Muscle Shoals, Alabama
City · Population 17,409 · #38 in Alabama
About Muscle Shoals
Muscle Shoals is a close-knit town in northwestern Alabama counting 17,409 people who proudly call it home.
Muscle Shoals holds the status of an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 16.87 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 1,032 residents per square mile.
📰 Muscle Shoals News Today
- Varsity Football Muscle Shoals High School - 08/16/2026 | Live & On Demand NFHS Network · Aug 16
- Beckett Jackson Sports Illustrated · Aug 15
- Governor Ivey Announces Virginia Transformer Plant Will Bring 1,100 Jobs to Northwest Alabama Alabama Governor's Office (.gov) · May 19
- Muscle Shoals, Alabama: the small town that redefined music history Wanderlust Travel Magazine · Mar 10
- 1 person injured in late-night Muscle Shoals shooting WAFF · Jul 10
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Muscle Shoals Unique
- The only place in America named Muscle Shoals — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
- Positioned in northwestern Alabama, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
- Part of the fabric of Alabama — one of 594 recognized communities statewide.
Why People Love It Here
- Big enough for services and schools, small enough to feel like home.
- Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 17,409.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 7 miles.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Muscle Shoals
- Pizza Hut — pizza
- Rick's Barbecue — barbecue
- Casa Mexicana Restaurant — mexican
- Donna and Friends — regional
- Fiesta Mexicana — mexican
- Garden Gate Café — regional
- Jody's Restaurant — american
- Mamma Jean's Restaurant — american
- Papa Wok
- Sweet Peppers Deli — sandwich
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Muscle Shoals
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Muscle Shoals
- Highland Park Elementary School
- Howell Graves Preschool
- McBride Elementary School
- Muscle Shoals Career Academy
- Muscle Shoals High School
- Muscle Shoals Middle School
- Webster Elementary School
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare
- North Alabama Shoals Hospital · 24/7 ER
Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.
⚡ Quick Facts
StateAlabama
TypeCity
Population (2024)17,409
Rank in state#38 of 463
Land area16.87 sq mi
Density1,032/sq mi
Coordinates34.7427, -87.6338