A small community near Huntsville ranks highest in Alabama for median student loan debt, according to online reports.
Harvest tops Alabama in student loan debt
Harvest, an unincorporated community about 15 miles northwest of downtown Huntsville, has the highest median student loan debt in the state. WalletHub data places the figure at $30,983.
In addition, the analysis used TransUnion data from October 2025. It reviewed student loan debt across more than 2,500 cities nationwide to create its rankings.
The report also shows how debt levels vary across Alabama communities, including both large cities and smaller suburbs.
How other Alabama cities compare
Several other Alabama cities also rank high for student loan debt. Montgomery follows Harvest with a median debt of $28,591.
Meanwhile, Fairhope, Hoover, and Madison also appear near the top of the list. Huntsville itself ranks eighth at $26,186.
Furthermore, Birmingham rounds out the top 10 Alabama cities at $24,939. These figures highlight a wide range of student loan burdens across the state.
National context and broader debt trends
Nationally, McKinney, Texas ranks highest, with a median student loan debt of $45,199. That city sits north of Dallas and leads the country in the report.
In addition, WalletHub notes that total U.S. student loan debt stands at about $1 trillion, making it the second-largest category of household debt after mortgages.
Finally, Alabamians collectively hold about $24 billion in federal student loan debt. Analysts also note that upcoming federal loan program changes in 2026 could affect both undergraduate and graduate borrowers.
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