Alabama: roof stress by county
21 Alabama counties are scored. Median Alabama county: score 42.2, #25 among states. Median Alabama county: 78% of homes predate 2000 (-2 points against the nation). Median Alabama county: 1.6 severe hail days a year (-0.4 against the nation). Median Alabama county: 29.5 permits per 1,000 homes (-6.0 against the nation). 3 Alabama pages are out, 18 more to come; Jefferson County tops them at 50.8.
- very high
- high
- moderate
- lower
Alabama counties
| Alabama county | Score | Rank | Band | Pre-2000 | Hail | Permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 50.8 | #555 | moderate | 80.1% | 2.6 | 57.8 |
| Mobile County | 42.5 | #703 | moderate | 79.6% | 1.9 | 54.8 |
| Etowah County | 40.8 | #737 | moderate | 82.8% | 1.2 | 27.4 |
Alabama counties by stress band
| very high | 0 |
|---|---|
| high | 0 |
| moderate | 14 |
| lower | 7 |
The chart counts all 21 scored Alabama counties, not only the published ones. Bands are cut nationally: very high is the top 10% of 1,113 scored counties, high the next 20%, moderate the next 40%, lower the rest.
The three measures against the nation
| Measure | Alabama | Nation | Alabama counties past the nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 2000 | 78.2% | 80.4% | 4 of 21 (more than the nation) |
| Severe hail days a year | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2 of 21 (more than the nation) |
| New-home permits per 1,000 homes | 29.5 | 35.5 | 12 of 21 (fewer than the nation) |
What the Alabama numbers say
21 Alabama counties pass the data floors and are scored; 1,113 counties are scored nationwide. The bands are cut across the whole country: 0 Alabama counties sit in the very high band, 0 in high, 14 in moderate and 7 in lower. A state at the national average would put about 30% of its counties in the top two bands; Alabama has 0 of 21, or 0%.
The three inputs pull differently here. On a 0 to 100 percentile scale the average Alabama county scores 35 on old housing, 28 on severe hail and 51 on slow renewal (few new-home permits). Slow renewal of the housing stock is the strongest driver and severe hail the weakest. 4 of 21 counties have more pre-2000 homes than the national median county, 2 see more severe hail days a year, and 12 issue fewer new-home permits per 1,000 homes.
County scores run from 13.1 to 51.3, a spread of 38.2 points, around an Alabama median of 42.2 against 50.5 nationally. Of the 3 pages out now, Jefferson County is highest at 50.8, ranked #555 of 1,113 nationally. A wide spread means a statewide average hides the counties that matter, so read the county row, not the state line.
Quick answers
How many Alabama counties get a roof stress score?
21 of them, out of 1,113 counties scored nationwide. A county needs at least 20 NOAA hail reports and 1,500 housing units to be scored.
Which Alabama county has the highest score?
Among the pages already published, Jefferson County leads with 50.8, rank #555 of 1,113. More Alabama county pages open each week; the score for every scored county is computed the same way from the first day.
Is old housing or hail the bigger factor in Alabama?
The average Alabama county scores 35 on old housing, 28 on hail and 51 on slow renewal, so slow renewal of the housing stock contributes most.
How does Alabama compare with the national median for hail?
The median Alabama county sees 1.6 severe hail days a year; the national median county sees 2.0. 2 of 21 Alabama counties are above the national figure.
What does the very high band mean?
It is the top tenth of scored counties nationally by the average of three percentiles: old housing, severe hail and slow renewal. In Alabama, 0 of 21 counties are in it.
Does a high score mean my roof is damaged?
No. The score ranks county conditions, not individual roofs. A new roof in a very high county can be fine; an old one in a lower county can leak. Use it to decide how soon to get an inspection.
Where does the data come from?
NOAA Storm Events hail reports (2014–2026), Census ACS housing age and the Census Building Permits Survey. Nothing else enters the score; see the method page.
Sources: NOAA Storm Events hail reports (2014–2026), Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 housing age, Census Building Permits Survey 2014 to 2025. Scores are recomputed from these files; no figure is typed by hand.
Alabama: method, national map, Alabama hail history.