2010 · Mural at Colbert County High School · Wikimedia Commons
Leighton’s story
Leighton in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 1 places on the National Register.
LeightonAL
A town of 893. A typical home worth about $159K.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
893
−8.8% since 2010
Typical home
$159K
+7.1% in a year
Household income
$34K
median
Median age
44.9
years
Jobs based here
65
A commuter town
What makes Leighton stand out
The thing Leighton does most differently from other towns.
Small town
893 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Leighton’s report card
Now in Leighton
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Leighton? Is a C+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Leighton’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →59°
Mostly Cloudy
H 80° · L 54°
Local news
All →- Colbert County vs Florence - Boys Junior Varsity Basketball 12/19/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 28
- Hatton vs Colbert County - Boys Middle School Basketball 11/12/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
- Keon QuallsSports Illustrated · Sep 21
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Leighton. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Leighton home is worth about $159K
The typical Leighton home is worth about $159,000, up 7.1% in a year, 34% below the Alabama typical home.
$159KZillow home value
Typical home value
Leighton$159K
Alabama$242K
+7.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in March
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Leighton
Most working residents leave Leighton for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Muscle Shoals (23%), Florence (10%) and Huntsville (8%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
2%work in town
Where working residents work
In Leighton2%
Muscle Shoals23%
Florence10%
Huntsville8%
Sheffield4%
11 mi
median commute distance
65
jobs based in Leighton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Leighton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–54°
Spring48–73°
Summer67–89°
Fall49–74°
Nov 3
typical first frost
Mar 30
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Leighton’s public schools outperform 39% of Alabama districts
The public schools Leighton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 61% of Alabama’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leighton Elementary School | PK–6 | 355 | C− |
| Colbert County High School | 7–12 | 438 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduationAll 2 schools →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Crime reported in Leighton
15 crimes were reported in Leighton in 2024: 8 property and 7 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Leighton is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
7
violent crimes reported in 2024
8
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Health
How healthy Leighton is
Leighton beats the Alabama average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17.
32 measures vs. Alabama
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Leighton | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.1% | 8.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.1% | 15.4% |
North Alabama Shoals Hospital
9.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Leighton for work
Where Leighton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
65jobs based in Leighton
2%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Leighton
3 notable people were born in Leighton.
About Leighton
Town in Alabama, United States
Leighton is a town in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Florence - Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Statistical Area known as "The Shoals". At the 2020 census, the population was 665. Leighton has been hit by several tornadoes in the 2000s, including a damaging EF2 on May 8, 2008, that was caught on tape flipping over many cars and damaging buildings.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 665
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 568 ft
- ZIP code
- 35646
- Area code
- 256
More about Leighton
Still missing for Leighton:upcoming events