growth as a trading hub for nearby towns and cities.

Geraldine is governed by an elected mayor and city council who are responsible for setting city policies on issues such as taxes and public safety. The economy in Geraldine is largely driven by agriculture; cotton farms are still common throughout the area and provide employment for many residents.

The school system in Geraldine consists of one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school that serve more than 600 students each year. The schools offer a variety of educational opportunities from academic classes to extracurricular activities such as sports teams and clubs.

Notable landmarks in Geraldine include Mt Zion Baptist Church which was built in 1837 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Smith’s Mill which was built in 1845; and The Old Courthouse which served as Dekalb County’s government building from 1848 until 1953 when it was replaced by a new courthouse.

Population: 786. Estimated population in July 2024: 816 (+3.8% change)
Males: 346 (44.0%), Females: 440 (56.0%)

DeKalb County

Zip code: 35974

Demographics

Median resident age: 41.3 years
Median household income: $24,028
Median house value: $73,400

Population by Race

Races in Geraldine:

• White Non-Hispanic (97.6%)
• American Indian (1.9%)
• Two or more races (0.9%)

Ancestries: United States (22.6%), English (8.5%), German (6.7%), Irish (6.6%), Scottish (2.4%), French (1.9%).

Elevation: 1148 feet

Land area: 3.9 square miles

Population by Education

Geraldine, Alabama is a small rural town located in DeKalb County. The population of Geraldine as of the 2010 census was 714. The racial makeup of the town was 95.1% White, 1.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population. As with many small towns in Alabama there is a large number of people living below the poverty line; approximately 33 percent according to census data from 2015-2019.

The median age in Geraldine is 41 years old which is slightly higher than the national average for small towns in America but still low compared to larger cities and metropolitan areas throughout the country . The gender ratio for the town is fairly balanced with a male to female ratio of 50/50%. Most residents are employed by local businesses such as convenience stores, gas stations, restaurants and other small businesses that make up a large part of Geraldine’s commerce sector. Agriculture is also an important part of the economy with many family farms still operating in DeKalb County providing produce for local markets as well as larger cities and towns throughout Alabama and even across state lines into Georgia and Tennessee.

For population 25 years and over in Geraldine

• High school or higher: 67.0%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.1%
• Graduate or professional degree: 7.6%
• Unemployed: 4.8%
• Mean travel time to work: 25.5 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Geraldine town

• Never married: 13.6%
• Now married: 57.9%
• Separated: 0.8%
• Widowed: 17.5%
• Divorced: 10.1%

0.3% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: -17 (-2.1%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Geraldine:

• MARSHALL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH (about 16 miles; BOAZ, AL)
• BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER DEKALB (about 18 miles; FORT PAYNE, AL)
• MARSHALL MEDICAL (about 21 miles; GUNTERSVILLE, AL)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Geraldine:

• ANNISTON METROPOLITAN (about 54 miles; ANNISTON, AL; Abbreviation: ANB)
• TALLADEGA MUNI (about 55 miles; TALLADEGA, AL; Abbreviation: ASN)
• HUNTSVILLE INTL-CARL T JONES FIELD (about 57 miles; HUNTSVILLE, AL; Abbreviation: HSV)

Other public-use airports nearest to Geraldine:

• GUNTERSVILLE MUNI – JOE STARNES FIELD (about 19 miles; GUNTERSVILLE, AL; Abbreviation: 8A1)
• THE ALBERTVILLE MUNI-THOMAS J BRUMLIK FLD (about 20 miles; ALBERTVILLE, AL; Abbreviation: 8A0)
• ISBELL FIELD (about 22 miles; FORT PAYNE, AL; Abbreviation: 4A9)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Geraldine:

• GADSDEN STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 29 miles; GADSDEN, AL; Full-time enrollment: 3,360)
• JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY (about 40 miles; JACKSONVILLE, AL; Full-time enrollment: 6,418)
• ALABAMA A & M UNIVERSITY (about 45 miles; NORMAL, AL; Full-time enrollment: 4,886)
• UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE (about 52 miles; HUNTSVILLE, AL; Full-time enrollment: 4,795)
• GEORGE C WALLACE STATE COMMUNITY COLL-HANCEVILLE (about 60 miles; HANCEVILLE, AL; Full-time enrollment: 3,272)
• THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA (about 69 miles; CHATTANOOGA, TN; Full-time enrollment: 6,914)
• JEFFERSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 69 miles; BIRMINGHAM, AL; Full-time enrollment: 3,279)

Public primary/middle school in Geraldine:

• GERALDINE SCHOOL (Students: 1,139; Location: 13011 HIGHWAY 227; Grades: KG – 12)

Libraries

Library in Geraldine:

• GERALDINE PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $24,929; Location: 13543 ALABAMA HWY 227; 34,674 books; 505 audio materials; 592 video materials; 8 serial subscriptions)