Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

Is your city growing, shrinking or sprawling? Read PARCA's latest analysis on the recently released Census Bureau's population estimates for Alabama cities. We dig into regional population change and explore population change throughout the country through interactive charts and data.

Read more:
https://parcalabama.org/cities-in-the-north-south-and-east-grow-fastest-central-cities-continue-to-see-population-flow-to-suburbs/

Cities in the north, south, and east grow fastest; Central cities continue to see population flow to suburbs - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Growth moderated across most of Alabama cities in 2025 according to new population estimates for Alabama cities. Printable PDF available Read the full release.  

Before you vote today, you may want to take a look at PARCA's proposed amendment report. We break down what your vote will mean on the two statewide amendments with an objective, nonpartisan analysis.

Primary Election: Proposed Statewide Amendments Analysis - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Beyond the Democratic and Republican primary elections scheduled for May 19, voters will decide the fate of two statewide amendments Read the full release.  

Could a change in federal regulations threaten life-saving progress in Alabama’s Opioid Crisis? Read PARCA’s latest post!

How a Change in Federal Regulations Could Threaten Life-Saving Progress in Alabama’s Opioid Crisis - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama PARCA’s 2026 Annual Forum, “From Crisis to Collaboration: How Data, Policy, and Partnership Saved Lives in Alabama,” spotlighted the Read the full release.

Alabama’s 2026 Primary Election is just one week away! Two amendments to the Alabama Constitution will appear on the ballot. PARCA has broken down what each amendment means and what exactly voters are being asked to decide. Read the full analysis here:

Primary Election: Proposed Statewide Amendments Analysis - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Beyond the Democratic and Republican primary elections scheduled for May 19, voters will decide the fate of two statewide amendments Read the full release.  

Despite the increasing emphasis on college and career readiness in Alabama high schools, fewer students are earning work-readiness certifications through the standardized test known as WorkKeys. It’s unclear whether results reflect a change in performance or a change in the pool of students taking the test in light of shifting strategies to ensure all students earn a college and career ready (CCR) designation. Read the full report here:

Fewer 2025 High School Grads Passed Workplace Readiness Test - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Despite the increasing emphasis on college and career readiness in Alabama high schools, fewer students are earning work-readiness certifications through Read the full release.  

Meet PARCA's new Research Associate, Teanna Moore, Ph.D.!

Teanna brings experience in educational research, program evaluation, and data analysis across K–12 and postsecondary settings. Her work has focused on college and career readiness and outcomes for diverse learners, along with contributing to research and policy publications. Her work at PARCA will focus on education policy. Join us in welcoming her to PARCA!

Read more about Teanna at the link in the comments:

It's everyone's favorite day! TAX DAY! According to PARCA's 2025 report - How Alabama Taxes Compare - Alabama collects less taxes than 47 other states. State property tax collections are the lowest in the nation, which Alabama compensates for with some of the highest sales tax rates. Explore the details, nationwide rankings and full report: https://parcalabama.org/how-alabama-taxes-compare-2025/

Did you miss this year's PARCA Annual Forum? The March 6 event explored Alabama's response to the opioid crisis and featured leaders who helped bring about the decline, including policymakers from the Legislature, public health, and mental health agencies, as well as frontline doctors, first responders, and peer recovery specialists, who are working to combat addiction. Check out the recap and watch the session recordings in the latest post below:

2026 PARCA Annual Forum Review - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Deaths from drug overdose dropped sharply in 2024 and 2025, due in part to bold policy decisions, the deployment of Read the full release.  

Decreasing immigration from abroad slowed population growth across Alabama’s counties in 2024 and 2025, though suburban counties and growth magnets in north and south Alabama continued to add new residents. The one-year metro population growth rate for Huntsville (3%) and Baldwin County (2%) put both among the fastest growing Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the US, with Huntsville at No. 6 and Baldwin County at No. 11. Read more at the link in the comments below.

State ACT scores declined in all four tested subjects for 2025. The average composite score for Alabama public high school graduates went from 17.9 to 17.8 on a 36-point scale. Pre-pandemic, Alabama’s scores peaked at 19.2 in 2017, which is also the year the national score peaked. Average ACT scores dropped by a full point between 2020 and 2022, before ticking back up in 2023 and 2024. Link to the full ACT analysis in comments.