Neighborhood · Tuscaloosa, AL

Highland Lakes Eviction Risk: Lower

1 census tracts · pop 3,288 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 3.5/10 · range 3.5–3.5

Highland Lakes is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Tuscaloosa with 1 census tract and a population of 3,288 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 3.5/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 43% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 40% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $600/month sits 43% lower than the Tuscaloosa citywide average ($1,055).

Risk score

3.5

Lower

1 tracts · population-weighted

Highland Lakes vs Tuscaloosa How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

42.8% +28%

Tuscaloosa: 33.5%

Average gross rent

$600 -43%

Tuscaloosa: $1,055

Average HH income

$95,942 +98%

Tuscaloosa: $48,536

Poverty rate

11.7% -51%

Tuscaloosa: 23.8%

Renter share

19.4% -66%

Tuscaloosa: 57.1%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Highland Lakes and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 3.5–3.5

Why Highland Lakes scores 3.5

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 1.8–1.8 across tracts

1.8

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 4.3–4.3 across tracts

4.3

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Rent control risk

43% of income on rent · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 3.5–3.5 across tracts

3.5

Tenant organizing strength

19% renter households · Range 4.0–4.0 across tracts

4.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Economic stress

11.7% below poverty line · Range 2.9–2.9 across tracts

2.9

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Risk score comparison

Highland Lakes vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Highland Lakes

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
01125010203	3.5	3,288	43%	$600

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 14

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 43%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 15%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 14%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 8%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Highland Lakes

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

8Total filings (sum)
1.44%Avg annual filing rate
1.1%Peak year (2013)
2.67%Latest filed (2016)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Highland Lakes

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

8.1%Housing insecurity
5.2%Utility shutoff threat
10.9%Food insecurity
6.4%SNAP enrollment
7.8%No health insurance
32.0%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Highland Lakes

What is the eviction-risk score for Highland Lakes?

Highland Lakes scores 3.5/10 (Lower tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Highland Lakes compare to Tuscaloosa overall?

Highland Lakes scores 0.7 points higher than Tuscaloosa overall (2.8/10). Renters spend 43% of income on rent vs 34% citywide. Average rent: $600 vs $1,055.

What is the average rent in Highland Lakes?

Average gross rent in Highland Lakes is $600/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 43% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Highland Lakes residents are renters?

19% of Highland Lakes households are renter-occupied (vs 57% in Tuscaloosa). The neighborhood has 3,288 residents.

Is Highland Lakes a high social-vulnerability area?

Highland Lakes sits in the 14th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (low vulnerability). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Highland Lakes for landlords?

Highland Lakes carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (3.5/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Tuscaloosa as a whole (2.8/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Highland Lakes?

Highland Lakes has 3,391 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (87.3%), Hispanic / Latino (9.8%), Other / Multiracial (2.8%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Highland Lakes

3.9 Historic Downtown Northport 2 tracts · pop 7,223 5.9 Buena Vista 2 tracts · pop 5,094 4.7 Jerusalem Heights 2 tracts · pop 9,257

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Tuscaloosa

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Highland Lakes.

3.9 Deven Dale 1 tracts · pop 4,365 4.4 Jerusalem Heights 2 tracts · pop 9,257 4.5 Green Hills 1 tracts · pop 4,027 4.5 Woodland Terrace 1 tracts · pop 5,470 5 Cherry Dale 1 tracts · pop 2,443 5.3 Country Club Hills 1 tracts · pop 4,179

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